Fort Ballance

Fort Ballance stands on Point Gordon, featuring concrete structures, gun emplacements, and barracks integrated into the natural terrain of the Miramar Peninsula.

The New Zealand government constructed Fort Ballance in 1885 during rising tensions with Russia, marking a shift from British military dependence to local defense systems.

The fortification received Category 1 Historic Place status in 1990, representing New Zealand's commitment to preserving significant military and architectural heritage sites.

Visitors can access the fort grounds to examine the nineteenth-century coastal defense structures and read information panels about the military installation's past.

The site contains the last remaining seesaw searchlight emplacement from 1891, which used steam power to illuminate potential naval threats in Wellington Harbor.

Location: Wellington Region

Location: Wellington City

Inception: 1885

GPS coordinates: -41.29463,174.83443

Latest update: March 3, 2025 06:58