The only part of the current isthmus above water was the small hill which now has the airport control tower on it; the Miramar Peninsula was an island known as Te Motu Kairangi at the entrance to Wellington Harbour.

Following the earthquake, the seabed seems to have silted up, creating a sandflat which linked Miramar to the mainland, at least at low tide.

The southern half remained mostly sand dunes, but houses were built on the northern end, as was a coal-fired power station and Rongotai College.

By World War II a more permanent airfield had been built, and was used by the Royal New Zealand Air Force, who also took over the centennial buildings after the close of the exhibition.

On 24 October 1959 Wellington's international airport was opened, the runway and associated buildings taking over the entire eastern half of the suburb.

[1] Light industry and a Rongotai College playing field occupied most of the south-west quarter of the suburb.

[6] Rongotai College is a single-sex (boys) state secondary school for Year 9 to 13 students,[7] founded in 1928.