NORTHLAND
KŌANGA • SPRING 2021
Church listing celebrates Māori heritage
St Mary's Church, Mamaranui.
With a whakapapa connecting it to the very beginnings of Christianity’s arrival in Aotearoa New Zealand, St Mary’s Church (List No. 9663)at Mamaranui has now been listed as a Category 2 historic place. WRITER: John O’Hare
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IMAGE: Alexandra Foster
uilt in the late 1890s, St Mary’s was dedicated in March 1900, “But the whakapapa of the building and the community it serves connect back to the earliest days of Christianity in New Zealand,” says our Heritage Assessment Advisor, Alexandra Foster. Prominent iwi and hapū with links to Ngāti Whatua, Ngāpuhi and Te Rorora settled in the Kaihū Valley, establishing a number KŌANGA • SPRING 2021
of papakāinga by the 1870s. One of these families was Netana Patuawa, with his wife Tarati Puru and their children. Netana had relocated to the valley from the Bay of Islands. “Netana Patuawa brought Christianity to the area some years earlier when he travelled with Henry Williams of the Church Missionary Society – one of the earliest Anglican missionaries in New
Zealand. Netana was later ordained,” says Alexandra. The community pledged to build a church after the Government committed to building a school, and the first Anglican church was built on Māori land south of Te Taita marae, opening in 1875. However, its first life-time was brief. Increasing Crown and Pākehā pressure on land acquisition resulted in a road and Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Quarterly
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railway being constructed near the church, despite opposition from Māori. Funded by a group of Dargaville-based Pākehā businessmen, the railway was intended to improve transportation of kauri from remaining stands of forest to timber mills in town. On 20 December 1897 a spark from a passing train set the church alight, burning it to the ground. The community felt the loss of the church deeply, although people quickly came together to rebuild the church – this time in Gothic Revival style, and further away from the railway line. A memorial to the Rev Penewhare Wī Netana – the first of a dozen ordained ministers from the valley who embodied the Christian values of the community – was erected in 1928 and stands next to the church. St Mary's Church interior showing tukutuku panels.
“Notably, the memorial records the whakapapa of Penewhare showing his connections back to Bay of Islands rangatira Ruatara and Te Pahi – both of whom knew the Rev Samuel Marsden, and who supported Marsden’s first Christian mission at Hōhi,” she says. “It reinforces the close connection the community has to the earliest Christian missionary activity in New Zealand – either through direct contact or through whakapapa links.” The church’s Māori identity is also celebrated through a series of tukutuku panels that incorporate traditional patterns with Christian iconography, including a depiction of Mary. A local landmark, St Mary’s Church captured the eye of prominent New Zealand landscape photographer, Robin Morrison, who photographed the building in the early 1990s. The church continues to be used by the community today. n
This issue 1 NORTHLAND Church listing celebrates Māori heritage
11 ARCHAEOLOGY Earnscleugh Tailings receive heritage recognition
3 EDITORIAL Celebrating generations on the land
12 NORTHLAND Land owners help preserve 300-year-old pā
Editor: Anna Knox Designer: Jeremiah Boniface
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14 CANTERBURY Awards ceremony celebrates agricultural heritage
Copyright © 2021 Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga.
CANTERBURY Canterbury Heritage Awards big win
6 NATIONAL Rainbow List Project underway
15 ARCHAEOLOGY Archaeologists and arborists team up for Arbour Day
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Published by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, Heritage Quarterly keeps you up-to-date with heritage news from around New Zealand.
All images credit Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga unless otherwise stated. For more information or to subscribe, write to PO Box 2629, Wellington 6140 or contact the editor, phone: 04 470 8066 or email: aknox@heritage.org.nz. ISSN 2324-4267 (Print) ISSN 2324-4275 (Online).
7 AUCKLAND Two 'Grand Dames' of Devonport recognised 8
FEATURE INTERVIEW In the service of knowledge
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CENTRAL OTAGO New Totara Estate garden flourishes
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TOHU WHENUA Ruatara’s legacy at Rangihoua
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HAWKE'S BAY Central Hawke’s Bay landmark wins architectural award
20 ARCHAEOLOGY Re-examining the HMS Buffalo shipwreck
Members of Heritage New Zealand can visit its properties for free, visit www.heritage.org.nz
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EDITORIAL EDITORIAL
Celebrating generations on the land
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t is an absolute delight to open a publication like Heritage Quarterly and read about the New Zealand Century Farm and Stations heritage award. The headline for this piece is not mine; it belongs to Century Farms, and it epitomises what they achieve for heritage. I have a very strong personal connection to Century Farms with my wife’s family the very proud recipient in 2005 of this award for their farm and property at Broadlands, Wilson Crossing Road, Southland. It was a very proud day for the family, as it has been for the many other families who have sought this important heritage recognition for their longstanding endeavors.
