Government House, Official residence in Newtown, Wellington, New Zealand

Government House is a two-storey timber-framed building with white-panelled walls and a red tiled roof, completed in 1910 in Newtown on the lower slopes of Mount Victoria. A square tower with a steep pyramidal roof and tall mast rises above the central entrance, a colonnaded portico with square pillars fronts the long left wing, and a dark gable with white-framed windows closes the right end. It stands behind a lawn and a pool, on grounds of 12 hectares bordering Alexandra Park and the Mount Victoria Town Belt.

The current building was completed in 1910, replacing two earlier residences after Wellington became the capital in 1865. The structure developed as the city grew in importance as the nation's administrative center.

Government House is where prime ministers and other ministers of the Crown are sworn in, and where award presentations and investitures take place. Ambassadors present their credentials to the governor-general here, and members of the royal family stay in the house during official visits. The grounds cover 12 hectares on the lower slopes of Mount Victoria, bordering Alexandra Park and the Mt Victoria Town Belt.

The building is the active workplace and residence of the serving Governor-General, so access is limited to certain areas and times. Visitors should check ahead for guided tours and which sections are open to the public.

The 12-hectare grounds border Alexandra Park and the Mount Victoria Town Belt, which makes the gardens feel larger than they are. The site was previously occupied by the Mount View Lunatic Asylum before it was chosen for the vice-regal residence.