Last updated October 2026
Seatoun is an eastern suburb of Wellington on the east coast of the Miramar Peninsula, close to the entrance to Wellington Harbour. It occupies a pocket of flat land with views across the harbour toward Barrett Reef and the heads.
The suburb developed after the Seatoun tunnel opened in 1906–07, linking it by electric tram to the rest of the city. Seatoun beach, known traditionally as Te Tūranganui-o-Kupe, recalls the Polynesian navigator Kupe’s arrival in the harbour. The area is one of Wellington’s most expensive residential suburbs.
Seatoun also takes in the local area known as Worser Bay.
Official Suburb Facts
- Population (2023 Census)
- About 2,680, down 5% since 2018
- Land area
- 1.06 km²
- Location
- 5.7 km south-east of central Wellington
- Council
- Wellington City Council
- Neighbouring suburbs
- Miramar, Breaker Bay, Strathmore Park, Karaka Bays
- Ward or local board
- Motukairangi/Eastern General Ward (Wellington City Council)
- Nearby landmarks
- Seatoun beach (Te Tūranganui-o-Kupe), Wahine Memorial Park, Seatoun Tunnel, Barrett Reef
Who Lives in Seatoun
About 2,680 residents in 980 households. From the 2023 Census, with the New Zealand figure alongside for comparison.
Schools in Seatoun
Four schools sit inside the Seatoun boundary. Some have an enrolment zone, so check an address is in zone before you buy or rent.
Show all 4 schools
Also zoned for Seatoun
Show all 4 zoned schools
Zones change, so confirm with the school before relying on one.
Bin Day in Seatoun
Wellington City Council sets collection days street by street. Look up your address to get your day and which bins go out.
Find your bin day and what goes in each binStreets in Seatoun
36 streets are in Seatoun. Search any street in Wellington to see which suburb it is in.
Show all 36 streets in Seatoun
- A
- Accessway
- Accessway
- Awa Road
- B
- Beere Haven Road
- Beere Haven Steps
- Berwick Grove
- Boardwalk Lane
- Burnham Street
- D
- Dundas Street
- F
- Falkirk Avenue
- Ferry Street
- Fettes Crescent
- Forres Street
- G
- Gore Street
- H
- Hector Street
- I
- Inglis Street
- Inverell Way
- K
- Kakariki Road
- Khyber Road
- L
- Ludlam Street
- M
- Mantell Street
- Marine Parade
- Monro Street
- N
- Netherleigh Street
- Newport Terrace
- P
- Pass of Branda
- Pinelands Avenue
- Pinnacle Street
- R
- Rawson Place
- S
- Seatoun Heights Road
- Seatoun Tunnel
- Sinclair Street
- Steeple Lane
- Stormanstown Way
- T
- Tio Tio Road
- V
- Ventnor Street
A long road is listed in each suburb it runs through.
Safety and Hazards
Lower than the Wellington average for the number of people who live here. Another 3 reports were at shops and businesses.
Buses from Seatoun
20 bus stops inside the suburb.
Typical weekday daytime frequency.
Handy Facilities
Weather and Rent at a Glance
Weather is city-wide; rent is for this suburb.
In Seatoun
Places and businesses inside the official Seatoun boundary.
Places
About Seatoun
Seatoun lies on the eastern flank of the Miramar Peninsula and forms Wellington’s most easterly suburb.
Seatoun lies on the eastern flank of the Miramar Peninsula and forms Wellington’s most easterly suburb. Its position near the harbour entrance exposes residents and visitors to changing sea conditions, from calm summer days to strong southerlies. The suburb’s character housing and coastal setting contribute to its status as one of the city’s most expensive residential areas.
The Seatoun tunnel, constructed in 1906–07 by the Miramar Borough Council, connected the previously isolated area to Strathmore Park. This engineering project enabled regular tram services and opened the suburb to residential development. Coutts Crawford, an early landowner on the peninsula, named the locality after a family property in Forfarshire, Scotland.
Seatoun beach carries the traditional name Te Tūranganui-o-Kupe, marking the place where the Polynesian navigator Kupe is said to have come ashore. A sentinel rock offshore is also associated with Kupe’s visit. The suburb includes the Wahine Memorial Park, which commemorates the 1968 Wahine disaster with a bow thruster recovered from the wreck.
Immediately south of Seatoun is Breaker Bay, an exposed stretch named for the southerly swells that break along its shoreline.
Coastal Features and Activities
Seatoun beach is sandy and sheltered within Wellington Harbour, making it popular with swimmers during summer months.
