Hidden beneath the streets of New Zealand’s capital lies a Cold War-era bunker so secretive, most Wellingtonians walk over it daily without knowing it’s there.
For decades, the concrete-reinforced shelter has remained sealed off — guarded by silence, mystery, and a thick blast-proof door.
But now, for the first time since the 1970s, access has quietly been granted to a select group of historians and engineers. And what they’ve found inside is sending ripples through the city’s past.
Built for a war that never came
Constructed during the peak of Cold War tensions, the underground facility was designed as a government emergency operations centre in the event of nuclear conflict or invasion.
Located beneath Mount Victoria — though the exact coordinates remain classified — the bunker could reportedly support up to 50 people for weeks at a time, complete with air filtration systems, food rations, and military-grade communication gear.
“It was New Zealand’s version of a Doomsday shelter,” says historian James Carter. “But no one outside high-level defence circles ever saw the inside.”
Until now.
What they found inside
After years of requests, the government quietly granted limited access to a small team of researchers as part of a heritage preservation initiative.
Inside, the bunker is frozen in time.
- Dust-covered rotary phones still hang on the walls.
- Faded civil defence posters warn against fallout.
- Shelves of canned food — stamped “1971” — remain unopened.
- A chalkboard lists the last recorded drills and emergency codes.
“It’s like walking into a time capsule,” Carter says. “Nothing’s been touched in decades. It’s eerie — and fascinating.”
There’s no internet, no GPS signal, and almost no natural light. Only the thick smell of damp concrete and rust.
Why it stayed closed so long
According to Defence Archives, the bunker was decommissioned in the late 1980s but never formally publicised — largely due to national security concerns and the risk of vandalism.
Some parts of the structure are now unstable or unsafe, with asbestos, lead-based paint, and flood-prone chambers. That’s one reason why public access is still not permitted.
But pressure is mounting for transparency.
“This is a part of Wellington’s history,” says Councillor Meera Patel. “People deserve to know what’s under their feet.”
Will it ever open to the public?
For now, only a handful of photos and written reports are expected to be released. The site remains officially closed, though discussions are underway to potentially open a virtual 3D walkthrough in late 2025.
As for physically entering the bunker?
“Not likely in the near future,” Carter admits. “But at least now we know — it’s real, and it’s still down there.”
Beneath the capital, in concrete silence, a relic of a world on edge waits in the dark — no longer forgotten.
Not hard to figure out if you’re over 40 and lived in Wellington your whole life. You just have to remember where all the old government buildings were and understand how they were linked.
Mount Vic though? 🤔
What has really been going on down there and why are they suddenly telling the public about it?. This seems suspicious to me. Why announce it after all these years. Someone really needs to investigate this place and the people that had access to it. Why are they talking about it now. What secrets have they been hiding down there?
Hahaha….
Correct, im 37 years and, Luxon, Peters, Seymour and all past governments, why now since the 70’s has access been granted not to public but your select chosen few, as part of a heritage preservation initiative my ass, smells like a secret preservation for a scared government strategy emergency operation in the event of youre true plan becoming threatened by the people becoming awakened to your bullshit, government cant be trusted, maoridom are standing up, because we have the power against the colinizers for all.
What an idiot. I am part Maori. So are you. Your own actual “heritage” is more that 50% coloniser. At least we now live in a society with freedoms backed by legal protection. As opposed to tribal survival constantly having to use threats of violence to prevent being eaten or enslaved by each others neighbours. You young ones live in a fantasy about “the good old days”. Denial of the truth to claim moral high ground = False mana. Im not impressed by the hypocracy of so called leaders of our society.
What a load of rubbish..Let’s Start with Maori were colonisers as well
Answers to most of your questions are in the article. There is no conspiracy. It’s just a decommissioned bunker
Now that would be telling lol
“Can of worms” maybe
I totally agree with you, just more lies coming out to hide a bigger picture. Makes me think there’s the proffe that it’s possible … They r talking about one. How many more are n nz. and for what. They could be in every town for all we know.. God, do they really think we are all that gullible?? I feel like humans are getting stupider, but how do the blind not see? 🥴 Hurts to be awake at times
Seal walls etc water base clear sealer don’t eat lead paint and asbestos is can be health affected if inhaled. I feel we go through life with so many h&s regulations we travel all over the world and a large number do not have such over protection get real live life let us manage our risks
Yeah, feel free Trev, go ahead, youll be fine
Foolish words.
I met a man in early retirement who had asbestosis. He could not travel or do much and was basically waiting to die, not enjoying retirement.
I lived in the old ex military SIS building in Taranaki st late last century. We had a sealed tunnel entrance in the basement. Rumors of its going all the way to parliament abounded. It was demolished during the Arris tunnel excavation so never did get to see it.
There may have been a shooting range down there and little else.
That interesting
is it at Karori?
I think many would be surprised about how much , especially military, structures/ equipment is buried all over the Wellington region.
What Bullshit! It was built during the second world war as a “war room”like the ones you see in war films with WAAFs pushing little models with sticks around a very large map table which can be viewed from an upper gallery around the whole thing. In other words a situation room. The writer worked in this underground air condtioned bunker in the early 70s when it was used as a map storage area for map stocks like NZMS ones sold in NZ.
With the advent of the situation room under the beehive, the bunker under the old dominion museum forecourt was no longer required.
The bunkers significance now is dependent on what our historical academics believe is important for us to preserve our involvement helps our academics figure out if it’s worth fighting over I wish we could all see it as it is now, that in itself tells us something about Governments policies and accountability to the people of New Zealand maybe King Charles III should be told His Majesties New Zealand government has been really slack about some of His Majesties Properties 😆 just sayin
What surprises me most is that the food rations were not rotated. If it wasn’t decommissioned till the early 80s, it seems rather lacking in planning that the canned foods were still from 1971.
Beneath the old reserve bank building there are huge volts with thick doors etc. When the Govt was setting up the Brucelosis eradication scheme on Somes island we had an office there. Those huge volts were used as storage
Auckland had its own Civil Defence bunker for about 40-odd years. It was built just off Epsom Avenue (opposite the houses at 71-75) during World War 2 as an underground command and control centre. It was built in a minor volcanic crater in the BW corner of what became the Auckland Teachers Training College – now the Epsom Campus of the University of Auckland. After the war it was used as the headquarters for Auckland Civil Defence, including a situation room to collect information from throughout the region and issue instructions. I attended a session in the HQ complex during CD training in the 1970s. At some stage (1980s?) there was a major fire fed by the cork insulation in the walls which completely trashed the facilities and the HQ was abandoned. The surface level was used for car parking for some years – then replaced with a multi-level structure taking advantage of the depth of the crater. As far as I know, the lower levels were filled with rubble and concrete – but you can still see ventilation structures for the lower levels in and around the car park structure which is entirely below the street and surrounding land.
It is not the only one
There is a complex under the dominion mueseum, goes from tasman street over to taranaki street
Knock Knock,,
Who’s There??
Bunker,,
Bunker Who??
Bunker For Wankers🤣..
Interesting so what’s under the wellington railway station 🤝
Auckland had its secret tunnels (many still closed off) under North Head at the end of Cheltenham Beach in Devonport. There is still speculation and also unproven stories about what lies beneath. Fascinating history in many parts of NZ which would be amazing to know the true history of.
Barbara Docherty