Petone Wharf Fishing: Closed for Repairs, Where to Fish Instead

Last updated October 2026

Petone Wharf in Lower Hutt is closed and cannot be fished. It has been shut since 18 January 2021, and it is now a construction site.

Hutt City Council has appointed a contractor, and the first stage of repairs starts at the end of October 2026. There is no reopening date. This guide explains what is happening, how the wharf was used, and where to fish nearby in the meantime, including the Hutt River estuary about 2 km east.

At a Glance

Location

Petone Beach, The Esplanade, Petone, Lower Hutt

Status

Closed since 18 January 2021; no reopening date

Repairs

Stage 1 (first 290 m of the 400 m wharf) starts end of October 2026 and takes about two years

Stage 2

Wharf head, expected from mid-2027, subject to confirmation

Budget

Up to $12 million (Hutt City Council)

Parking

About 30 of the wharf’s 60 car parks are now the construction yard

Fish nearby

Hutt River estuary and mouth, about 2 km east

Tides

Same water as the Wellington standard port

Rules area

MPI Central rules area

What You'll Find Here

Petone Wharf is a timber wharf built in 1909 that reaches about 400 m out from Petone Beach. It sits between the Tupua Horo Nuku and Te Ara Tupua shared paths and is listed in the Greater Wellington Regional Coastal Plan as a feature of historic merit.

Hutt City Council said when it reopened in December 2017 that the wharf was for people who love to fish or stroll.

The wharf closed on 18 January 2021 after earthquakes over the Christmas break damaged five piles and part of the structure slumped. Repairs expected to take about six weeks never went ahead, and it has stayed shut.

Shipworm (teredo) has also weakened the timber. In May 2025 the council agreed to partial remediation within a $12 million budget, which means repairing and strengthening most of the wharf and removing part of the badly deteriorated head.

On 5 October 2026 the council announced that Lower Hutt contractor GK Shaw Ltd has been appointed. Stage 1 repairs the approach, the first 290 m, and starts at the end of October 2026. Stage 2 is the wharf head.

About 60 m of it may be repaired and about 50 m removed, with work expected from mid-2027, subject to confirmation. The council says the work will return space for walking and fishing, but it has not given a reopening date.

The nearby Point Howard Wharf is no longer an option. It closed in 2019 and has been removed.

How to Fish Near Petone Wharf While It Is Closed

Do not go on the wharf

The wharf and the car park beside it are an active work site. Do not climb on or fish from any part of the structure. The beachfront shared path is diverted through the car park during construction, so follow the signs and keep clear of vehicles.

The Hutt River estuary and mouth

Fish & Game describes the tidal lower Hutt River, from the harbour to Ewen Bridge, as a place where trout and marine fish move up and down with the tide. It names kahawai as a bycatch there and says the best time is October to mid-December, when trout and kahawai feed on whitebait.

Spinning and streamer flies work best, using silvery or white spinners and white streamers cast into current lines, eddies and around submerged structure.

Marine Parade gives access to the estuary and river mouth on the Petone side, and Port Road gives access on the Seaview side. For access, flow gauges and trout rules, see our Hutt River fishing guide.

Check which rules apply

The lower Hutt is a Fish & Game trout fishery, so trout fishing needs a Fish & Game licence. Check Fish & Game’s Wellington regulations before you fish the estuary, because freshwater and sea rules meet there.

Getting There and Facilities

• Parking: the wharf car park has about 60 spaces, and about 30 are used as the construction yard for the length of the project.
• Bus: Hutt City Council lists Metlink routes 130, 83 and 84 for Petone Beach. Check Metlink for current routes.
• Beach: Petone Beach is groomed over summer and is not patrolled. Lions Park, with a playground, is on the foreshore.
• Hutt River access: Bracken Street (Sladden Park) has toilets and a playground.

Rules and Safety

• Rule set: sea fishing here follows the MPI Central rules area. Check MPI’s Central fishing rules for current limits and closures.
• Closures: none of the Central area’s marine reserves are in Wellington Harbour or near Petone.
• Shellfish: check MPI’s shellfish biotoxin alerts before gathering any shellfish.
• Water quality: avoid contact with the water for two to three days after heavy rain, and avoid stormwater and wastewater outlets. Check LAWA and Hutt City Council for current advisories.
• Work site: keep out of the fenced wharf, the construction yard and the diverted path areas.

Official Sources for Petone Wharf

Common Questions

Is Petone Wharf open for fishing?
No. It has been closed since 18 January 2021 and is now a construction site.

When will Petone Wharf reopen?
Hutt City Council has not given a date. Stage 1 starts at the end of October 2026 and is expected to take about two years, with Stage 2 from mid-2027, subject to confirmation.

Why is the wharf closed?
Earthquakes over Christmas 2020 damaged piles and part of the wharf slumped. Shipworm has also weakened the timber.

Where can I fish near Petone instead?
The Hutt River estuary and mouth, about 2 km east, is the closest spot with a published fishing source.

What can I catch at the Hutt River estuary?
Fish & Game reports trout, with kahawai as a bycatch, and the best time is October to mid-December during the whitebait run.

Can I park at the wharf?
Some of it. About 30 of the 60 spaces are now the construction yard.

What happened to Point Howard Wharf?
It closed in 2019 and has been removed, so it is not an alternative.

Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.

Sources and data notes 1

• Tides today: Tide predictions: LINZ (CC BY 3.0 NZ).