Wainuiomata has a long history of tunnel construction, central to Wellington’s developing water supply. While these tunnels still exist today, some have been buried, filled, or locked.
One of the earliest tunnels is Coleman’s Tunnel, which was constructed in the 1880s to carry water from the water race and feed it into the main pipeline to Wellington.
Another early structure is the Sinclair Tunnel, a small service tunnel beneath the Wainuiomata Dam, likely used for inspection and drainage. It was built during the dam’s construction in the 1880s.
The Wainuiomata-Waiwhetu Tunnel, completed in 1884, was a major achievement of its time. At 2.1 kilometres long, it was driven through the Eastern Hills to carry water from the Wainuiomata Valley into the Waiwhetu Stream catchment in the Hutt Valley.
Black Creek Tunnel, sometimes referred to as Dick’s Tunnel, was built in the 1880s as part of early water supply infrastructure in Wainuiomata. Brick-lined and designed to carry water through a piped system, it served its purpose for several decades before being decommissioned around 1911.
In the 1920s, the Orongorongo Tunnel was constructed to bring water from the more remote Orongorongo catchment into Wainuiomata. At 3.2 kilometres in length, this tunnel runs beneath rugged forested ranges and remains a vital part of the region’s bulk water infrastructure.