Seatoun beach is sandy and sheltered within Wellington Harbour, making it popular with swimmers during summer months. Ample parking is available along the esplanade. The beach and adjacent coastal paths attract walkers and joggers year-round.
Barrett Reef lies near the harbour entrance on the western side and remains a hazardous area of rocky shallows. It has featured in Wellington’s maritime history as the site of several shipwrecks. The reef’s proximity adds dramatic context to views from Seatoun’s headlands and esplanade.
Coastal walks link Seatoun with neighbouring bays on the peninsula. These routes offer scenic views of the harbour and Cook Strait and are suitable for casual exploration on foot.
Access and Transport
Regular Metlink bus services connect Seatoun to the Wellington CBD.
Regular Metlink bus services connect Seatoun to the Wellington CBD. The journey typically takes around 20 minutes. Motorists reach the suburb via the Mount Victoria Tunnel and the later Miramar Tunnel.
The original Seatoun tunnel, now heritage-listed, provided the first reliable road link in 1906–07. It remains an important part of the peninsula’s transport network.
Near Seatoun
Just outside Seatoun, within 5 km of its centre, nearest first.
Places
Show 2 more places
Businesses
Where to Learn More
Wikipedia — Seatoun: Overview of suburb history, demographics and Māori heritage with cited sources.
Heritage New Zealand — Seatoun Tunnel: Details on the 1906–07 tunnel construction and heritage status.
LAWA — Seatoun Beach at Wharf: Current information on beach conditions and swimming suitability.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Seatoun?
About 2,680 people lived in Seatoun at the 2023 Census, down 5% since 2018. See Who Lives in Seatoun
Which schools are zoned for Seatoun?
The zones of Evans Bay Intermediate, St Oran's College, Wellington East Girls' College and Wellington High School and Com Ed Centre cover all of Seatoun. Seatoun School and Worser Bay School have zones covering part of it. Zones change, so check an address with the school. See Schools in Seatoun
What buses run from Seatoun?
Route 2, about every 15 min; route 30x, a few trips a day. There are 20 stops in the suburb. See Buses from Seatoun
Is Seatoun in a tsunami or flood zone?
About 60% of Seatoun is inside the tsunami evacuation zone, and about 14% of its land is in the council's mapped flood areas. A long or strong earthquake means move to high ground or inland straight away. Check a street on the council flood map before you buy. See Safety and Hazards
Where can I take my dog in Seatoun?
Seatoun Beach: no dogs north of the pier. Worser Bay Beach: some rules apply. See every dog park and walk in Wellington.
Which suburbs are next to Seatoun?
What is the Māori name for Seatoun beach?
The traditional name is Te Tūranganui-o-Kupe, recalling the landing place of the navigator Kupe.
When was the Seatoun tunnel built?
The tunnel was constructed in 1906–07 by the Miramar Borough Council, connecting Seatoun to Strathmore Park.
Is Seatoun beach good for swimming?
Yes, the sandy beach is sheltered and popular with swimmers in summer, with parking available nearby.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.
Explore Wellington only lists suburbs officially recognised by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), and Seatoun is one of them. Suburb boundary: LINZ, CC BY 4.0.
Sources and data notes 8
- Official Suburb Facts: Boundary, area and neighbours: LINZ, CC BY 4.0. Population: Stats NZ 2023 Census usually resident population, CC BY 4.0, summed from the statistical areas inside the boundary.
- Who Lives in Seatoun: Stats NZ 2023 Census, CC BY 4.0. Figures are summed from the census areas inside the official Seatoun boundary. Percentages are of the people or homes that answered each question; a figure is left out when fewer than 100 answered.
- Schools in Seatoun: Ministry of Education school directory and enrolment zones (CC BY 4.0 and CC BY 3.0 NZ), October 2026.
- Streets in Seatoun: LINZ NZ Addresses road data, CC BY 4.0.
- Safety and Hazards: NZ Police victimisation data, CC BY 4.0, September 2025 to August 2026 (crimes inside homes are only published for burglary); Greater Wellington tsunami evacuation zones; Wellington City District Plan 2024 flood hazard overlays; Greater Wellington 1% AEP flood hazard extents; Porirua flood hazard layers (Wellington Water).
- Buses from Seatoun: Metlink timetable data, CC BY 4.0.
- Handy Facilities: Wellington City Council public toilets; NZTA EVRoam charging sites.
- Weather and Rent at a Glance: NIWA climate averages 1991-2020 (via Figure.NZ); Tenancy Services rental bond data (new bonds in the suburb’s Stats NZ areas), July 2025 to June 2026, CC BY 3.0 NZ.