Is Mount Cook a suburb in Wellington?

Yes. Mount Cook is an inner-city Wellington suburb about 1.7 km south of the CBD. It's separate from Aoraki/Mount Cook the mountain, which is in the Southern Alps on the South Island, around 700 km away.

How was Mount Cook in Wellington named?

The suburb was named after a small hill called Mount Cook, the origin point of Wellington's original survey marks. The hill in turn took its name from Captain James Cook. Most of the hill was levelled in the 1840s for military barracks.

Is Massey University in Mount Cook?

Yes. Massey University's Wellington campus is on Wallace Street and Buckle Street in Mount Cook, in and around the former National Museum building. The campus is small and city-centric, with a focus on design and creative arts.

What is Pukeahu National War Memorial Park?

Pukeahu is a memorial park in Mount Cook, surrounding the National War Memorial and the carillon (1940). It includes the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior and is the site of New Zealand's main Anzac Day ceremonies.

Is Mount Cook good for students?

Yes. Mount Cook is walking distance to Massey University, Victoria University's central campus and Wellington Hospital, with good bus links and a high concentration of student flats, cafés and cheap eats.

Which schools are in zone for Mount Cook?

Children living in Mount Cook are in zone for St Oran's College, Wellington Girls' College, Wellington High School and Com Ed Centre, Wellington East Girls' College, Wellington College, Mt Cook School (Wellington), Hutt International Boys' School. Living in a school's home zone gives a guaranteed right to enrol.

How do I check my school zone in Mount Cook?

Use the School Zone Checker on this page — enter your address to check your school zone and see which schools you have a guaranteed right to enrol at.

Mount Cook, Wellington | Schools, Lifestyle & Local Guide

Living in Mount Cook

Disambiguation first: this is Mount Cook the Wellington suburb, not Aoraki/Mount Cook the South Island mountain. Different things, ~700 km apart. The suburb sits 1.7 km south of the Wellington CBD, named after a small hill that was the origin point of Wellington's original survey marks. The hill itself was named after Captain James Cook. Most of it was levelled in the 1840s for British military barracks.

The suburb has more institutional weight than its size suggests. Massey University's Wellington campus has been here since 1999, occupying the former National Museum / Dominion Museum building. Pukeahu National War Memorial Park (the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior is here) and the carillon (1940) anchor the south side. Wellington High School and the Basin Reserve cricket ground also fall within or right on the boundary.

Mount Cook is one of Wellington's older inner-city suburbs, with a stock of preserved Victorian timber houses (the local "painted ladies"), workers' cottages and red-brick warehouses converted into apartments. The Colonial Cottage Museum on Nairn Street is Wellington's oldest authentic surviving cottage, built 1858.

Walking distance to Newtown's cafés in one direction and Cuba Street's bars in the other. Heritage character with university energy.

Is Mount Cook a good place to live?

Mount Cook is home to roughly 6,687 people. On Suburb's overall livability scale, Mount Cook scores 67 out of 100, with a safety score of 48/100 and 28% green space.

Schools: Mount Cook has 51 schools in or near the suburb, spanning early-childhood through to secondary education. See the Schools tab below for the full list.

Housing: The estimated median value is around $986K, and weekly rent typically sits around $700.

Lifestyle: Mount Cook has cafés, shops and things to do nearby. The current temperature is 7.4°C. See the Weather tab for monthly averages.

Whether Mount Cook is right for you depends on what you’re looking for. Use the data and community tips below to decide if it suits your lifestyle, family and budget.

Map

Livability Breakdown

Safety48
Amenities100
Schools89
Housing Affordability38
Green space94
Community67
Transport40

Property & Economics

Est. Median Value: $986K
Median Weekly Rent: $700/wk
Median HH Income: $138K/yr
Pop. Growth (5yr): -6.8%
Data Year: 2023

Key Financial Indicators (NZD)

† Est. Median Value is suburb.co.nz's own estimate, modelled from available public data. We aim for accuracy, but where data is limited, estimates may be imprecise.

Nearby Suburbs

Browse all suburbs in Wellington City →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Mount Cook a suburb in Wellington?: Yes. Mount Cook is an inner-city Wellington suburb about 1.7 km south of the CBD. It's separate from Aoraki/Mount Cook the mountain, which is in the Southern Alps on the South Island, around 700 km away.
How was Mount Cook in Wellington named?: The suburb was named after a small hill called Mount Cook, the origin point of Wellington's original survey marks. The hill in turn took its name from Captain James Cook. Most of the hill was levelled in the 1840s for military barracks.
Is Massey University in Mount Cook?: Yes. Massey University's Wellington campus is on Wallace Street and Buckle Street in Mount Cook, in and around the former National Museum building. The campus is small and city-centric, with a focus on design and creative arts.
What is Pukeahu National War Memorial Park?: Pukeahu is a memorial park in Mount Cook, surrounding the National War Memorial and the carillon (1940). It includes the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior and is the site of New Zealand's main Anzac Day ceremonies.
Is Mount Cook good for students?: Yes. Mount Cook is walking distance to Massey University, Victoria University's central campus and Wellington Hospital, with good bus links and a high concentration of student flats, cafés and cheap eats.