With Century Farms being in its 15th year, over 500 families from throughout New Zealand have become part of its group of centenarians and sesquicentenarians. The late Russell Brown from Lawrence heard of the initiative through some North American visitors and launched the programme. Initially recipients were mainly from Otago/Southland, but word has continued to spread throughout the country, with these days a fairly even split from the North and South Island. It is people like Russell who keep heritage alive and we continue to applaud their efforts. n
Century Farms has a rightful place in New Zealand’s heritage. The stories of the early farmers who cultivated and transformed Aotearoa New Zealand’s land into the rich agricultural industry that exists today deserve to be acknowledged. It is recognition not just for the toil and hard work of the past, but also for the present and those that produce crops and livestock on the land with the same passion, hard work and perseverance shown in those early days. The annual and most recent award ceremonies in Lawrence were very well attended and the pride for the recipients is infectious. The town itself has a very strong connection to the aims of Century Farms to “capture and preserve this important rural history, which might otherwise be lost through the generations.” Lawrence is a heritage town which sprang from the nation's first major gold discovery by Gabriel Read in nearby Gabriel's Gully in 1861. After the discovery, over 11,000 documented people and many others rushed to the area from all over the world. The massive influx provided a huge impetus to agriculture. As well as providing a market for produce, immigrants brought their own varied ideas and skills to farming. KŌANGA • SPRING 2021
Andrew Coleman Chief Executive
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The 2021 Canterbury Heritage Awards held in the Christ’s College Dining Hall.
CANTERBURY
Canterbury Heritage Awards big win The Box 112 Canterbury Heritage Awards, held on 11 June 2021 in Christ’s College Dining Hall, were a sold-out celebration of saved, restored, cultural and future heritage honouring nine winners across six categories. WRITER: Rosemary Baird
IMAGE: Canterbury Heritage Awards
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t was an evening of especial delight for our staff at the Canterbury Heritage Awards as the transformation of Kate and Walter Sheppard’s 1888 kauri villa won both the Outstanding Contribution to Heritage Award and the Supreme Heritage Award.
The widening of the awards to include the entire Canterbury region resulted in an exciting range of winners. The Seismic Award was won by the spectacular Sacred Heart Basilica in Timaru, now strengthened using innovative technology and techniques.
Other notable category winners included on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero were Montrose Station Homestead (Category 2), the Awaroa/Godley Head Coastal Defence Site (Historic Area) and Arts Centre School of Art building (Category 1).
Purchased in 2019, Te Whare Waiutuutu Kate Sheppard House is now a visitor destination celebrating Kate Sheppard’s life and achievements, the suffrage movement and its legacy of social change, with the rear rooms of the house adapted as spaces for public education and gatherings.
Joint winner of the Public Realm Saved and Restored Award went to the Balmoral Fire Lookout. The Hawarden Waikari Lions Club restored this structure – the only remaining timber fire lookout in Aotearoa – as their local community project. The building and site are now open to the public.
“Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga is proud to be a sponsor and keen supporter of these significant awards,” says Director Southern Region, Sheila Watson. “We love seeing other heritage owners who we have supported being recognised.”
“We feel privileged to care for this place and spent a lot of time developing an exhibition that would balance respect for the heritage fabric with inclusive and engaging interpretation,” says Manager Heritage Assets South, Christine Whybrew. “To be recognised in this way is very humbling.”
Christchurch’s already beloved new central library, Tūranga, received the Future Heritage Award and the murals at the Awaroa/Godley Head Coastal Defence Site and Riverside Market both received awards under the Heritage Tourism category.
Te Whare Waiutuutu Kate Sheppard House. Credit: Rebecca Claridge
These biennial awards are a vital way to applaud and admire all those people who give so much to keep alive the region’s heritage. As Dame Anna Crighton, Chair of the Canterbury Heritage Awards 2021, puts it, “They are the heritage heroes, for individually and collectively, they have contributed to our cultural past with seminal tangible reminders.”n
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NATIONAL
Rainbow List Project underway Work has begun to recognise the LGBTTFQI+ stories of many of our listed sites, starting with 288 Cuba Street, once the home of Carmen’s Curios. WRITER: Kerryn Pollock
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n the early 1970s, transgender icon Carmen Rupe (1936–2011) ran a shop from a building in central Wellington. She described 288 Cuba Street as a “fascinating old house…and such an attractive building which I considered completely ideal for my type of curio outlet.” Carmen’s Curios, inspired by her long-held love of curiosities, sold antiques and second-hand goods and was one of many businesses the entrepreneurial diva ran in the city, where she was something of a local celebrity. The building on Cuba Street was entered onto the New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero (the List) in 1991, but until this year the listing was silent on the Carmen connection.
