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Story: City history and people

Building Porirua

Video file

A shortage of housing after the Second World War led the government to start building new suburbs in the main centres, some of which became satellite cities. Among these was Porirua, north of Wellington. This 1958 clip shows the land being developed and houses built.

Using this item

Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Reference: Pictorial Parade 79. National Film Unit, 1958

Permission of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga must be obtained before any re-use of this material.

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How to cite this page

David Thorns and Ben Schrader, City history and people – Suburban growth, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/video/23519/building-porirua (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by David Thorns and Ben Schrader, published 15 April 2010.