Editing Hutt Valley (section)

==Human settlement==
Some early Māori nations ([[iwi]]) of the region were Ngāi Tara, [[Muaūpoko]], [[Rangitāne]], [[Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō]] and [[Ngāti Porou|Ngāti Ira]]. These iwi descended from the sons of Whātonga, Taraika and Tautoki-ihu-nui-a-Whātonga, who migrated through the lower North Island with some descendants settling in the Hutt Valley.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Our Māori heritage |url=https://www.upperhuttcity.com/Your-Council/Our-city/Our-M%C4%81ori-heritage#section-2 |website=Upper Hutt City Council}}</ref> The name Heretaunga is often applied to the Hutt Valley from the name of the 'house of Whātonga at Nukutaurua vollage ([[pā]])'.<ref name=":0" />

In 1846 there was fighting between [[Māori people|Māori]] tribes and the Government, known as the [[Hutt Valley Campaign]].

The Hutt River also has the name Te Awa Kairangi, and was a [[Arterial road|major arterial route]] for [[Māori people|Māori]]. There was a trail linking Wellington Harbour and the [[Wairarapa]] over the [[Remutaka Range]] and through [[Pākuratahi River|Pākuratahi river]]. Before the [[1855 Wairarapa earthquake]] large Māori boats (waka) could travel as far Pākuratahi river, and European ships could also go up the valley 'almost' to Silverstream.<ref name=":0" />

The lower valley contains the city of [[Lower Hutt]], administered by [[Hutt City Council]], while the adjacent, larger but less populous city of [[Upper Hutt]] has its centre on the smaller plain above the Taita Gorge.  The valley forms a major dormitory suburban area for [[Wellington]], and is a location for manufacturing and [[heavy industry]], educational and recreational facilities, and the region's motor camps.

[[Petone]], on the [[Wellington Harbour]] shoreline, was proposed as the initial site for the settlement of Wellington by the [[New Zealand Company]].  However, as the chosen site was soon seen to be prone to river flooding, early settlement was relocated to Wellington.  A small settlement remained at the Petone site as the whole valley was believed to be well suited as farm land.

Almost the whole valley was [[clearfelling|clearfelled]] and converted to pasture or [[Market gardening|market garden]]s before the urbanisation of the 20th century.  A small remnant of the early [[podocarp]] forest is preserved in [[Barton's Bush]] in Upper Hutt.