Harbourside Market, Cable Streets, 6011, New Zealand

Harbourside Market, Cable Streets, 6011, New Zealand

Harbourside Market is the oldest and most popular market in Wellington. A market of some sort (initially situated in the centre of Allen St and Blair St, just off Courtenay Place) has been serving customers in this area since 1920.

In 2002 when the market began in its current position it was often referred to by several different names; Waitangi Park Market, Te Papa Market and Chaffers Market. The market has undergone a name change and is now known as Harbourside Market.

Harbourside Market was formerly known as Waitangi Park Market and Chaffers Market.Fruit and vegetable markets have been a huge influence in this part of Wellington for over 100 years. The Waitangi name dates from when the area next to the current basin reserve was a shallow lake which suffered from flooding.

After a series of earthquakes and subsequent drainage and reclamation of land around this part of Wellington’s coast, its potential as a good trading place grew in response to proximity to the city’s ports and the Te Aro railway station.

Well before Harbourside Market began operating, much of the produce commerce was centred around Blair and Allen Streets, just off Courtenay Place, where wholesalers and growers came to trade in the warehouse buildings which still remain today.

Blair Street was home to the Wellington Fruit and Produce Exchange which formed a central hub of the Wellington Produce Market. The warehouse buildings were accessed from street level, which allowed vehicles to enter and offload produce directly onto the market trading floor.

Proximity to the Te Aro railway station as well as the port was also conducive to the market trading in this location. In particular, the southern extension of the rail network from the Lambton Station to the Te Aro station shortened the length of time it took for fresh produce to arrive into the city.

Epic New Zealand Culture & Adventure Route © Monika Newbound