Do you know Pencarrow Lighthouse's two New Zealand firsts and why people on Tinakori Road used to go without dinner?

A free iPhone application designed to help locals and visitors make the most of Wellington's walkways is now available on iTunes. The 'Welly Walks' application features seven walks; it leads users around the capital's sites using maps and instructions, also featuring facts and information about landmarks, public art, nature reserves and coastline.

Positively Wellington Tourism Chief Executive David Perks says the joint project between the regional tourism organisation and Wellington City Council is a natural progression from the development of the Wellington mobile guide m.WellingtonNZ.com.

"The Wellington mobile guide offers details about the top things to see, do and taste in the city right in the palm of your hand. The Wellington Walks application builds on providing information by acting as a guide around our walkways and delving deeper into the sites they take in."

The application, which features the Southern, Northern, Eastern, Skyline, City to Sea, Explore Waterfront and Explore Parliament and Thorndon walkways, was built by My Tours, a web-based service that converts city walks, museum tours and audio guides into iPhone applications.

"We're now looking at creating our own walks and guides and adding them to the application. Wellington's so compact and walkable, but you do have to be a bit in the know to make the absolute most of what the city has to offer. In particular we're thinking of developing trails around boutiques and all the tucked away bars."

The free application can be downloaded from www.itunes.apple.com About My Tours My Tours is a web-based service that converts city walks, museum tours and audio guides into iPhone applications.

www.mytoursapp.com

Did You Know These Wonders of the Seven Wellington Walkways?

1. Northern Walkway The name Tinakori is a misspelling of 'Tina Kahore' meaning 'without dinner'. This name was given during the construction of Tinakori Road, as road makers worked all day without stopping for lunch.

2. City to Sea Walkway Berhampore Nursery is the source of the Council's plant requirements throughout the city. Over 600,000 annuals for bedding, 70,000 natives, 250 street trees and 50,000 general trees and shrubs for road reserves and roundabouts are grown each year.

3. Eastern Walkway Pencarrow Lighthouse was the first permanent lighthouse to be built in New Zealand and was run by New Zealand's only woman lighthouse-keeper, Mrs Bennett.

4. Skyline Walkway Otari-Wilton's Bush is the only botanic garden in NZ devoted to native plants. It's 100 hectares.

5. Southern Walkway In the late 19th century Island Bay was outside the city of Wellington and had about a dozen households. With the completion of the Wellington railway in 1886 the city was able to expand.

6. Explore the Waterfront The Wellington Rowing Club Building was erected in 1894 as a base for the Wellington Naval Artillery Volunteers, formed in 1879 after a 'Russian Scare'. The building housed two naval cutters for harbour defence and the tower was built to provide a lookout.

7. Explore Parliament and Thorndon The Railway Station was built over three years from 1934-1937. The huge foyer inside the main entrance was inspired by the Pennsylvania Station in New York.