Petone

Petone (Māori: Pito-one) is a major suburb of the city of Lower Hutt in New Zealand. It is located at the south-west corner of the narrow triangular plain of the Hutt River, on the northern shore of Wellington Harbour. The name, from the Māori Pito-one, means "end of the sand beach".

History
Petone was the first organized European settlement in the Wellington Region and retains many historical buildings and landmarks. The first settlers arrived here in January 1840, on the ship Aurora. After the arrival of a second ship, the Cuba, plans were undertaken for the building of the settlement of Britannia on the site. As it sits in what was once a swamp, the earliest settlers found life hard, and the settlement was abandoned after only a few months. A new site was chosen around the shores of what is now the city of Wellington, New Zealand's capital.

Until the 1980s Petone was a thriving, largely working-class town and borough, and the location of large industrial sites. The majority of these, including car assembly and meat processing factories, closed in the 1980s, resulting in gradual economic decline. Petone was an independent borough until local government reform in 1989 led to its amalgamation with Lower Hutt. The suburb has since enjoyed renewed economic growth, using its early European heritage as a draw for tourists and gaining many cafes and shops. It is home of the Petone Rugby Club, which has been one of the world's leading clubs since 1885.

State housing
Some of New Zealand's first State Housing was constructed in Petone in 1906, with some of the original houses remaining in good condition. The local tourist office provides a guide showing where these houses are located.

Notable features

 * Te Puna Wai Ora (Spring of Life) in Buick Street provides pure untreated artesian (underground pressured) water from taps. The water originates from the Hutt River and is safe to drink in its natural form as it has been naturally filtered through the alluvial gravels and sands of the Hutt Valley over several years.  It is free and highly valued, and consumers travel long distances to collect the water for drinking purposes.

Petone Rotary Fair
The Petone Rotary Fair is a notable local event, held annually since 1992, that draws people from all over the Greater Wellington region to Jackson Street, Petone's main thoroughfare, which is closed off to traffic.

The purpose of the fair is not only to raise the profile of Petone and provide an enjoyable day out, but to raise money for charity. The fair consists of various stalls selling plants, artwork, jewellery, CDs & DVDs, cosmetics, food and drink, etc., as well as musicians, carnival rides, and displays from various organisations such as the New Zealand Fire Service.