Петоне: Тарихы мен географиясы

Suburb of Lower Hutt, New Zealand

The Māori name Pito one means "end of the sand beach".

Petone is flat. It is nestled between the Hutt River to the north and east, hills on the west and Wellington Harbour to the south. The land along the Petone foreshore was uplifted by a metre or more after the 1855 Wairarapa earthquake. This improved drainage around the mouth of the Hutt River. which is a popular family swimming spot. The Korokoro Stream comes down off the hills at the western side of Petone. As a low lying suburb, Petone is vulnerable to tsunami and the threat of flooding. During a severe storm on 20 December 1976, the Korokoro Stream caused flooding almost a metre deep in the industrial area of Petone around Cornish Street, and more than 40 people had to be rescued from factory roofs.

New Zealand's first state housing was constructed in Petone in 1906, with some of the original houses remaining in good condition. The local tourist office provides a guide showing where these houses are located. Star Flats (state housing apartment blocks built in the 1960s) are located in Jackson Street and East Street. Historian Ben Schrader has identified that this state housing may be the first national government led housing development in the world.

Petone's main street has over 220 businesses (most are small unique businesses), has free parking, is a hub for hospitality, and is listed by Heritage New Zealand as a historic area. Petone's former police station and jail, built in 1908, were moved to a site on Jackson Street in 1994 from Elizabeth Street, and is home to the Jackson Street Programme Inc. (JSP) which was established in 1992. The Historic Police Station is the JSP's office, and has information on Jackson Street and Petone for visitors and tourists. The Old Jail became a museum with exhibits about policing in Petone and the history of Jackson Street. Jackson Street also features a 'Walk of Champions': over 140 bronze plaques have been laid on the footpath celebrating 200 local sportspeople who have represented New Zealand or become national champions in their sport.

St David's is a Presbyterian church at 4 Britannia Street with a Heritage New Zealand Category 2 listing. It was built in 1889 in a simple Colonial Gothic style designed by Christian Toxward. Originally it had a large steeple but this was later removed after being damaged by weather and rot. In 1993 the steeple was restored and a porte cochere was added. The church has a decorated pipe organ and there is a large stained glass memorial window. The church is now used for services by the Samoan community.

St Augustine's is an Anglican church at 12 Britannia Street which has a Heritage New Zealand Category 2 listing. The church is built of wood, and was designed by Frederick de Jersey Clere in a gothic style. When it was built in 1902 1903 it had the tallest spire in New Zealand, but the spire was removed in 1954 after being damaged in a storm.

The Te Puna Wai Ora (Spring of Life) in Buick Street provides pure untreated artesian (underground pressured) water from taps. The water originates from the Hutt River at the Taita Gorge and is safe to drink in its natural form as it has been naturally filtered through the alluvial gravels and sands of the Hutt Valley over several years. It is free, and consumers travel long distances to collect the water for drinking purposes.

Petone Settlers Museum is housed in the Wellington Provincial Centennial Memorial Building on the Petone foreshore, opposite Buick Street. The building was opened on Wellington Anniversary Day 1940 to commemorate the arrival of the ship Aurora and the first European settlement in Wellington. It is a building of national significance.

In February 1940 a stone cross was erected on the Petone foreshore near the Settlers Museum, to commemorate 100 years since the first Presbyterian church service in New Zealand was held on board the settler ship Bengal Merchant at Petone on 23 February 1840. The cross is 2.7 m (15ft) high and carved on one side. The cross was supposed to have been a replica of the MacLean Cross at Iona in Scotland donated by the Church of Scotland, but due to the outbreak of World War 2 this was not possible. Instead, the cross was carved in Auckland or Coromandel, and is made of Coromandel Tonalite, a type of rock formerly quarried on the Coromandel Peninsula.

Hōniana Te Puni Reserve is a 5 hectare grassed reserve at the western end of the Petone foreshore. The reserve, formerly known as 'Korokoro Gateway', was given to Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika in 2009 as part of a Treaty settlement and is managed by Hutt City Council. Wellington Rowing Association and Wellington Water Ski Club have buildings on the site, and the reserve is popular with walkers and as a dog exercise area. A pouwhenua (carved pole) was erected on the reserve in 2000. The pouwhenua represents chief Honiana Te Puni and commemorates the arrival of the first European settlers at Petone. It was carved by Bryce Manukonga of Te Āti Awa. The pouwhenua was repaired and reinstalled at the reserve in 2019. As of 2023 the reserve is being used as a work space by contractors building Te Ara Tupua, a cycleway connecting Petone and Wellington.

The reserve is a park and walkway at the mouth of the Hutt River. It features a disc golf course. The reserve was the site of Ngati Awa's Hikoikoi Pa.

One remnant of Petone's industrial history is the Petone Wharf. The original wharf was built to allow the Gear Meat Works to move its products quickly to Wellington for export. That wharf was demolished and the current wharf built slightly further north along the shore in 1908 1909. The wharf was popular with walkers and people fishing, but was closed to the public in January 2021 after suffering earthquake damage in the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake and two smaller subsequent earthquakes. In May 2021 Hutt City Council voted to repair the wharf but as of May 2022 was still considering the best course of action. In November 2023 Hutt City Council announced that it would be demolishing the wharf.

The Petone Rotary Fair is a notable local event, held annually since 1992, that draws people from all over the greater Wellington region to Jackson Street, Petone's main thoroughfare, which is closed off to traffic for the event. The purpose of the fair is not only to raise the profile of Petone and provide an enjoyable day out, but to raise money for charity. The fair consists of various stalls selling products such as plants, artwork, jewellery, CDs & DVDs, cosmetics, food and drink, etc., and there are musicians, carnival rides, and displays from various organisations such as the New Zealand Fire Service.