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Now, thanks to our Rainbow List Project, the prosaically named Commercial/Retail Building, List No. 5348’s significance to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex + (LGBTTFQI+) communities has been recognised. Many of the buildings that housed Carmen’s other businesses, such as Carmen’s International Coffee Lounge at 86 Vivian Street and The Balcony nightclub at 57A Victoria Street, have been demolished, leaving the curio shop as a rare survivor of her vivid presence in Wellington. The Rainbow List Project aims to improve the List’s diversity by recognising sites of significance to Aotearoa New Zealand’s
LGBTTFQI+ communities. To date we have focused on upgrading the information on places already listed, like Carmen’s Curios, so their list entry appropriately reflects the LGBTTFQI+ aspect of their heritage significance. Other places upgraded as part of this project are the Thistle Inn, List No. 1439, St Andrew’s on the Terrace, List No. 3571, Lilburn House, List No.7645, all in Wellington, and Rewi Alley’s House, List No. 5448, in Taranaki. n
Carmen Rupe at Carmen's Curios, Wellington. Carmen (Carmen Rupe), 1936-2011: Photographs. Ref: PAColl-9445-10. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. / records/38002217
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AUCKLAND
Two 'Grand Dames' of Devonport recognised
Lochiel House (left) and Considine House.
Two Devonport residences, Lochiel (List No. 4525) and Considine House (List No. 4520), have been added to the New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Korero as Category 2 historic places, formally identifying the century-old homes as places of heritage significance. WRITER & IMAGES: Anthony Phillips
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ocated on Auckland’s North Shore, Devonport has retained many of its well-preserved 19th and early 20th Century buildings including the recently listed Lochiel and Considine House (former). These two visually prominent Devonport landmarks were built at a time when Devonport was emerging as one of Auckland’s growing desirable suburbs. The houses are very different from each other, but both are fine examples of villa-style architecture and contribute to the special heritage character of Devonport. Lochiel With commanding views over Torpedo Bay looking across to the Auckland city skyline, Lochiel sits nobly within its setting. Built at the end of the 19th century, it is a good example of a well preserved, two-storey villa in the Gothic Revival style; richly ornamental with the bay windows, gables and veranda incorporating highly decorative timberwork. Lochiel reflects the financial success of Malcom Murchie, a tailor operating in central Auckland. Murchie bought one of the Torpedo Bay lots in 1874, 11 years after immigrating to New Zealand from Scotland, and built his first house there. He then bought additional neighbouring lots in the 1880s, and in 1891 replaced his original house with the impressive Lochiel – a clear trophy of prosperity that remained within the Murchie family until 1959. KŌANGA • SPRING 2021
“By 1883, Murchie was the largest importer of tweeds in New Zealand and had even taken a trip with his family to London in 1885 where he personally selected tweeds to import for his Auckland business,” says Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Heritage Assessment Advisor, Alexandra Foster. Considine House Built 14 years after Lochiel, Considine House, by contrast, is a single-storeyed, double-bay villa described as having “noble proportions” and a classic Marseilles tile roof. Other features include its ornate fretwork, leaded stain glass and decorative pressed metal panels inside. Thomas Considine, born in County Limerick in Ireland, moved to New Zealand in 1885, marrying Jessie Boyd in 1902. Their Devonport house was built as a family home. “Thomas Considine worked as chief storeman and grocer in Auckland’s city centre and was active in local politics, serving as vice president of the Waitemata Liberal Labour Federation, a member of the Devonport Borough Council and, on at least one occasion, as Acting Mayor,” says Alexandra. “He was also one of four council members to represent the Borough at the funeral of the ‘Father of Auckland’, John Logan Campbell.”
