Wairarapa ki Uta, Wairarapa ki Tai - Wellington Heritage Festival 2026 Closing Event

Nau mai, haere mai.

Join Wellington Heritage Festival, Rangitāne o Wairarapa, and Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa at Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre as we come together to close Wellington Heritage Festival 2026.

Wairarapa ki Uta, Wairarapa ki Tai - Wairarapa from the mountains to the sea will offer guests an opportunity to experience and learn about the stories, environment and ongoing mahi of Pūkaha and Rangitāne o Wairarapa.

Throughout the day, our hosts will share kōrero and take guided experiences exploring connections with the ngahere and moana, including feeding eels, before returning for the Festival's formal closing.

We will also showcase selected films from the Wairarapa Stories - 48 Hour Film Challenge and announce the winning film. The challenge invites rangatahi to capture and share Wairarapa stories through short film, connecting a new generation with the stories and heritage of the region.

Following the closing formalities, we will share kai with a special mountains-to-sea menu.

Places are limited. Please RSVP for each person attending.

Arrival: Please arrive by 9:45am at the latest so everyone is ready for the programme to begin promptly at 10:00am.

Parts of the programme will take place outdoors and include walking through Pūkaha. Please wear comfortable footwear and bring clothing suitable for the weather. If you have any accessibility or mobility requirements, please let us know by email.

If you need to leave early or skip the kai from 1:30-2:30pm, please let our team know, and we can accommodate you. We need final numbers for catering, but we can be flexible if notice is given in advance.

We are deeply grateful to Rangitāne o Wairarapa and the Pūkaha tīma for hosting this special occasion, and to Trust House for their support.

Presented by Wellington Heritage Festival Trust and Rangitāne o Wairarapa Trust, with support from Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa and Trust House.