NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi says work will run from Sunday, August 23, through to Thursday night between 8pm and 4.30am.

A northbound lane will be closed between the Troy Street and Calabar Road roundabouts while the road rebuild is carried out. A temporary 30kmh speed limit will apply during work hours, with a 50kmh limit outside those hours.

NZTA says the work is intended to improve the road surface’s skid resistance and grip.

Several other overnight works are also planned around Wellington during the week.

Southbound lane closures will affect Vivian Street at different locations from Sunday to Thursday, while Kent Terrace between Pirie Street and the Basin Reserve will have a southbound lane closure on Thursday night for wastewater work.

Wellington Road in Kilbirnie will operate under stop/go controls late Thursday night for manhole access.

A northbound lane in the Ngauranga Gorge near Kiwi Point will also close on Wednesday night for a large sign inspection.

The work is weather dependent and may be postponed at short notice. Motorists are advised to check current conditions before travelling.

The event, organised by the Greater Wellington branches of the New Zealand Society of Genealogists, will be held at Tawa Union Church, 6 Elena Place, from 9.30am to 4pm.

This year’s theme is Round the Isles, with topics covering family history research in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, as well as probate records.

The day will feature speakers, exhibitors and a raffle, with visitors able to meet people involved in a range of genealogy and historical research groups.

Exhibitors include Scottish, Irish, English and Shetland interest groups, the National Library, NZ Micrographics, Military Medals, Wellington City Archives and Wellington region branches of the New Zealand Society of Genealogists.

The event is part of Family History Month, which runs throughout August and encourages people to learn more about their ancestry, family connections and cultural heritage.

Wellington libraries are also hosting Family History Month activities during August.

Entry to the Tawa Family History Day is free.

The nationwide action will run from noon to 1pm on Friday, July 31.

New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union members involved include career firefighters, 111 emergency centre dispatchers, volunteer support officers, trainers and staff working in risk reduction, health and safety.

The NZPFU said members had not received a pay increase since July 2023, despite bargaining with Fire and Emergency New Zealand beginning in 2024.

According to the union, FENZ’s only formal offer was made in July 2025. It proposed a 2 per cent increase for the first year after an agreement was ratified, followed by increases of 1.5 per cent in each of the next two years.

The union said FENZ recently announced a 2.4 per cent increase for managers and workers who were not NZPFU members.

It said members were prepared to return to bargaining, but wanted FENZ to present a new offer.

The NZPFU said recruit and entry-level firefighters were paid from $25.86 an hour, while senior firefighters earned a base salary of $80,682 for a 42-hour week.

In a social media post, the union said members were taking action to push for properly staffed emergency communication centres and working equipment for crews responding to 111 calls.

The union also criticised payments to FENZ board members and senior executives while frontline firefighter wages remained unchanged.

The supplied information does not confirm which Wellington stations or crews will take part in Friday’s strike.

Councillors agreed the new approach at Thursday’s City Strategy and Delivery Committee meeting.

A preferred option is expected to be selected in December, with delivery to start in 2027.

The committee also agreed to increase cleaning in Courtenay Place from monthly to weekly. Councillors approved $150,000 from the City Growth Fund to support the Te Aro Hā business partnership to make visible improvements to buildings over the next 12 months.

Mayor Andrew Little said the inner city was Wellington’s economic heart and home to many people.

“We all want it to be a welcoming place where people can come together, enjoy a meal in the sunshine, make the most of our arts and culture scene, and feel safer,” Little said.

He said the council had “drawn a line” under a previous project that could not be delivered.

“We have an opportunity to do something that will make a difference, be creative and be affordable,” Little said.

Councillors will now help develop a project brief, due to be approved in August. That will set the parameters for a detailed business case to be released in December.

The neighbourhood playground, located within Duncan Park, is due for renewal, with council inviting submissions through an online survey until 5pm on May 24, 2026.

Both proposed designs include core play elements such as slides, climbing structures and swings, but differ in layout and materials.

Option one features a more compact layout with a green rubber safety surface. It includes a central multi-play structure, a wheelchair-accessible roundabout, a basket swing and low balance elements, with seating placed around the edges.

Option two offers a more spread-out design with distinct zones and mostly tan bark surfacing. It includes a raised play structure, separate swing set, accessible spinner, sensory play panels and multiple seating areas, with more open space between equipment.

Council says the play area is intended as a local neighbourhood space, typically serving families within a 600-metre walking distance and catering at least to younger children.

