On the hill west of the city centre are Victoria University and Wellington Botanic Garden. Both can be reached on a funicular railway (the Wellington Cable Car).

Wellington Harbour has three islands: Matiu/Somes Island, Makaro/Ward Island and Mokopuna. Only Matiu/Somes Island is large enough for settlement. It has been used as a quarantine station for people and animals and as an internment camp during the First and Second World Wars. It is now a conservation island, providing refuge for endangered species, much like Kapiti Island further up the coast. There is limited access to the public during daylight hours by means of a stop-off on the Dominion Post Ferry.

The city has an average annual rainfall of 1270 mm.

People

18.5 per cent of people in Wellington were under the age of 15 years, compared with 22.7 per cent for all of New Zealand. Around 8.6 per cent of people were aged 65 years and over compared with 12.1 per cent for all of New Zealand.

85.6 per cent of people in Wellington city said they belong to the European ethnic group. Around 4.1% is Maori, and the remaining being Pacific Islander, and Asian.