The Carter Fountain is a distinctive feature out in

Wellington Harbour Wellington Harbour ( ), officially called Wellington Harbour / Port Nicholson, is a large natural harbour on the southern tip of New Zealand's North Island. The harbour entrance is from Cook Strait. Central Wellington is located on parts of ...

from

Oriental Bay Oriental Bay is a bay and suburb of Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. Known for being both a popular beach and an opulent centre of affluence in the city, it is located close to the Central Business District, central business distri ...

. Installed in 1973, it was named in memory of the parents of its donor Hugh Carter, who drowned only days after the fountain's inauguration.

Background

The Carter Fountain was a gift to the city of

Wellington Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...

from local resident and businessman Hugh Carter, as a tribute to his parents George and Ella Carter and the people of Wellington. A plaque was installed on the band rotunda saying: "Carter Fountain. In Memory. This fountain was donated to the people of Wellington by the family of the late George and Ella Carter, who had a great love of their city. 16th March 1973". Carter was inspired by the

Jet d'Eau The Jet d'Eau (, ''Water-Jet'') is a large fountain in Geneva, Switzerland and is one of the city's most famous landmarks, being featured on the city's official tourism web site and on the official logo for Geneva's hosting of group stage match ...

fountain he saw in

Geneva Geneva ( , ; ) ; ; . is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland and the most populous in French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it is the ca ...

in the early 1960s. Construction began in 1972 and cost

NZ$ The New Zealand dollar (; currency sign, sign: $; ISO 4217, code: NZD) is the official currency and legal tender of New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue, the Ross Dependency, Tokelau, and a British territory, the Pitcairn Islands. Within New Zeal ...

75,000. There was some controversy when the project was announced as some residents objected to the fountain on aesthetic reasons or because it might interfere with rowing, or thought the money it cost could have been better spent elsewhere. The fountain was officially opened on 16 March 1973. Tragedy struck just days after the fountain was officially opened. Carter had moored his launch ''Kualani'' in the harbour for the opening of the fountain. He disappeared from the boat on the night of 20/21 March and his body was found in the harbour on 21 March. He was 55. The fountain was originally maintained by the

Wellington Harbour Board Wellington Harbour Board was the body which formerly managed the shipping and commercial affairs of the port of Wellington in New Zealand. It was constituted in 1880 and was disestablished in 1989. During its 110-year tenure the Harbour Board ...

, and with the

1989 local government reforms The 1989 New Zealand local government reform was the most significant reform of local government in New Zealand in over a century. Some 850 local bodies were amalgamated into 86 local authorities, on Regions of New Zealand, regional and Territo ...

, this responsibility transferred to the

Wellington City Council Wellington City Council is a Territorial authorities of New Zealand, territorial authority in New Zealand, governing the city of Wellington, the country's capital city and List of cities in New Zealand#City councils, third-largest city by popul ...

Operation

The fountain spouts water into the air. Following complaints from local residents about salt spray, a wind sensor was installed on the nearby band rotunda that prevents the fountain from operating above a given wind speed; sources vary whether this is . The band rotunda also holds the land-based electrical components for the fountain. Monthly maintenance is carried out by an electrician, who reaches the fountain in a row boat. Twice a year, divers check on the submerged pump. The annual maintenance costs NZ$45,000, of which NZ$20,000 is for electricity. The cost for replacing the pump in 2009 was NZ$29,000, during which time the fountain was out of operation for half a year. Eight floodlights are used to light and colour the fountain. The halogen lights were replaced in 2013 by LED light at a cost of NZ$21,000, with the new lights lasting up to 50,000 hours compared to 2,000 hours previously, and being able to be remote controlled. The fountain is operated up to four times a day: *Monday to Thursday: 07:30–09:00, noon–14:00, 16:30–18:00, 19:30–22:30 *Friday: 07:30–09:00, noon–14:00, 16:30–18:00, 19:30–23:00 *Saturday and Sunday: 08:30–16:30, 19:00–23:00

References

{{coord, -41.28980, 174.79436, type:landmark_region:NZ, format=dms, display=title Monuments and memorials in New Zealand Tourist attractions in Wellington City Fountains in New Zealand Outdoor sculptures in Wellington City