Books related to the Great Harbour Way

Book Title & Author / Publisher	Category / Focus	Relevance to Great Harbour Way
Classic New Zealand Cycle Trails by Jonathan Kennett	Cycling / Route Guide	Covers cycle routes related to the harbour and the Wellington region, including the Pencarrow Lighthouse stretch and connections to the Remutaka Cycle Trail.
Wellington Walks by Mark Pacey	Walking / Day Hikes	Practical handbook detailing walk segments along the Waterfront, Miramar Peninsula, Oriental Bay, and South Coast with timing and profiles.
Day Walks of Wellington by Peter Janssen	Walking / Day Hikes	Maps out accessible coastal tracks across Greater Wellington, from Red Rocks/Ōwhiro Bay through to Eastbourne, Pencarrow, and the Parangarahu Lakes.
Harbouring by Jenny Pattrick (Black Swan / Random House NZ, 2022)	Historical Fiction / Novel	A rich historical novel set around Wellington Harbour during early 1840s settlement, bringing to life the landscape and early interactions between Māori and European arrivals along the foreshore.
Island of Secrets: Matiu/Somes Island in Wellington Harbour by David McGill (Steele Roberts, 2001)	Local History / Island Sanctuary	Explores the focal point of Wellington Harbour visible along much of the GHW route, detailing its history as a quarantine station, internment camp, lighthouse site, and eco-sanctuary.
Red Rocks: A Wellington Geological Excursion by Rodney Grapes & Hamish Campbell (Geological Society of NZ, 1994)	Geology / Field Guide	Essential guide to the distinct red pillow lava formations and coastal fault geology encountered along the Sinclair Head / Ōwhiro Bay section of the trail.
The Great Harbour of Tara by G. Leslie Adkin	Historical Geography / Place Names	A classic foundational text detailing traditional Māori place names, coastal landforms, and early history surrounding Te Whanganui-a-Tara / Wellington Harbour.
The Bond Store by Diana Morrow (Museum of Wellington City & Sea, 2000)	Maritime History / Architecture	Details the history of the 1892 Bond Store building (now Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa / Wellington Museum area) passed directly on the waterfront stretch of the route.
The Taniwha of Wellington Harbour by Moira Wairama & Bruce Potter (Penguin NZ, 2011)	Māori Mythology / Children’s Legend	Retells the traditional legend of Whātaitai and Ngake, explaining how the harbour mouth, Miramar Peninsula, and coastal landscape were formed.
Te Ara o Ngā Tūpuna by Taranaki Whānui / Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust	Heritage Trail Guide	Maps ancestral pā, kāinga, and cultural landmarks along the harbour foreshore, offering rich heritage context for walkers and riders.
Te Whanganui-a-Tara: Wellington Harbour & Its History Regional Historical Reference	Local History & Maritime Stories	Enriches the coastal journey with historical insights into key sites along the trail, from Hōniāna Te Puni Reserve in Petone to the early lighthouse maritime history at Pencarrow.
Wellington: A City for Sculpture by Jenny Harper & Aaron Lister, eds. (VUP & Wellington Sculpture Trust, 2007)	Public Art Guide	Features the public sculptures along the Meridian Energy Wind Sculpture Walk and Wellington Waterfront that walkers and cyclists experience along the CBD foreshore.
Wellington: The First Years of European Settlement 1840–1850 by Gavin McLean (Penguin Books, 2000)	Early Settlement History	Covers the initial shoreline landing at Britannia (Petone Beach) and the subsequent movement of settlement around the harbour rim to Thorndon and Te Aro.
Wellington by the Sea: 100 Years of Work & Play by David Bateman (1990)	Photographic & Social History	A visual record of how Wellingtonians have utilized the harbour edge over a century for shipping, swimming, boating, and recreation.
Wellington Harbour by David Johnson (Wellington Maritime Museum Trust, 1996)	Comprehensive Maritime History	Definitive history of the port, wharves, shipping traffic, shipwrecks, and harbour modifications across the entire body of water framed by the trail.
Wellington Harbour: A Heritage of Tara by D.R. Neilson (A.H & A.W Reed, 1970)	Art & Historical Landscape	Features paintings and historical commentary documenting the changing coastline, bays, and headlands around the harbour perimeter.
Wellington’s Heritage: Plants, Gardens and Landscape by Winsome Shepherd (Te Papa Press, 2000)	Botanical & Environmental History	Documents native coastal vegetation, introduced plants, and public gardens bordering the trail from Eastbourne coastal bush to Oriental Bay reserves.
Wild Wellington, Ngā Taonga Taiao: A Guide to the Wildlife & Wild Places of Te Upoko-o-te-Ika by Michael Szabo (Te Papa Press, 2024)	Natural History & Wildlife Field Guide	Up-to-date guide to coastal birds, marine life (fur seals, kororā/little blue penguins), and native sanctuaries along the harbour rim and south coast.