Last updated October 2026
Berhampore is a compact southern suburb of Wellington, about four kilometres from the city centre and two kilometres from the Cook Strait coast. It sits in a shallow valley centred on Adelaide Road, framed by the Wellington Town Belt and neighbouring areas such as Newtown, Island Bay, Melrose, Vogeltown, Kingston and Mornington.
Victorian and Edwardian villas and cottages sit alongside later housing, including the Category 1 heritage Berhampore State Flats. A small neighbourhood shopping centre, strong bus links, sports fields, a public golf course and Town Belt tracks give the suburb a practical village feel within easy reach of the central city.
Practical Information
- Ward or local board
- Paekawakawa/Southern Ward (Wellington City Council); also Te Whanganui-a-Tara Māori Ward
- Getting there
- Main routes via Adelaide Road and Rintoul Street. Frequent buses including route 1 (Johnsonville–Island Bay corridor) and express services such as 32X; stops serve the shops, Wakefield Park and Adelaide Road
- Main shopping
- Berhampore neighbourhood centre around Luxford Street and Adelaide Road (local services and village shops)
- Schools
- Berhampore School (Te Kura o Berhampore), state primary Years 1–6 on Britomart Street; nearby intermediate options include South Wellington Intermediate
- Nearby landmarks
- Wellington Town Belt; Berhampore Golf Course; Wakefield Park and sports fields; National Hockey Stadium; Berhampore State Flats (Centennial Flats); skate/BMX park and Jim Belich Playground
About Berhampore
Berhampore occupies undulating land south of central Wellington. Adelaide Road runs through the valley floor, with residential streets climbing the surrounding slopes. The Town Belt forms a continuous green edge that physically separates the suburb from some neighbours while providing walkways, recreation space and a scenic backdrop.
Council character assessments note a relatively high proportion of original detached housing, with Victorian and Edwardian villas and cottages giving a consistent inner-suburb streetscape and dense urban character.
The suburb takes its name from Berhampore Farm, the property of early settler George Hunter. The farm was named after Berhampore in Bengal, linked to Hunter’s father-in-law’s service there. European settlement of the area intensified in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Berhampore School opened in 1915 on Britomart Street and remains a community anchor. The school has a long record of local firsts, including early road patrols and open-plan teaching spaces.
Housing ranges across styles common in Wellington since European settlement. A standout is the Berhampore State Flats (also called the Centennial Flats) at 493–507 Adelaide Road.
Designed by F. Gordon Wilson of the Department of Housing Construction and completed in 1938–1939, the International Style complex of 48 units was an early multi-unit state housing project. It is listed as a Category 1 historic place by Heritage New Zealand.
Reinforced concrete construction, careful orientation for sunlight, balconies and a central garden area marked a deliberate approach to modern mass housing close to the city.
Today Berhampore is ethnically and socio-economically mixed, with a neighbourhood centre that supports everyday needs and a strong outdoor recreation offer. Traffic calming and street upgrades around Adelaide Road and Luxford Street have reinforced a slower, more pedestrian-friendly village heart.
The combination of heritage housing, green belt edges and quick access to the central city and south coast shapes daily life for residents and short visits for others.
Getting Around
Adelaide Road and Rintoul Street are the main corridors linking Berhampore to Newtown, the central city and Island Bay. Public transport is well established: bus route 1 runs the Johnsonville–Island Bay spine and serves stops through the suburb, with additional express and school services.
Council work has added raised crossings, bus stop improvements and safer cycling connections that help complete links between the south coast, Newtown and the city. Resident parking zones operate in parts of Berhampore, with time-limited spaces and permit options for longer stays.
Walking and cycling benefit from the Town Belt network and local street upgrades. Shared paths and tracks connect toward Island Bay, Martin Luckie Park and other green spaces. The compact layout means many daily trips stay within the suburb or a short bus ride of the city.
