When the National War Memorial was first built in 1932 it commanded a dominant position overlooking the city and would have been highly visible from most areas of the capital. At that time there was a proposal to create a boulevard to link the memorial to Courtenay Place. This never eventuated and, while still highly visible, the memorial has become isolated in a semi-industrial zone as the city has grown up around it.
In 2005, the Ministry acquired land on Buckle Street, across the road from the National War Memorial, to create a New Zealand Memorial Park. The park will join the adjacent National War Memorial and the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior as a major focal point for New Zealanders to commemorate sacrifice during time of war. This will not only improve the setting of the National War Memorial but would strengthen the heritage value of the entire area. The park will not be purely an open space as the design will allow for the construction of memorials, particularly from countries with which New Zealand has a close relationship.
On 20 April 2011, the Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Christopher Finlayson marked the completion of the first phase of development on the new National War Memorial Park in Wellington, meaning the new public space will be available for use during Monday’s ANZAC Day ceremony.
Developed during the past 18 months, phase one of the park sits across the road from the National War Memorial on Buckle St. The former commercial area has been transformed into a dedicated public space to remember and think of those affected by war.
“The completion of phase one of the park creates an important public space to complement the National War Memorial precinct around Buckle Street,” Mr Finlayson said. The park will help ease on significant days of remembrance, such as ANZAC day, when the immediate space around the National War Memorial is at full capacity. This announcement signals completion of stage one of the National War Memorial park.
You can view images from the April 2011 Blessing Ceremony on our website.
The Australian Government has commenced preparations for an Australian Memorial within the planned Memorial Park in Wellington, following agreement between Prime Minister Key and Prime Minister Gillard in 2011. The memorial, to be located within the Memorial Park in Wellington, follows from the establishment of the New Zealand Memorial, sited on Anzac Parade in Canberra.
The Memorial will honour the shared military heritage of both our nations, and also acknowledge the many other dimensions of the relationship beyond the military endeavour.
The Office of Australian War Graves of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs has sought tenders for Project Management Services for the construction of the Memorial. It will be some time before concepts and potential designs are developed.
The project is planned to be completed in time for the Centenary of Anzac in 2015.
Further information
$10m extra for National War Memorial Park (21 May 2010)
Park will complete war memorial precinct (24 April 2007)
File download
BuckleSHRA20June08.pdf (336.61 KB)
Health impacts assessment report for Buckle St re-alignment project (pdf)
NIWA Buckle_St_final_v2.pdf (713.16 KB)
Quality monitoring report at Buckle St, Wellington : final report by NIWA (pdf)
MemPark_InterimCpt_100520.pdf (597.07 KB)
Memorial Park interim concept report (May 2010)