Schools & Enrolment Zones in Mount Cook

Schools in zone for Mount Cook

Children living in Mount Cook have a guaranteed right to enrol at these schools, based on Ministry of Education home zones.

St Oran's College
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 504 · decile 10
Wellington Girls' College
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 1427 · decile 8
Wellington High School and Com Ed Centre
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 1639 · decile 9
Wellington East Girls' College
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 1014 · decile 8
Wellington College
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 1941 · decile 10
Mt Cook School (Wellington)
Full Primary · roll 287 · decile 6
Hutt International Boys' School
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 653 · decile 10

Check your school zone

School Zone Checker

Enter your address to check your school zone in Mount Cook. School enrolment zones (home zones) decide which schools your child has a guaranteed right to enrol at.

Address matching is approximate and based on OpenStreetMap geocoding — confirm an exact result near a zone boundary directly with the school.

Other nearby schools

Schools close to Mount Cook that you may be able to enrol at under open enrolment or by application (outside your home zone).

Brooklyn School (Wellington)
Full Primary · roll 368 · decile 8 · 0.7 km away
St Mark's Church School (Mt Victoria)
Full Primary · roll 136 · decile 10 · 0.8 km away
Newtown School
Contributing · roll 310 · decile 4 · 0.9 km away
St Annes School (Newtown)
Full Primary · roll 215 · decile 5 · 1.0 km away
Clyde Quay School
Full Primary · roll 213 · decile 10 · 1.3 km away
Te Aro School
Full Primary · roll 210 · decile 4 · 1.3 km away
Central Regional Health School
Specialist School · roll 23 · 1.5 km away
Te Kura o Tawatawa - Ridgway School
Full Primary · roll 214 · decile 9 · 1.5 km away
South Wellington Intermediate
Intermediate · roll 335 · decile 5 · 1.6 km away
Kilbirnie School
Contributing · roll 204 · decile 10 · 1.7 km away
Berhampore School
Contributing · roll 264 · decile 3 · 1.8 km away
St Patrick's College (Kilbirnie)
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 725 · decile 8 · 2.1 km away
St Catherines College (Kilbirnie)
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 208 · decile 6 · 2.1 km away
Kelburn Normal School
Full Primary · roll 270 · decile 10 · 2.2 km away
St Patrick's School (Kilbirnie)
Full Primary · roll 128 · decile 5 · 2.2 km away
Evans Bay Intermediate
Intermediate · roll 337 · decile 7 · 2.3 km away
Clifton Terrace Model School
Full Primary · roll 71 · decile 8 · 2.4 km away
Hataitai School
Full Primary · roll 214 · decile 10 · 2.4 km away
Lyall Bay School
Contributing · roll 275 · decile 7 · 2.7 km away
Rongotai College
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 719 · decile 4 · 2.9 km away
Northland School
Full Primary · roll 214 · decile 7 · 2.9 km away
Roseneath School
Full Primary · roll 73 · decile 9 · 3.0 km away
St Mary's College (Wellington)
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 562 · decile 8 · 3.2 km away
Sacred Heart Cathedral School
Full Primary · roll 228 · decile 8 · 3.2 km away
Samuel Marsden Collegiate School
Composite · roll 394 · decile 10 · 3.4 km away
Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu
Correspondence School · roll 8517 · 3.4 km away
Island Bay School
Contributing · roll 324 · decile 10 · 3.4 km away
Houghton Valley School
Contributing · roll 201 · decile 7 · 3.5 km away
Karori Normal School
Full Primary · roll 590 · decile 9 · 3.5 km away
Thorndon School
Full Primary · roll 270 · decile 8 · 3.5 km away
Queen Margaret College
Composite · roll 755 · decile 9 · 3.6 km away
Altum Academy
Secondary (Year 7-15) · 3.6 km away
St Francis De Sales School (Is Bay)
Full Primary · roll 196 · decile 10 · 3.7 km away
Miramar Central School
Contributing · roll 165 · decile 5 · 3.9 km away
Owhiro Bay School
Contributing · roll 82 · decile 9 · 3.9 km away
St Teresa's School (Karori)
Full Primary · roll 125 · decile 10 · 3.9 km away
Holy Cross School (Miramar)
Full Primary · roll 175 · decile 5 · 4.1 km away
Miramar North School
Contributing · roll 227 · decile 7 · 4.2 km away
Ōtari School
Full Primary · roll 193 · decile 9 · 4.3 km away
Scots College
Composite · roll 1171 · decile 10 · 4.4 km away
Worser Bay School
Contributing · roll 109 · decile 9 · 4.5 km away
Kahurangi School
Full Primary · roll 259 · decile 3 · 4.7 km away
Karori West Normal School
Full Primary · roll 431 · decile 7 · 4.7 km away
Wadestown School
Full Primary · roll 243 · decile 9 · 4.7 km away

