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  • The Governor-General
    • Biography of The Rt Hon Dame Cindy Kiro, GNZM, QSO
    • Biography of Dr Richard Davies
    • Media statements
    • Speeches by The Rt Hon Dame Cindy Kiro
    • The Governor-General's blog
  • Office of the Governor-General
    • Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla
      • About the Coronation service
      • The King of New Zealand
      • Get involved
      • Coronation events
    • Roles and functions of the Governor-General
      • Constitutional role
        • New Zealand’s Constitution
        • Credentials ceremonies
        • The Executive Council
        • The Reserve Powers
        • The Royal prerogative of mercy
      • Ceremonial role
        • Investiture ceremonies
        • New Zealand Royal Honours
      • Community role
      • International Role
    • Conditions of Appointment
      • Administrator of the Government
      • The Governor-General Act
      • The Governor-General's Flag
    • History
      • New Zealand's Governor-General - an historical perspective
      • Former Governors-General
    • Invitations, patronage and cards
      • Invitations for the Governor-General
        • Dress code for Government House events
      • Hosting the Governor-General
      • Order of precedence in New Zealand
      • Applying for vice-regal patronage
      • Current Vice-regal patronages
      • Congratulatory messages
    • Contacting the Governor-General
      • Guidance for writing to the Governor-General
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    • Royal Commission Reports
  • Government House
    • Government House Wellington
      • Government House tours
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        • Education tours
        • Group tours
        • Upcoming public tours
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        • Bledisloe Conservatory
        • Blundell and Porritt Rooms
        • Fitzroy Room
        • Galway and guest suites
        • Liverpool Room
        • Main Hallway
        • Maota Ariki
        • The Ballroom
        • The Council Room
        • The Landing
        • The Norrie State Dining Room
        • The Taupaepae
      • Artwork and artifacts
        • Carved coats of arms
      • Government House centenary
      • Government House conservation
        • Conservation rationale
        • The project in detail
    • Government House Auckland
      • Government House Auckland garden tours
        • Group garden tours
        • Upcoming public garden tours
      • Planning your visit and accessibility
      • History of the gardens
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  1. Home
  2. Government House
  3. Government House Wellington
  4. Government House conservation

Government House conservation

Aerial View of Government House Wellington.
Government House in Wellington has been the residence of New Zealand's Governor-General, the personal representative of the Head of State, Queen Elizabeth II of New Zealand, for almost a century.

On 24 March 2011, Government House reopened after five years of conservation work. 

In 2005, a preliminary building condition survey identified a number of shortcomings.

The 2006 Budget included funding for further specialist investigations into the condition of Government House and in the 2007 Budget further funding of $2 million was included for obtaining resource consents and completing detailed design for its conservation.

To gain direct understanding of the condition of Government House, a comprehensive condition survey of the buildings and grounds was conducted in early 2007. Several specialists surveyed Government House, the out-buildings and the grounds and particularly examined the internal and external fabric, services, security, structure, and fire systems. These investigations found that Government House Wellington required major work to conserve the building and to avoid service failure, to address life safety issues, to ensure it complied with all appropriate regulatory and statutory requirements, and to make it fit for purpose in the 21st century.

It was decided to reconfigure the House to improve its functionality, and renovate it to preserve the heritage, constitutional and cultural values. Such Conservation would follow best practice for environmentally sustainable design.

The 2008 Budget set aside $47.4 million towards the Conservation Project to be spent over four financial years.  In December 2008, Wellington construction company, L.T. McGuinness was appointed as the lead contractor. In February 2009, in light of the tight economic conditions, the Budget figure was reduced by $4.7 million in February 2009, primarily with the deletion of a proposed visitor’s centre near the entrance to the Government House grounds.

The then Governor-General, Rt Hon Sir Anand Satyanand, and Lady Susan Satyanand, moved out of House in late 2008 and the mammoth task of packing up the almost 100 year old House began. Some 40,000 items were catalogued and either sent to Government House in Auckland, to the Governor-General’s temporary Wellington residence, Government House Vogel in Lower Hutt, to Islington House, the Governor-General’s office on the Government House Wellington grounds, or into storage.

Due to the historic nature of the house, conservation and restoration work is an ongoing process. In 2019, the stained glass windows found at the top of the landing in the Taupaepae were removed and sent to Stewart Stained Glass in Christchurch to be restored. Graham Stewart, whose other projects include restoring the stained glass in the Christchurch Cathedral, completed the delicate task in around 4 months. This same year, the Bledisloe conservatory also underwent significant seismic strengthening.

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In this section
  • Government House Wellington
    • Government House tours
    • Rooms of Government House
    • Artwork and artifacts
    • Government House centenary
    • Government House conservation
      • Conservation rationale
      • The project in detail
  • Government House Auckland
  • Other Government Houses
  • Staff at Government House
  • Tours

Book a tour of Government House Wellington

Government House Wellington.

Our Visitor Centre runs free, guided tours for individuals, groups and schools.

Bookings are required.

Find out more about tours

Govt House Trip Advisor 2024

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The Governor-General
  • Biography of The Rt Hon Dame Cindy Kiro, GNZM, QSO
  • Biography of Dr Richard Davies
  • Media statements
  • Speeches by The Rt Hon Dame Cindy Kiro
  • The Governor-General's blog
Office of the Governor-General
  • Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla
  • Roles and functions of the Governor-General
  • Conditions of Appointment
  • History
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  • Contacting the Governor-General
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