Upper Hutt Is A Military City

Michael from Trentham

When one looks at the changing nature of the Wellington Region, Upper Hutt sticks out most for all the recent and ongoing additions to the fabric of this city.

But it is really the rise and rise of the military presence that sets Upper Hutt apart from other cities and towns in NZ.

Trentham Military encampment is large and from its bowels every evening at 5pm sharp, a sole bugle rings out for all within its range to know the time of day.

The military and the Department of Defence occupy a lot of Upper Hutt's land, a number of buildings including a great share of the attractive former General Motors building and one right in the centre of the CBD, as well as a lot of residential properties with a number in the process of being constructed near the camp's Davis Park.

And the full force of the military presence is felt every ANZAC Day at 6am at the UH civic centre as a witness to the prominent dawn service that Upper Hutt stages.

The officers of the military usually turn up at the impressive UH Cossie Club after the ANZAC public service for a hearty breakfast along with hundreds of locals.

Just a five minutes walk from the Military Camp is NZ's largest prison. It is these two entities that create a lot of the wealth and commercial activities that is Upper Hutt.