Kōrero: Floods

Because the Hutt River near Wellington was a transport route, it was natural for buildings to be sited alongside it. Unfortunately the early Pākehā inhabitants did not realise that the Hutt River flooded – and changed its course – frequently.

The Aglionby Arms was one of the first hotels in the lower Hutt Valley. This watercolour shows the hotel off its foundations after the Hutt River flooded. The date is uncertain, but it may have been in 1858, when a large flood caused loss of life in Hutt Valley.