Natural hazards such as earthquakes and tsunami can have adverse impacts on infrastructures and populations globally. In Wellington, New Zealand, perception of these risks is high but preparation is low. Using the Theory of Planned Behaviour, we assessed intentions, cognitions, and beliefs about the behaviour of preparing for natural hazards at one point in time and behaviour one month later with a sample of 61 participants across both time points. Intentions predicted preparation, while experiential attitudes, instrumental attitudes, self-efficacy, and perceived descriptive norms explained approximately 34% of the variance in intentions. Further, this study identified several key beliefs related to preparing such as the belief that preparing helps people to get through a natural hazard event better, that people can make the effort to prepare, and that preparing can be fun and rewarding. These beliefs offer specific and tangible factors which can be efficiently addressed in public education campaigns.