Feedback collected through the survey will be used by council staff to help decide the final design. Updates, including the selected option, will be published on the project page.

Residents can also provide additional comments alongside their preferred option, with all information handled in line with the Privacy Act 2020.

For further information or to take part in the survey, visit the council’s project page or email playgrounds@wcc.govt.nz.

Events will centre on Pukeahu National War Memorial Park and the Cenotaph precinct, with Wellington City Council and the Wellington RSA inviting residents to take part in services throughout the day to honour those who have served.

Mayor Andrew Little said Anzac Day remained a significant moment for reflection on the impact of war and its lasting effects on individuals and communities.

“Whatever we think about war, the reality is that the experiences and devastation of World War I and subsequent conflicts have left an indelible imprint on our shared histories,” Little said.

“It is important we remember all those affected by war.”

He said the range of events across the city meant people could participate in ways that suited them, from attending formal services to simple acts such as wearing a poppy.

Little said Anzac weekend was also a time to connect with friends and whānau and reflect on shared freedoms.

The day’s main events begin with a 6am Dawn Service at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park, followed by the Wellington Citizens’ Wreath Laying Service at 9am at the Cenotaph precinct on the corner of Lambton Quay and Bowen Street.

The Anzac Day National Commemoration Service will take place at 11am at Pukeahu, with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Atatürk Memorial in Tarakena Bay, Miramar, at 2.30pm. The day will conclude with the Last Post at 5pm, also at Pukeahu.

In the lead-up to Anzac Day, a commemorative projection will be displayed on the Wellington Cenotaph, while parts of the waterfront and cable car tunnels will be lit to mark the occasion.

Council services will continue largely as normal over the public holiday period. Rubbish and recycling collections will proceed as scheduled on both Anzac Day and the observed public holiday on Monday, April 27. On-street metered parking will be free on both days.

Some council facilities may operate reduced hours or close, and road closures and parking restrictions will be in place around Pukeahu and the Cenotaph precinct on Saturday morning to allow events to take place.

The show, titled GLO!, will run from 17 September to 4 October at TSB Arena, transforming the waterfront venue into a series of themed performance spaces.

World of WearableArt chief executive Meg Williams said the concept centres on the idea of creative energy expressed through wearable art and live performance.

“Everything in the world carries a special energy; what we’re playfully calling GLO!,” she said.

“There’ll be fire and flame, unreal nature and performance that seemingly defies physics.”

The production will feature six themed sections, including Metallic, Open, Aotearoa, Avant-garde, Kinetic and the returning Bizarre Bra category.

The Bizarre Bra section will appear for the first time since 2023. First introduced in 1995, the category has become a crowd favourite, known for unconventional designs using everyday materials.

Williams said its return had been driven by audience demand.

“The results are unexpected, witty, camp and truly bizarre,” she said.

International creative director Brian Burke will return for his fifth year leading the show’s production. His previous work includes major global events such as the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix opening and closing ceremonies.

Burke said the 2026 concept responds to a growing demand for connection and creative expression.

“People want to feel connected again to creativity, inspiration, and what makes them happy,” he said.

Designed as a live experience, the show will move between large-scale spectacle and more intimate moments.

The annual event brings designers from New Zealand and around the world to Wellington, showcasing wearable art through a staged performance.

The 2026 World of WearableArt show runs from 17 September to 4 October at TSB Arena. Tickets are available now through the official World of WearableArt website.

The central library reopened over the weekend in Te Ngākau Civic Square, with Mayor Andrew Little cutting the ribbon during an official ceremony on Saturday.

More than 21,600 people visited across the opening weekend, with queues stretching into the square.

A 300-strong massed choir, made up of eight local groups, performed Te Matapi’i, a piece by Wellington composer Briar Prastiti, with voices carrying throughout the building.

Visitors took part in tours, exhibitions and live performances including jazz, taonga pūoro, waiata and storytelling.

Gisella Carr, head of creative capital, said the reopening was a significant milestone for the city.

“This has been built for every Wellingtonian, from zero to 100, so to see the joy on their faces as they returned to their library was a special moment,” she said.

More than 11,500 items were issued over the weekend, alongside 552 new memberships and 468 previously inactive members returning.

Jennifer Parker, manager libraries and community spaces, said the building was quickly embraced.

“Kids and adults filled every nook and cranny of the building, from quiet corners with a book to groups meeting, talking and working together,” she said.

