The first deep-water wharves were constructed in the area which became Queens Wharf, the first pile being driven in 1862, but most of the Te Aro foreshore and its wharves remained privately owned.
From 1880 (when Wellington Harbour Board was formed) to the turn of the century saw some major developments, including reclamation north of Pipitea Point for railways. Land south of Queens Wharf in the Te Aro area was extended seaward with reclamations carried out by the Council, removing the last vestiges of private ownership of the foreshore. By the end of the 19th century, the 1840 shoreline had disappeared.