wife Annie and their children. Cleland distinguished himself in racing circles by being the first person to win the Melbourne Cup with a New Zealandowned horse in 1907. He also worked as a tobacconist and a bookmaker and was the proprietor of the King George Picture Theatre in central Auckland – one of the earliest cinemas in Auckland – during the time he was living at the house. Josephine Grierson, Trustee of the Lochiel Trust, is pleased with the new listing. “Lochiel has stood proudly against the elements for 130 years and is part of the fabric of Devonport’s architectural heritage. It's wonderful that its listing will help protect it for the future,” she says. As part of the heritage assessment process, Alexandra has conducted significant research on the houses and their histories as well as the history of the area. “Both Lochiel and Considine House are wonderful examples of villa architecture which contribute to the special heritage character of this suburb,” she says. “They reflect a certain amount of ornamentation and public display common for the period; they also convey the status and material achievement of a rising middle class in colonial Auckland society. Both houses have stories to tell.” n
After the Considines sold up in 1913, Robert Cleland lived there with his Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Quarterly
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FEATURE INTERVIEW
In the service of knowledge Elaine Marland has been with us for 29 years and has seen a few changes in that time. She talks with Anna Knox about her long and interesting career, and tea ladies. WRITER: Anna Knox
IMAGE: Dave Marland
Tell us how you came to work at Historic Places Trust, as it would have been then. I started work as part-time Librarian for the New Zealand Historic Places Trust in 1992; nobody can believe I’ve been here this long, and I have had younger staff who point out they weren’t born then! What was the job like when you started? My job involved managing the library and providing an information service for staff. The library (known as the Sir Alister McIntosh Memorial Library after a former Chairman) has always been a reference library rather than being open to the public, although we are available for researchers to visit. I loved Antrim House from the moment that I first walked in, and I still feel a sense of welcome when I walk through the doors. Antrim feels like my home, and I wind the grandfather clock in the hall, water the pot plants, and generally act as though I own the place. Like most workplaces at the time, back in 1992 we had a tea lady who wheeled a tea trolley into the hall at morning tea time, complete with a massive public service teapot, and biscuits or home-made scones. We’ve still got the tea trolley and the big teapot, but the tea lady is no more. And what does your job as Manager Knowledge Services involve now? My job now covers records management and management of our intranet as well as library services. The biggest changes are probably in the information technology area, and we are continuing to develop our ability to use modern technologies and digital opportunities to advance our work. I’ve heard you might have sent the first email from our organisation. How has technology changed your work and the organisation’s work? Yes, there was great excitement when the organisation got its first email address in 1996. I managed this email address and would print out the emails and place them in staff pigeonholes or fax them to our regional staff. Not long after that we looked at creating a website, and after a graphic design company provided 8
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us with a test website that took 10 minutes to download over a dial-up modem, I contacted a friend of mine and she created our first website over the weekend for $50. They were different times! What are some of the most rewarding aspects of your work? Finding information for our staff is the best part of my job; I enjoy the detective hunt through all of our information resources and being able to come up with answers is extremely rewarding. The people that work here are so passionate about what they do, and it’s a privilege to be able to assist with their work. Can you tell me about a favourite archival item you’ve worked with or found? That’s hard to say, there have been so many; possibly the tin trunk that was found recently in an obscure storage cupboard in Antrim, that appeared to have been languishing there for 30 years; it belongs to our property Fyffe House in Kaikoura, and I’m planning a holiday down in the South Island so that I can deliver it to them personally! What does heritage mean to you? To me, heritage means our identity, both tangible and intangible. My work is probably around making it tangible; documentation is my passion. Storage and retrieval of information depends on accurate documentation, and nothing makes me happier than when our information systems turn up the right information at the right time. You’re a potter/ceramic artist, and a pretty good one I’ve heard. Tell me about that. Ceramics are an important part of my life, I find it very grounding; and my interest in heritage has probably transferred into my ceramic work, as I have been inspired by various historic ceramic styles. The photo here shows some of my works on the Antrim House Library mantelpiece, including a piece created as a Heritage Award for NZHPT for the 50th anniversary in 2005; a faux scrimshaw whale’s tooth featuring Antrim House. “Our Lady of Perpetual Grievance”, is a Greek statue look-alike that is actually a sculpture of a former curator of Old St Paul’s in Wellington (a whole other story!) n
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Elaine with her ceramic work on the Antrim House Library mantelpiece.
CENTRAL OTAGO
New Totara Estate garden flourishes Jimmy Hoey, a Totara Estate cook from the late 1800s, is the inspiration behind a new Victorian kitchen garden at the property which has caught many an eye and taste bud. WRITER: Keren Mackay, Anna Knox
IMAGE: Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga
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e-establishing a vegetable garden at our Totara property has been high on the list for a while. When longtime supporter, Alison Albiston, put up her hand to head the project after moving on from her own Victorian kitchen garden at Burnside Homestead, the offer was taken up – and with over-sized results.
