Early History
During the early years of European colonisation, Port Nicholson became a focus for the settlement of British immigrants. The original site chosen for what is now the city of Wellington was at Petone, close to the foreshore of Lower Hutt. A settlement was established there in early 1840, but the swampy land was unsuitable for development and the settlement (originally called Britannia but soon changed to Wellington) was moved to the present site of Wellington later the same year.
Read more about this topic: Wellington Harbour
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