Wainuiomata has numerous tunnels. Some are known and others are buried or remain hidden to this day.
Waterwork Tunnels
Due to the topography of Wainuiomata coupled with being tasked as a source for the Wellington region’s water, the suburb has numerous tunnels. Some are hidden, while others are out in the open or signposted. Below is a non-exhaustive list of tunnels that you can visit today. The list is sorted in alphabetical order.
Black Creek / Dicks Tunnel
Constructed in the 1880s, this brick lined tunnel was abandoned around 1911. Its location is behind Bilderbeck Hall and the former Palliser Hotel. The tunnel was filled with gravel during the early 1970s and subsequently covered.
Colemans Tunnel
Built in the 1880s, this subterranean shaft and tunnel in Wainuiomata was abandoned by 1899. It is concealed today beneath dense forest cover and is known to few. Accessing the site requires navigating unmarked terrain as there is no established track.
Little Tunnel
Constructed during the 1920s, this tunnel runs parallel to the Orongorongo River. It was built concurrently with the Orongorongo Tunnel. It is still in service.
Orongorongo Tunnel
Constructed in the 1920s, this tunnel, situated between the Reservoir or Wainuiomata River and the Orongorongo River, is still functional. It houses a small railway inside and some pipes. The tunnel has restricted access but tours to the site allow visitors a look.
Wainuiomata Tunnel
Construction began in the 1930s, yet it wasn’t fully connected until the 1980s. Situated at Waiu Street in Wainuiomata, it emerges near the conclusion of Tunnel Grove at Seaview in Lower Hutt.
Waiwhetu Tunnel
This tunnel, constructed with brick lining during the 1880s, has since been sealed off with bricks. The entrance to this tunnel can be observed along the Beeline Mountain Bike Track on the Wainuiomata side, situated close to the terminus of Waiu Street.
Creek and Stormwater Drain Tunnels
As with any town or suburb, there are also number of navigable tunnels in Wainuiomata that drain away rainwater and also route creeks underground.
Hair Street Creek Tunnel
The Hair Street Creek Tunnel has routed Hair Street for decades. It is still operational today, despite new housing developments nearby. The tunnel guides the creek under The Village with multiple other drains and pipes that lead into the main tunnel. The tunnel is comprised of two sections. One is a circular concrete pipe which leads to the second section, a rectangular tunnel.
Special thanks to Jeremy Foster for his help with this article.
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