The US Marines in Kapiti, New Zealand, 1942 - 1944


Next event - Saturday 9 November 2024: The US Marines at Paekākāriki | Wellington Heritage Festival


Welcome to the Kāpiti U.S. Marines website – our on-line history portal, collection gallery and visitor centre, bringing together, the WWII history of U.S. Marines’extraordinary stay in Paekākāriki from 1942-44.

Explore our new offering, to help you plan a walking, cycling, car or train trip to see a variety of Marines’ sites, all of them accessible via Transmission Gully and SH59 and linked to attractive walkways and cycleways in a seaside environment.

Three former Marines’ camp sites, a restored Marines’ hut, a museum exhibition and a memorial to 10 sailors who drowned off our coast, are all part of this fascinating heritage adventure.

You can also step back in time to view the prestigious, recently acquired, Norm Hatch Collection which includes a large collection of film and black and white photos of Marines living and training on our beaches and in the parks in 1943.

As a bonus - find out more about your genealogy by going to the Finding Your Marine page.

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