The Miramar Peninsula is at the southeastern end of the city of Wellington, New Zealand. It contains the suburbs of Miramar and Seatoun. The isthmus of the peninsula, narrowed at the north by Evans Bay and at the south by Lyall Bay , is the location of Wellington International Airport.
To the east of the peninsula lies the mouth of the harbour of Port Nicholson, which opens into the Cook Strait at its southern end. The notorious rocks of Barrett's Reef lie close to the shore of the peninsula.
The peninsular was originally called Watt's Pennisula. In 1872 the first settler in the area, James Coutts Crawford, changed the name to Miramar - which means Behold the sea or Wonderful Sea.
The original Maori name was Whataitai.
The Miramar Borough was formed on 18 November, 1904.
Film director Peter Jackson has built a multi-million dollar series of studios, sound stages, pre & post production facilities in Miramar.
References
Wellington Local History: Miramar/Seatoun A Wellington City Libraries page on the history of the area
