Author(s): Don Neely & Joseph Romanos

NZ Non Fiction

WELLINGTON'S BASIN RESERVE is the onlv New Zealand sports ground that has been granted National Heritage Place status. Since it was created by an earth-quake in 1855, it has been reshaped, modernised and renovated, but has remained one of the landmarks in the capital city. The Basin has been a major cricket venue for well over a century, and has hosted international rugby league, rugby union, soccer, hockey, athletics, boxing, Australian rules football and marching. In addition, the Basin has hosted events as diverse as the 1945 VE Day celebrations, Archbishop Redwood's diamond jubilee gathering in 1934, Father Patrick Payton's prayer meeting in front of 25.000 people in 1953, Maori carnivals in 1900 and 1903, the Concert in the Park featuring Dame Malvina Major in 1994, and a display of ballooning in 1898 by Captain Lorraine. Wellington writers Don Neely nd Joseph Romanes have delved widely in presenting this pictorial history. This is a story not only of the Basin, but of a busy and everchanging part of Wellington, including the Mount Victoria Tunnel, the Mount Cook Barracks, the Carillon, Wellington College, St Mark's Church, St Patrick's College, Wellington East Girls' College, the Boys' Institute, the Caledonian Hotel and Government House.