Lyall Bay

Lyall Bay is a bay and a suburb on the south side of the Rongotai isthmus in Wellington, New Zealand.The bay is a popular surf beach, featuring a breakwater at the eastern end. It has also been the site of surf lifesaving championships, and is home to two surf lifesaving clubs. Lyall Bay is a very popular and safe swimming beach. The beach is only two thirds of its original size; the construction of Wellington International Airport took away the eastern third of the beach.The suburb consists of most of the southern half of the Rongotai isthmus, although Wellington International Airport and a small industrial area next to it are often considered to be part of Rongotai. Probably in ancient times the point of exit of the Hutt River, the current isthmus was created by geologic upheaval as result of recurring earthquakes, the most recent occurrence being the 1855 Wairarapa earthquake. Lyall Bay is predominantly a residential area, but also contains a part of Wellington's Southern Walkway, and the Southern Headlands Reserve, and Wellington's largest beach. The south-western border has Te Raekaihau Point as the dividing landform to Houghton Bay. The suburb has an excellent bus service and is near to the Kilbirnie shopping centre and the Tirangi Road Airport Retail Park. There is a primary school (Lyall Bay School), a Playcentre, a lawn bowls club, two surf clubs, and a small range of shops. Lyall Bay is home to Fat Freddy's Drop, a popular Wellington band.