Wellington
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By Air
Wellington International Airport is located eight kilometres southeast of downtown Wellington in the suburb of Rongotai.International flights operate to and from four Australian destinations - Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney and Melbourne - as well as Fiji.Domestic flights are provided by Air New Zealand, Qantas, Sounds Air, Air2there and Air West Coast.
By Bus & Train
National bus and train services arrive and depart from Wellington Railway Station which is located in the city centre.Tranz Scenic operates a popular train service - The Overlander - between Auckland and Wellington, connecting Wellington with most major North Island cities. The journey takes around 12 hours and takes you through some of the most stunning parts of the North Island.
By sea
Wellington is the North Island's coastal gateway to the South Island, with regular ferry services taking passengers and vehicles across the Cook Strait. The stunning journey through Wellington Harbour and the Marlborough Sounds takes 3 hours. The most frequent services are provided by Interislander.
There are also ferry services from one side of Wellington harbour to the other, making for a lovely day trip from the city centre across to Days Bay, Somes-Matiu Island and Seatoun.
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Botanic Gardens
The Botanic Gardens (26ha) lie in the center of the city on the Kelburn Hills. The cable car that runs up to the gardens is an experience in itself. This 610m long funicular railroad, opened in 1902, climbs from Lambton Quay, opposite Gray Street, to a height of 122m. The old wooden cars were replaced in 1979 by modern ones made in Switzerland. From the hilltop there is a magnificent view of Wellington.
The Botanic Gardens were opened in 1869. At the entrance are the Carter Observatory belonging to the Meteorological Institute and a number of other university scientific institutes. The high points of the gardens are the Lady Norwood Rose Garden, with over 500 varieties of roses, the begonia house, the herb garden, the Maori herb
The waterfront of Wellington is very attractive. Queen's Wharf and Frank Kitts Park are surrounded by fine buildings, including the Civic Centre, the modern City of Sea Bridge and the recent National Museum (1998). From Frank Kitts Park there is a good view of the nearby harbor. Features include a mast from the ferry Wahine that went down with 51 passengers in a storm in the harbor in 1968, and a bronze representation of the two ships in which Abel Tasman discovered New Zealand in 1642.
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