Outside, crowds also gathered in the upgraded Te Ngākau Civic Square, which includes new seating, landscaping, play areas and water features.

The redevelopment brings together the central library, Nōku te Ao Capital E and Wellington City Archives into one site, with galleries, makerspaces, heritage collections, recording facilities and community spaces.

Wellington City Council chief operating officer James Roberts said the reopening was part of wider efforts to revitalise the central city, with City Gallery set to reopen in October 2026 and Te Whare Whakarauika Town Hall in February 2027.

Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui is open daily from 9am to 7pm on weekdays and 9.30am to 5pm on weekends.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi says work is planned on State Highways 1 and 59 between January 24 and January 30, with all timings weather dependent.

On State Highway 1, Transmission Gully will be closed northbound overnight for chipsealing. The closure runs between Linden and the SH58 interchange on Monday and Tuesday nights from 9pm to 7am. On Wednesday and Thursday nights, the northbound closure extends from Linden to Paekākāriki over the same hours. Traffic will be detoured via State Highway 59.

Southbound traffic on Transmission Gully will also be affected, with overnight closures between Paekākāriki and Linden from Sunday to Tuesday nights, 9pm to 4.30am, for chipsealing.

In addition, southbound lane closures remain in place during the day and night in several locations, including Battle Hill and Waitangirua, for paving, barrier removal and chipseal-related traffic management.

On State Highway 59, the old coastal route through Porirua, the northbound road between the Paekākāriki and MacKay’s interchanges will be closed during the day on Thursday from 8am to 5pm for power pole installation.

In Paekākāriki, drivers can expect altered lane layouts from Monday to Friday, 6.30am to 4pm, for a watermain upgrade. Stop-go traffic controls will also be in place south of Fisherman’s Table on Tuesday and Wednesday nights from 7pm to 4am for sign renewals.

Pukerua Bay motorists will face stop-go controls south of Gray Street on Tuesday night, 7pm to 4am, also for sign renewals.

Closer to Porirua, lane closures are planned at Paremata Roundabout and north of the Whitford Brown interchange on Wednesday night for streetlight pole replacement. The Titahi Bay southbound off-ramp will close briefly early Tuesday morning, from midnight to 3am, for the same work.

Waka Kotahi is urging drivers to allow extra travel time, follow posted detours and traffic management, and check for updates before setting off. All works may be delayed or rescheduled if weather conditions change.

Motorists travelling through Porirua and north toward Kāpiti are being warned to expect delays over the long weekend as extensive state highway roadworks continue across the Wellington region.

The New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi says works on Transmission Gully will include overnight closures, lane reductions and temporary speed limits from Friday, January 17, through Thursday, January 23. All works are weather dependent.

Drivers are urged to follow posted speed limits on newly laid chip seal to avoid damage to vehicles and to consider alternative routes where possible.

Transmission Gully night closures

Both northbound and southbound lanes on Transmission Gully will close overnight on several nights next week for chipsealing and paving.

Northbound closures will affect:

• Linden to SH58 Pāuatahanui on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, 9pm to 7am
• Linden to Paekākāriki on Thursday and Friday nights, 9pm to 7am

Southbound closures will affect:

• SH58 Pāuatahanui interchange to Linden from Monday to Wednesday nights, 9pm to 4.30am

Daytime lane closures and altered lane layouts will remain in place across several sections, including Rainbow Bridge, Battle Hill and between Linden and Paekākāriki.

When Transmission Gully is open, motorists heading to Porirua, Kāpiti or further north are encouraged to use State Highway 59 to avoid the works.

Concert traffic warning

Waka Kotahi has also flagged heavy traffic on Wednesday, January 21, due to the Ed Sheeran concert at Sky Stadium.

Drivers travelling north that evening are advised to avoid Transmission Gully, use SH59 or consider public transport. Metlink will run additional train services with increased capacity after the concert.

Other Porirua and regional works

Additional state highway works affecting Porirua and nearby routes include:

• SH59 Paekākāriki: altered lane layouts during the day for a watermain upgrade
• SH59 Plimmerton and Mana: daytime southbound lane closures for Wellington Water leak repairs
• SH1 Kuku and Manakau North: overnight stop-go controls for line marking
• Ngauranga Gorge and Churton Park: overnight ramp and road closures for paving

Motorists are advised to allow extra travel time, especially during peak periods, and to check for updates before travelling.

Full details and the latest updates are available on the New Zealand Transport Agency website: nzta.govt.nz/TG-summer-work