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Update: 28 October 2026
Work to preserve and strengthen Petone Wharf is getting underway.
Hutt City Council is investing up to $12 million in the historic wharf, with construction on the first stage starting soon and the full project expected to take about two years.
The wharf off Petone Beach is a landmark between the Tupua Horo Nuku and Te Ara Tupua shared paths, which connect the Eastern Bays with Wellington. Its restoration will return space for walking and fishing and support foot traffic to nearby Jackson St businesses.
Lower Hutt company GK Shaw Ltd has been appointed as the principal contractor for the project.
What’s happening now
The project will be delivered in two stages.
Stage 1 – Wharf Approach
Work to repair and strengthen the first 290m of the 400m wharf will include:
- replacing damaged structural elements
- strengthening piles
- establishing seismic gaps to improve earthquake resilience.
Stage 2 – Wharf Head
Stage 2 will partially remediate the wharf head. The final scope will be confirmed following Stage 1 and related resource consent approval.
Construction on Stage 2 is expected to start in October 2027, subject to confirmation.
Changes to parking and shared pathway access
As construction gets underway, around 30 of the 60 Petone Wharf carparks will be used as the construction yard for the duration of the project.
The shared pathway along the beachfront will also be diverted through the carpark. Pavement markings and bollards will separate people using the pathway from vehicles.
Please follow the signs around the site and take care when moving through the area.
Project background
How were the budget and remediation decided on?
In the Long Term Plan 2024–2034 Council allocated a capped budget of $20M to three Petone projects and asked for community feedback on how this should be allocated. In response to that feedback, the wharf was allocated a capped budget of up to $12 million.
In 2024, Council commissioned an independent engineering assessment of three options for the wharf: full restoration, partial remediation or full demolition.
The assessment and cost analysis were shared with the community, with feedback sought from the Petone Community Board, the Pito One Projects Steering Group and local community campaigners.
Council considered the technical advice, costs and community feedback before deciding to proceed with partial remediation.
In 2025, Council agreed to invest up to $12 million in the project. This approach allows us to preserve and strengthen a significant portion of the historic wharf while working within the available budget.
Why does Petone Wharf need this work?
Built in 1909, the timber wharf has been affected by tidal worms, which slowly compromised the structure. It was closed in 2021, following storm and earthquake damage.
The work will repair and strengthen a significant portion of the structure and improve its earthquake resilience.
Why isn't Council fully restoring the wharf?
In 2024, Council commissioned an independent engineering assessment of three options for Petone Wharf: full restoration, partial remediation and full demolition.
Council considered the technical advice and costs alongside community feedback. Partial remediation was identified as the most feasible option given affordability challenges and strong community interest in retaining the wharf.
In 2025, Council agreed to proceed with partial remediation within a budget of up to $12 million.
Could the project scope or timing change?
Some details may change as the project progresses.
Stage 1 is expected to start in October 2026. The final scope of Stage 2 remains subject to progress on Stage 1 and related resource consent approval, with construction currently expected to mid-2027.
Council will provide updates if timing, parking, access or other significant project details change.
Why is there heavy machinery on the wharf when we’ve been told it’s unsafe?
Various areas of the wharf will receive temporary strengthening during the project to allow for the use of heavy equipment.
When will the wharf reopen to the public?
The project will take about two years, so reopening is expected in late 2028 for recreational use. Boats will not be able to dock at the wharf.
The project has two stages, with the final scope of work on the wharf head still to be confirmed following related resource consent approval. Council will provide more information about reopening as the project progresses.
Stage 1 is scheduled to start in late October 2026.
Stage 2 construction is expected to start October 2027, subject to confirmation.
The construction yard is expected to remain in place for around two years, until the project is completed.
What will happen to the Petone Wharf carpark?
Around 30 of the 60 Petone Wharf carparks will be used for the construction yard.
This means around half of the existing carparks will be unavailable during the two years of construction. Two accessible car parks will be included in the new layout.
The carpark is currently split between all-day and time-restricted carparks. The time-restricted carparks will be unavailable while the construction yard is in place, making it likely that there will be no short-stay spaces available during the week.
Altering the mix of parking spaces would require public consultation and a resolution of Council. Council may consider this once usage patterns in the carpark are clear.
Will I still be able to use the waterfront pathway?
Yes, but there will be a change to the route.
The shared pathway along the beachfront will be diverted through the carpark. Pavement markings and bollards will be used to separate people using the pathway from vehicles.
