History

The area adjacent to the Ngaio Gorge in Wellington which is now Trelissick Park has a long history, predating its park status. For a short history of the area, taken mostly from the Trelissick Park Management Plan June 1995, see:

• Park history

Early logging and farming, road, rail and sewer developments, slips, weed escapes, rubbish from adjacent areas, and pollution from the huge catchment all impacted the area.

History of the Trelissick Park Group

The history of the Trelissick Park Group (TPG) officially commences with the first meeting of the group on 17 June 1991. The Trelissick Park Group is a group of volunteers working on restoration and conservation of the park.

For a summary history of the TPG which is updated yearly as the group continues its work in the park, see:

• A group history

Peter Reimann has documented the group's history in detail in 3 issues of The Onslow Historian, published by the Onslow Historical Society. Volumes 39 and 40, both published in 2013, cover the years 1991 to 2000, and 2000 to 2013 respectively. Volume 55, published in March 2026, covers the years 2014 to 2025. Many thanks to the Onslow Historical Society for help documenting the history of the area and making the publications available online to everyone.

• Volume 39, 1991 to 2000 – WCC archives
• Volume 40, 2000 to 2013 – WCC archives
• Volume 55, 2014 to 2025 – (PDF, 12.4MB)

Further information

Frances Lee took photographs of the park from 1990 to 2009. These photos have been scanned and can be viewed through the link below.

• Frances Lee photo archive

More information on TPG activities is available from these pages of the website:

• Gorge Gazettes
• Meetings