Announcement of the Wellington New Zealand Temple
President Russell M. Nelson, 17th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, announced the Wellington New Zealand Temple on April 3, 2022, during the Sunday afternoon session of general conference. A house of the Lord in Wellington was one of 17 announced by the Church President — and the third for New Zealand.
In Facebook postings following the announcement of a temple in Wellington, members of the Parklands Ward, Christchurch New Zealand Stake, reacted with excitement and joy. “That is great news for everyone, especially in Wellington,” wrote Carl Hill-Willis. “... God knows best where and when He will put His temple.”
Fellow ward member Nathan McCluskey commented on how much easier access will be to a temple with a sacred edifice in Wellington. “Even when Auckland and Hamilton are up and running, Wellington will still be a cheaper and closer option,” he wrote.
Ground will be broken for the Wellington New Zealand Temple on Aug. 2, 2025, with Elder Taniela B. Wakolo — a General Authority Seventy and first counselor in the Church’s Pacific Area presidency — presiding.
Timeline of the Wellington New Zealand Temple
The Wellington New Zealand Temple was announced by Church President Russell M. Nelson on April 3, 2022. Ground will be broken for the temple on Aug. 2, 2025, with Elder Taniela B. Wakolo presiding.
Architecture and Design of the Wellington New Zealand Temple
According to site plans released by the Church on Nov. 28, 2022, the Wellington New Zealand Temple will be a two-story building of approximately 14,900 square feet. The edifice will stand on a 3.35-acre site in Aotea, Porirua, on the southern tip of the North Island of New Zealand. An ancillary building with both arrival facilities and patron housing will also be built on the site.
Architectural renderings of the house of the Lord show a white exterior surrounded by rectangular windows. Two tall, multilevel towers with rectangular windows stand above the entrance and rear of the building. Trees, flower beds and grass lawns adorn the grounds.