1. Spiritual

Its undeveloped feeling is one of its main atttractions, flavoured with the surrounding sense of history.

It is Wellington City's Harbour Coast - where you watch the light of the sun over the harbour from the walks or the gun emplacements or the hills.

People come here to re-create in the spiritual sense.

Massey Regional Park can fufill the same inspirational role as North Head looking over Waitemata Harbour in Auckland.

2. Recreational

The promoted recreational attractions are Scorching Bay beach, Maupuia Walkway and Massey Memorial. Around the coastal road it is popular for picnicking, swimming, fishing and diving. Otherwise people wander and cycle over the hills, exploring the historic military sites, the tranquil regenerating pine forest, all within the setting of the spectacular views over our Harbour and its islands.

Over the the years, public access has been loosely allowed and many Wellingtonians have come to appreciate the open space and access that the higher ground of Massey Regional Park provides.

3. Community Use

Other uses of Massey Regional Park include Orienteering events by the Wellington Orienteering Association, and regular public tours of the historic Fort Ballance/Gordon historic site. The Park as defined here does not include the buildings at inland Shelly Bay or the Prison as they are earmarked for specific community uses..

4. Historic

The most visible historic features are the Massey Memorial and Fort Ballance. Fort Ballance and Kau Point battery are included in the City's District Plan Heritage List. The historic features of Massey Regional Park are an important part of our Military Heritage in Wellington Region. There are many historic military sites that include military roads, redoubts, anti-aircraft and Russian Scare and other gun batteries, and many buildings associated with defence activities based at Shelly Bay. Shelly Bay has been proposed as a military heritage interpretation site.

5. Archaeological

The area is scattered with historic maori pa and other sites. These are generally protected by the Historic Places Act.

The area is part of the Mataki kai poinga precinct.

6. Landscape

Massey Regional Park is the major focus for the coastal landscape as accessed by thousands from Wellington.

It is the focus for road views from the City, Hutt Valley, and for foot and boat traffic in the surrounding area. It is the focus for people who live in Roseneath, and visitors to the City CBD. The City has recognised the landscape value of the park by zoning it Open Space in the District Plan. Massey Regional Park is therefore an essential part of the social fabric of Wellington City, its coastal environment, and the natural attraction that our Harbour presents to visitors to our City.

7. Geopreservation

There are several raised marine benches and sea caves present that result from repeated uplifts of this land.

8. Biodiversity

Vegetation
Over 95% of Wellington City's native forest has been cleared since settlement. The various regenerating forest areas are important refuges, that provide the seed source for regeneration of the surrounding landscape. The most important mechanism for the regeneration of native forest in this area is the progression of shrublands and pine forest to native forest, given physical and legal protection.

Fauna
The common bush birds of Wellington are found in the pine and regenerating forests. They will increase in numbers and diversity as the shrubland on the farmland and regenerating areas quietly restores additional native forest.

They will also increase due to the removal of possums from the Miramar Peninsula, allowing native forest birds to re-establish themselves much like at Otari-Wilton's Bush. As regeneration on the surrounding hills progresses, and as more distant Reserves in Wellington City are better managed for native birdlife, the overall number of common bush birds is expected to rise.