Shelly Bay is a small bay on the western side of the Miramar Peninsula, part of the Maupuia suburb area. For 124 years it was controlled by the New Zealand Defence Force, used variously as an anti-submarine mine depot, a naval station, an air force base and an arts centre. It was sold to Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika in 2009 — returning the land to the descendants of the original Māori inhabitants. The bay then became the centre of one of Wellington’s most contentious planning disputes, with a $500 million housing development proposed, contested for years, and ultimately cancelled in 2023.
About Shelly Bay
| Location | Western side of Miramar Peninsula, within Evans Bay |
| Character | Former defence land, transitional, historically significant |
| Current ownership | Sir Peter Jackson and Dame Fran Walsh (purchased 2023) |
| Māori history | Village of Maru-Kai-Kuru at northern end of bay (Taranaki Whānui) |
Māori History
In the 1820s and 1830s, people from multiple iwi — including Te Āti Awa, Taranaki, Ngāti Ruanui and Ngāti Tama — migrated to the Wellington region, becoming known collectively as Taranaki Whānui ki te Upoko o te Ika. A village named Maru-Kai-Kuru was sited at the northern end of the bay at Shelly Bay.
Defence History
In 1886 the Crown requisitioned Shelly Bay for defence purposes, establishing an anti-submarine mine depot. Over the following 124 years the land served multiple military functions — submarine mining base, naval station and Air Force base — before being used as an arts centre. In 2009 the Defence Force sold the land to Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika, administered by the Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust, returning it to Māori ownership after more than a century.
The Development Controversy
Following the 2009 sale, a $500 million mixed residential development was proposed by the Wellington Company. The proposal received resource consent but generated sustained opposition — from film-maker Peter Jackson, then-Mayor Andy Foster, community groups and some Māori interests. Legal challenges extended over years. In 2023, the development was cancelled and the land was purchased by Sir Peter Jackson and Dame Fran Walsh.
Where to Learn More
Wikipedia — Shelly Bay covers the bay’s full history from Māori occupation to defence use and the development dispute.
RNZ — Shelly Bay development cancelled covers the 2023 cancellation of the $500 million development.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Shelly Bay?
On the western side of the Miramar Peninsula, within Evans Bay, as part of the Maupuia suburb area.
Who owns Shelly Bay now?
Sir Peter Jackson and Dame Fran Walsh purchased the land in 2023 after the planned $500 million housing development was cancelled.
What was the Shelly Bay development?
A $500 million mixed residential development proposed by the Wellington Company that received resource consent but generated years of legal and community opposition before being cancelled in 2023.
Who is Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika?
A collective of Wellington Māori groups (including Te Āti Awa, Taranaki, Ngāti Ruanui and Ngāti Tama) who purchased Shelly Bay from the Defence Force in 2009 through the Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust.
What is Maru-Kai-Kuru?
The name of the Māori village sited at the northern end of Shelly Bay before the Crown requisitioned the land in 1886.
How long was Shelly Bay a defence facility?
For 124 years — from 1886 when the Crown requisitioned it, until 2009 when it was sold to Taranaki Whānui.
Can the public access Shelly Bay?
Public access to the foreshore has been a point of contention in the development debate. Current access should be checked locally.
Why did Peter Jackson buy Shelly Bay?
Jackson and Fran Walsh were among the prominent opponents of the development proposal. They purchased the land after the development was cancelled in 2023.
The Wellington Suburbs hub covers all Wellington suburbs. Miramar is the main peninsula suburb to the southeast. Maupuia is the wider suburb area of which Shelly Bay is a part.