"Resting place of God"

The suburb was named after the old Khandallah Homestead built in 1884. The Homestead was built on land gifted by Captain James Andrew for the second Railway stop on the Wellington-Manawatu Company line. James Andrew had just arrived from India, so Khandallah streets mainly have Indian names.

Features

Mt KauKau (1459 ft)

Originally named Tarikaka (where the Kaka rested). In 1965 a TV transmitting station erected on it offers great views of the surrounding area. The park can be accessed through Khandallah Park.

Khandallah Park (established 1888).

First portions bought in 1890 and 1909; major portion added in 1919. The park is located at the end of Woodmancote Road, next to the swimming pool. The park includes a cafe, picnic area, and playground.

Khandallah Pool

The Khandallah Progressive Association opened this summer pool in the 1920s. At 45 Woodmancote Road, the main pool is an outdoor 30-metre pool (not heated). Tel: 04 479 6644.

Khandallah Fire Station

Galloway house was the home of the first volunteer fire brigade c1920 -1928.

Khandallah Town Hall

(Ganges Rd) built in 1912. Was home of the Onslow Borough council (1890), created in protest of Hutt toll road in Kaiwharawhara.

Khandallah Plunket Toy Library

Plunket Rooms, 8A Ganges Road, Khandallah

OPEN: Mon 7.30 - 9.00pm Sat 9.30 - 11.00am

Kirkcaldie family home

(Herbert son of the Kirkcaldie & Stains founder) lived at the Tranby Homestead 1904 - 1917. No. 9 Clark Street.

Waiariki Kainga

Nairnville Park

Named after James and Louisa Nairn, an Onslow Borough councillor. . . James was an early farmer from Scotland, born 1846, arrived in 1863 aboard the "John Duncan" and purchased land in the area in 1865. The Ngatoto Native Reserve was also bought by him in 1890. The park hosts the Eastern Suburbs Cricket Club; Onslow Junior Soccer Club; and contains an adventure play ground, and a concrete skateboard half pipe. The park was used as a fortress camp during WWII in 1942. It was removed directly after the war. A gymnasium was built by Onslow Rugby Club and the Wellington City Council. The current recreation centre was converted from the earlier gymnasium.

The Blue Tiles along Ganges Road and in the Khandallah Library were laid in the 1990s. They were manufactured by Neville Porteous - Tile Designer and Manufacturer.

Notable people who have lived in Khandallah

Joan Embury Cochrane

(1912-1995)

Social reformer, sex educator, teacher.

Bee Dawson

Author of history books, including Lady painters : the flower painters of early New Zealand.

Dr. Roger Ridley Smith

Writer of I'm not here for the money.

Fanny Louise Irvine Smith (1978-1948)

Irvine-Smith wrote Streets of my city. Benefactor of Wellington City Libraries; a plaque with her name on it is located by the library. She was the first women lecturer at the Wellington Training College.

Noel Hilliard

(1929-1997)

Novelist. Teacher at Khandallah School.

James Walter Chapman-Taylor

(1878-1958)

Architect, builder.

Hope Gibbons (1856-1947)

Of clothing manufacturers Hope Gibbons Company. His sons lived in Khandallah; he did not.

Ian Athfield (1940-2015)

Architect; graduated with a Diploma of Architecture from the Auckland School of Architecture in 1963. Principal partner in setting up Athfield Architects in 1968. Won many design awards and has been the subject of several books, including Oxford Art Online.

Buildings

Cashmere Avenue School

Khandallah School (1893)

Churches

Anglican Church (1890s)

Catholic Church - Ngatoto St. (1912)

Khandallah Presbyterian Church - Cockayne Rd. (1901) 27 Ganges Road. Wellington Warlords Gaming Club meets here.

Onslow Community Church

- 4 Ngatoto St, Ngaio

St Barnabas Parish hall and vicarage (on Boxhill - named after an 1846 sentry post - 1900) Onslow Fibre Crafts Guild and Wellington Judo Association meet there.

Khandallah Public Hall

- 11Ganges Road. Ph: 479 2022. Khandallah Thespians (women's group) meet here.

Malvina Major Retirement Village

- 134 Burma Rd 4783754.

Ian Athfield's House (1965)

Overlooks Wellington Harbour and can be seen from the Hutt motorway

Khandallah Arts Theatre (1959)

This amateur theatre was born in the plunket rooms in Ganges road. The club mounts three major productions a year, and has become well known for the highly popular children's plays performed in Khandallah Park each summer.

Onslow Historical Centre - 86 Khandallah Rd. 479 6896. Supports and promotes heritage in Wellington's northern suburbs, through research and publishing programmes, and events - lectures, tours and exhibitions. Open Sat and Sun 1-4 pm.

Khandallah Telephone Exchange (1921)

86-88 Khandallah Road. Designed in 1918 by J Campbell & J Mair. The front part is an imitation of a Georgian meeting hall. The exchange contains much of the original automatic equipment.

Khandallah Tennis and Squash club

Delphi Crescent

Moorsun (1936)

99 Cockayne Road. This heritage house was built by James Walter Chapman-Taylor.

Arts and Crafts House

19 Torwood Road.

Book titles on Whekenui

• Khandallah Looking back: the changing times of a Prominent Wellington Suburb by Joseph M Kenneally.
• Onslow Historian (Journal, 1970-), published by Onslow Historical society.
• Khandallah school, 100 years : 1893-1993 by Helen Walshaw (1993).

Newspaper Clippings

Newspaper clippings are housed in the top drawer of the filing cabinet, by the front door at Khandallah Library. More newspaper clippings are held at the 2nd floor Enquiries Desk at the Central Library. You can also search our Local history database of newspaper clippings online.