Getting Outdoors
The Wellington Town Belt reaches its southern extent around Berhampore and supplies walkways, vegetated slopes and informal recreation. Berhampore Golf Course is an 18-hole public course at 80 Stanley Street (next to Wakefield Park), open dawn to dusk, with views toward the city and south coast.
The course straddles both sides of Adelaide Road; green fees are paid on site and the Mornington Golf Club is based there. Note that storm damage has closed some holes at times; check current course notices before play.
Wakefield Park and adjoining all-weather sports fields on Adelaide Road support organised sport, while the national hockey stadium is a major regional facility.
A skateboard and BMX park sits near the golf course and Te Papa Tākaro o Jim Belich (Jim Belich Playground), with a kids’ mountain bike track nearby. Together these spaces give residents and visitors a wide choice of active recreation without leaving the southern suburbs.
History and Heritage
Before European settlement, the wider Wellington area formed part of Te Whanganui-a-Tara, with iwi including Te Ātiawa and others holding mana whenua.
The Town Belt land itself was taken into Crown and later council control in ways the Waitangi Tribunal has found breached Treaty principles. The belt remains a defining public reserve under the Town Belt Deed and Wellington Town Belt Act.
European farming and subdivision produced the Berhampore name and the street pattern still visible today. Early twentieth-century growth brought the primary school, tram-era links to the city, and later the pioneering state flats.
Athletic Park, once a major sports ground associated with the wider southern area, featured in national events including the 1981 Springbok Tour protests before its closure. Community histories compiled around the school centenary record local industries, churches, street-name origins and the suburb’s changing demographics.
Heritage value today rests in the villa and cottage streetscapes, the Category 1 Berhampore State Flats, and the continuous Town Belt edge. Council character statements identify pockets of especially consistent housing, including areas around Emerson Street, Morton Street and parts of Chikla Street.
Where to Learn More
Wellington City Council – Berhampore Golf Course: Hours, fees, location map and current course notices for the public 18-hole course.
Heritage New Zealand – Berhampore Flats: Category 1 listing details for the 1938–1939 International Style state housing complex on Adelaide Road.
Wikipedia – Berhampore, New Zealand: Overview of location, name origin, facilities and links to further sources on the suburb and state flats.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Berhampore in Wellington?
Berhampore is a southern suburb about four kilometres from the city centre and roughly two kilometres from the Cook Strait coast. It centres on Adelaide Road and is framed by the Town Belt.
How do I get to Berhampore by public transport?
Bus route 1 runs frequently along the Johnsonville–Island Bay corridor through Berhampore. Other services including express and school buses stop on Adelaide Road and near the shops. Check Metlink for current timetables.
What is the main shopping area in Berhampore?
A small neighbourhood centre around Luxford Street and Adelaide Road provides local services and village shops. Larger retail is available in nearby Newtown and the central city.
Is there a school in Berhampore?
Yes. Berhampore School (Te Kura o Berhampore) is a state primary school for Years 1–6 on Britomart Street. Intermediate and secondary options are available in neighbouring suburbs.
Can the public play golf in Berhampore?
Yes. Berhampore Golf Course is an 18-hole public course open dawn to dusk. Green fees are paid at a ticket machine; no tee booking is required. Check the council page for any temporary hole closures after storm damage.
What are the Berhampore State Flats?
Also known as the Centennial Flats, they are a Category 1 heritage complex of 48 International Style units at 493–507 Adelaide Road, designed by F. Gordon Wilson and completed in 1938–1939 as early multi-unit state housing.
Is Berhampore good for walking and outdoor recreation?
Yes. The Town Belt offers tracks and green space, Wakefield Park and sports fields support organised sport, and there is a skate/BMX park, playground and public golf course within the suburb.
Which council ward covers Berhampore?
Berhampore is in Wellington City Council’s Paekawakawa/Southern Ward, and also falls under Te Whanganui-a-Tara Māori Ward.
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