Wrights Hill Fortress

It’s a surprise in peaceful little New Zealand to find they were seriously worried in both the first and second world wars about being invaded – firstly by the Russians and then by the Japanese. In the event, so many Kiwi men went overseas to fight with the empire that the US came and helped defend New Zealand – and along the way various physical defences were built actually in New Zealand. Wrights Hill Fortress is one such, positioned at the top of one of the Wellington hills and equipped with – well, a big gun. The gun is long gone but the concrete foundation is still there, along with a fabulous warren of tunnels and a museum of traditional NZ Defence stuff.

‘NZ Army – Everything you ever wanted’. Yeah, right.