Since 1989, Harbour City Funeral Home has redefined funeral services in New Zealand by prioritising client needs, promoting transparency, and fostering community education.
History
Simon Manning had been working for E. Morris Jnr for several years when, at the age of 24, he thought, “We can do better than this.” So, using money he had saved to buy a house, he started Harbour City Funeral Home on August 1st, 1989, at 56 Onepu Road, Kilbirnie. At the time, this building also housed the Kilbirnie Library, so during the week, Simon rented the local Methodist church on Cockburn Street to provide a chapel for families.
Initially supported by his parents, Don and Dorothy, Simon quickly gained the backing of the community. Within just 3-4 years, Harbour City Funeral Home had grown to become the market leader in Wellington City funeral services. Simon and Harbour City became synonymous with thinking outside the square, providing service based on what the client wanted rather than what tradition dictated.
Employing young, like-minded individuals who shared his energy and vision, the company continued to grow. Staff numbers increased from 5 to 25 as the business expanded to serve the Lower and Upper Hutt communities from 2003, and the Kāpiti community from 2019.
We are proud to still have some of the longest-serving staff in the company and indeed the industry, each with over 25–35 years of caring experience. This includes Geoff Botherway (General Manager), Brad McAneney, Danny Langstraat, Sheryl Wright, Sheryl Rodda, and Barry Gee.
From its inception, Harbour City Funeral Home has aimed to demystify funerals and put the power and control back into the hands of the families we serve. We were one of the first funeral companies in New Zealand to host Open Days, inviting the public to look behind the scenes and ask any questions they had about death and funerals. Our seminars are well known in the community for their openness. No subject is off-limits, including the cost of funerals, eco-funerals, embalming, cremation, and more.
Over the years, we have built long-term community relationships and used our experience to provide meaningful contributions such as a free bus service to Mākara Cemetery, helping the NZ Police run safe driving seminars for teenagers, advocating for specific cemetery spaces through local councils, hosting annual Christmas Remembrance Services, and educating the health industry—be it for DHBs, hospices, or aged care facilities. We also play a role in training and educating others in the New Zealand funeral industry.
With Simon’s decision to retire from day-to-day operations in August 2023, we joined with innovative and like-minded companies in New Zealand and became part of the Propel Funeral Partner group, where Simon took a board position.
Harbour City Funeral Home continues with the same core values and team, committed to being the innovative, professional funeral company our communities can trust, knowing it makes an enormous difference to those we serve.
