About the Basin - Wellington Basin Reserve

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About the Basin

From a swampy lagoon, to the now well known landmark.

The Wellington Basin

Often voted as one of the world’s best cricket grounds by players and fans alike, the Basin has a long history but many people don’t know the its origins and how it came to host cricket.

When Surveyor-General, Captain William Mein Smith, drew up plans for Wellington in 1840, a stream linked the harbour to a lagoon that he simply labelled ‘Basin’. Smith’s intention was for this Basin to become a safe harbour for ships, accessed through a canal to the harbour. Over the next fifteen years the city continued to develop around Smith’s Basin as people from around the world moved to the new colony.

Entry Conditions

To ensure that all patrons enjoy their experience at the Basin Reserve, entry to the ground is subject to the following conditions:

In 2014, the Basin Reserve Trust led the development of a Masterplan. This plan presented a 25-year vision for the future of the Basin Reserve.

The Basin Reserve Masterplan was endorsed by the Council in April 2015 as a blueprint for redeveloping this area.