Explore Mount Cook

Things to do(30)

Cricket Museum

Covenant

Athletics NZ

Prince of Wales Park toilet

Combat Room Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Prince of Wales Park

Lockdown MMA

Aikido Tenshindo Wellington

Wellington Hutt Valley GAA Club

Gum Gully ki Tūranga Rere

Wellington Scottish Athletics Club

Poneke Kyokushin Karate Dojo

CrossFit Central Wellington

Viva Latina Dance & Entertainment

Salsa Magic

Dancetopia

Spiritus

Legacy Dance North

Powerhouse Gym

Jetts Newtown

F45 Training Basin Reserve

Pukeahu National War Memorial Park

Jetts Johnsonville

Wellington Judo and Jujitsu Academy

Cricket Wellington

MAI Dojo

L.O.D Dance Studios

Kenpo Karate Wellington Family Martial Arts Academy

Family Martial Arts Academy

Bujinkan Jissen Dojo

Parks & green spaces(4)

Prince of Wales Park toilet

Prince of Wales Park

Gum Gully ki Tūranga Rere

Pukeahu National War Memorial Park

Healthcare(2)

Accident and Urgent Medical Centre

Month	High (°C)	Low (°C)	Rainfall (mm/day)	Sunshine (hrs/day)
☀️ Jan	20.07	15.07	1.73	11.39
☀️ Feb	19.61	15.2	2.25	10.85
🍂 Mar	17.78	13.12	1.69	10.1
🍂 Apr	16.58	12.24	4.03	7.91
🍂 May	14.54	10.51	3.52	6.98
❄️ Jun	13.18	9.17	2.74	6.58
❄️ Jul	12.08	8.14	2.69	6.23
❄️ Aug	11.73	7.94	2.63	7.74
🌸 Sep	13.69	9.69	2.88	8.65
🌸 Oct	14.6	10.26	2.72	10.05
🌸 Nov	15.94	11.66	1.67	10.67
☀️ Dec	18.07	13.7	2.47	10.94

Living in Mount Cook

Is Mount Cook a good place to live?

Map

Livability Breakdown

Property & Economics

Key Financial Indicators (NZD)

Nearby Suburbs

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools & Enrolment Zones in Mount Cook

Schools in zone for Mount Cook

St Oran's College

Wellington Girls' College

Wellington High School and Com Ed Centre

Wellington East Girls' College

Wellington College

Mt Cook School (Wellington)

Hutt International Boys' School

Check your school zone

School Zone Checker

Other nearby schools

Brooklyn School (Wellington)

St Mark's Church School (Mt Victoria)

Newtown School

St Annes School (Newtown)

Clyde Quay School

Te Aro School

Central Regional Health School

Te Kura o Tawatawa - Ridgway School

South Wellington Intermediate

Kilbirnie School

Berhampore School

St Patrick's College (Kilbirnie)

St Catherines College (Kilbirnie)

Kelburn Normal School

St Patrick's School (Kilbirnie)

Evans Bay Intermediate

Clifton Terrace Model School

Hataitai School

Lyall Bay School

Rongotai College

Northland School

Roseneath School

St Mary's College (Wellington)

Sacred Heart Cathedral School

Samuel Marsden Collegiate School

Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu

Island Bay School

Houghton Valley School

Karori Normal School

Thorndon School

Queen Margaret College

Altum Academy

St Francis De Sales School (Is Bay)

Miramar Central School

Owhiro Bay School

St Teresa's School (Karori)

Holy Cross School (Miramar)

Miramar North School

Ōtari School

Scots College

Worser Bay School

Kahurangi School

Karori West Normal School

Wadestown School

Explore Mount Cook

🎯Things to do(30)

Cricket Museum

Covenant

Athletics NZ

Prince of Wales Park toilet

Combat Room Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Prince of Wales Park

Lockdown MMA

Aikido Tenshindo Wellington

Wellington Hutt Valley GAA Club

Gum Gully ki Tūranga Rere

Wellington Scottish Athletics Club

Poneke Kyokushin Karate Dojo

CrossFit Central Wellington

Viva Latina Dance & Entertainment

Things to do(30)

Parks & green spaces(4)

Healthcare(2)

Places to eat & drink(21)

Tradies & services(25)