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Wilton is a small suburb in Wellington. It is best known for Otari-Wilton's Bush, a large reserve that is situated in the suburb. Otari-Wilton's bush is the only public botanic garden in New Zealand dedicated solely to native plants. It features 14 km of walking tracks and a 'canopy walkway'. The canopy walkway is a raised walkway that provides a unique chance to view life in, and from, the top level of trees such as mature tawa, rewarewa and hinau.

History

Job Wilton was a sheep farmer; in 1861 he had a flock of 165 sheep, to be washed in the Kaiwharawhara Stream before shearing.[3] He subdivided his farm in 1915, but Wilton was semi-rural to the 1930s with little housing development until after World War II. A Sunday trip to Wilton's Bush and Chapman's Gardens (now the Otari Plant Museum) required walking from the Wadestown tram terminus. From 1944 a feeder bus ran from the terminus. A school opened in 1956. Wilton House in Blackbridge Road was built for Courtenay Place chemist Mr O'Connor and his sister in 1925.[4]

Demographics

Wilton statistical area covers 1.26 km² (0.49 sq mi).[1] It had an estimated population of 2,240 as of June 2021,[2] with a population density of 1,778 people per km².

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	2,034	—
2013	2,049	+0.11%
2018	2,205	+1.48%
Source: [5]

Wilton had a population of 2,205 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 156 people (7.6%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 171 people (8.4%) since the 2006 census. There were 876 households. There were 1,059 males and 1,146 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.92 males per female. The median age was 38.5 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 387 people (17.6%) aged under 15 years, 474 (21.5%) aged 15 to 29, 1,062 (48.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 282 (12.8%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 83.9% European/Pākehā, 9.8% Māori, 5.0% Pacific peoples, 9.3% Asian, and 3.8% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).

The proportion of people born overseas was 27.3%, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people objected to giving their religion, 56.6% had no religion, 31.0% were Christian, 0.7% were Hindu, 1.8% were Muslim, 1.0% were Buddhist and 3.1% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 957 (52.6%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 90 (5.0%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $46,600, compared with $31,800 nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,041 (57.3%) people were employed full-time, 261 (14.4%) were part-time, and 72 (4.0%) were unemployed.[5]

Education

School enrollment zone

Wilton is within the enrollment zones for Wellington College, Wellington Girls' College, Wellington High School, Onslow College, St Oran's College and the Otari School.[6]

Primary schools

Otari School (Te Kura o Otari) is a state-funded full-primary school nestled next to the Otari-Wilton's Bush.[7] The school encompasses three teaching styles. Montessori, Māori Immersion and the standard New Zealand curriculum. It has a roll of 202 as of March 2022.[8]

Cardinal McKeefry Catholic Primary School (which opened in 1970, but has origins back to 1876) is a primary school for Year 1 to Year 8 (5 to 13 years old),[9] with a roll of 53 as of March 2022.[8]

Further reading

• Bremner, Julie (1983). Wellington’s Northern Suburbs 1840-1918. Wellington: Millwood Press. ISBN 0-908582-59-5.
• Bremner, Julie (1987). Wellington’s Northern Suburbs 1919-1945. Wellington: Millwood Press. ISBN 0-908582-80-3.

References

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