Will I still be able to walk beneath Petone Wharf during construction?
Access beneath the wharf is expected to remain open. During the first month, a temporary fenced work area will affect the route in the low tide area. The fenced area will move further out towards the end of the wharf as repairs progress. After about a month, work is expected to move beyond the low-tide beach area, with little impact on access beneath the wharf.
Access is expected to remain largely unchanged in the high tide area, although space beneath the wharf is already limited when the tide is in.
Pedestrians can also go around the wharf via the shared path, which will be diverted through the wharf carpark during construction.
Council has approved a budget of up to $12 million for the project.
The project has been designed to preserve and strengthen a significant portion of the historic wharf while remaining within the available budget.
What protections are there against a budget blowout?
A significant contingency is included within the $12 million capped budget. There is also flexibility around how much of the wharf head will be repaired in stage 2. If unexpected issues increase the costs of stage 1, the works on stage 2 will be scaled back to keep within the budget.
Was the community consulted about the future of the wharf?
Yes. Following the independent assessment commissioned in 2024, information about the options and costs was shared and feedback was sought from the Petone Community Board, the Pito One Projects Steering Group and local community campaigners.
Council considered community feedback alongside technical advice and affordability when deciding to proceed with partial remediation.
Founded in 1937, GK Shaw has specialised in coastal marine construction since the early 1990s. The company repaired earthquake-damaged piles at Petone Wharf in 2021 and rebuilt Rona Bay Wharf in 2018 and Seatoun Wharf in 2023.
The project is expected to support around 15 to 20 workers over two years, alongside Hutt Valley and Wellington subcontractors and suppliers.
Petone Wharf is a valued heritage structure and landmark. Built in 1909, the timber wharf has been affected by Teredo worms, which slowly compromised the structure. It was closed in 2021, following storm and earthquake damage.
In 2024, Council commissioned an independent engineering assessment of three options for the wharf: full restoration, partial remediation or full demolition.
The assessment and cost analysis were shared with the community, with feedback sought from the Petone Community Board, the Pito One Projects Steering Group and local community campaigners.
Council considered the technical advice, costs and community feedback before deciding to proceed with partial remediation.
In 2025, Council agreed to invest up to $12 million in the project. This approach allows us to preserve and strengthen a significant portion of the historic wharf while working within the available budget.
Project timeline
Work on the partial remediation of Petone Wharf is progressing, with planning, consenting and procurement now underway.
To help manage costs and delivery, the physical works have been split into two stages:
1. Wharf approach (approximately first 290 metres)
This stage will focus on repairing and strengthening the main access section of the wharf. Work will include:
- replacing damaged structural elements
- strengthening piles and adding protective pile jacketing
- introducing two seismic gaps to improve earthquake resilience
2. Wharf head (approximately 110 metres)
Work on the wharf head will depend on confirmed pricing through the tender process. Current estimates indicate:
- around 60 metres can be repaired
- approximately 50 metres will need to be removed
- remaining piles will be strengthened and protected
Consenting and procurement are also progressing in stages:
- building consent for the wharf approach was granted in April 2026
- resource consent applications for the wharf approach have been lodged and are under review
- the construction tender is currently open via GETS, closing on 29 May 2026, with evaluations expected to be completed by the end of June
Subject to consents and contractor availability, physical works are expected to begin from mid to late August 2026.
Council continues to work closely with the Save Petone Wharf group and the wider community as the project progresses.
Procurement for the partial remediation of Petone Wharf paused in late 2025 while the new Council considered the future direction of the wider Pito-one Projects programme.
In February 2026, Council confirmed that work on Petone Wharf will continue as previously agreed in the Long Term Plan. This includes proceeding with partial remediation of the wharf within the $12 million capped budget approved in 2025.
Planning and procurement work for the remediation project will now resume, with further updates to be shared as the project progresses.
Earlier this month, a broken pile was identified beneath the wharf that posed a risk to beach users. The pile has been secured with temporary propping and local contractor GK Shaw will carry out carried out emergency works in October to secure the pile, re-level the deck, and reopen the area after a short closure.
In parallel, Council has completed a detailed dilapidation report, with above- and underwater inspections captured in photos and video. Specialists are now reviewing the findings to define the scope of works for tender, while planning staff prepare the resource consent for the wharf approach. Physical works are currently expected to begin in March 2026, subject to consent approval.