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Gardener, Alison Albiston, and Totara Estate host, Jim Howden, with an impressively sized parsnip.
the time. With nearly 15,000 acres of land to be worked, there were a lot of mouths to be fed.
“We are thrilled with our beautiful vegetable garden and so are our visitors, with many making a bee line down to investigate what’s growing or to sit for a moment and contemplate the beautiful surroundings,” says Property Lead, Keren Mackay.
One cook at Totara, a character known as Jimmy Hoey, worked on the estate for a number of years in the late 1800s. Little is known of Jimmy – he certainly wasn’t born with that name. According to Bill MacPherson, son of the Manager, John MacPherson, who was a child during the time, he was thought to have come from China via South East Asia and was uncommonly tall – being close on 6 feet. He was obviously well thought of and his station brownie and soup were famous.
The cook shop was the powerhouse of the great estates of 19th century New Zealand and Totara Estate was typical of
The garden would have been central to Jimmy’s work. He would have regularly gone out to grab a cabbage or two for the
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soup, or pick some mint or rosemary to go with the endless quantities of mutton served. It was with Jimmy in mind that work on the garden began. Community support for the project has been generous, with beams coming from the original Holmes Wharf repairs. Donations of woodchip for the path, sheep manure and straw all helped to create rich abundant soil that has produced a season of marvellous produce. Staff laid out the beds and current chief cook, Annie Baxter, has been reaping the rewards, using herbs and flowers to decorate food made here, as well as using rhubarb, carrots, beetroot and even a giant parsnip (pictured) in some of her famous cakes. n
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ARCHAEOLOGY
Earnscleugh Tailings receive heritage recognition At Earnscleugh, mounds of stones and gravel create a desolate landscape highlighting the massive scale of gold dredging undertaken during the 19th and 20th centuries. WRITERS: Marion Sutton, Heather Bauchop, Sarah Gallagher, David Watt
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he site on the banks of the Mata-au/ Clutha River has now been added to the New Zealand Heritage List/ Rārangi Kōrero as a Category 1 historic place. Director Southern Region, Sheila Watson, says the Earnscleugh Tailings (List No. 9267)have outstanding historic, technological and archaeological significance, representing the evolution of mining and its associated technologies from the early 1860s through to the 1960s. Contact Energy worked closely with Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga to ensure the listing respected the site’s future and the historical significance. Boyd Brindson, Head of Hydro Generation for Contact, says it was a pleasure working together. “We will continue to work in tandem with Heritage New Zealand Pouere Taonga to
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IMAGE: Kevin Jones
ensure the continued preservation of the Earnscleugh Tailings site and do our bit to tell its story.” In 1862, miners, Horatio Hartley and Christopher Reilly, walked away from a beach on the Clutha/Mata-au with their fortunes made – lodging 1000 ounces of gold with an astonished gold receiver. As thousands of miners followed in their wake and goldfields became worked out, miners looked for new ways to extract gold. Dredging was one of these new technologies. While spoon and bucket dredges worked the Clutha/Mata-au in the 1860s, it was not until the 1880s when Charles Sew Hoy developed the steam-powered bucket dredge that dredging boomed. Over 200 dredges mined Otago’s river and old river channels, recovering tens of thousands of ounces of gold and transforming the landscape.
Dredges operated on the Earnscleugh Flat from the 1890s through to 1963. The scale was enormous. Huge machines churning through the river gravels transformed the Flat into an eerie landscape of tailings, a huge snail trail of gravels marking the path of the dredges. There was a modest revival in the dredging industry as the price of gold rose during the 1930s. The Clutha Dredging Company’s giant dredge, the Alexandra, worked into the 1960s. It was the last dredge operating in Otago. You can read a copy of the listing report on our website. n
The Earnscleugh flat paddock dredge tailings with the Clutha River/Mata-Au to the right.
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NORTHLAND
Land owners help preserve 300-year-old pā
When new property owners Kees and Lizette Oud discovered a substantial pā on their Doubtless Bay property, they wanted to help preserve it.
The pā on the Oud’s land sits within a wider archaeological landscape, which includes many pā close to Taipā in Northland’s Doubtless Bay.
WRITER & IMAGES: John O’Hare
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he Oud's vision for heritage has resulted in the pā on their property being mapped and its features recorded in detail, marking a significant contribution to the preservation of this piece of Northland’s archaeological heritage. “One of our neighbours encouraged us to make contact with Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga and talk to them about how we should manage it,” says Kees. “We told them we wanted to fence off the pā to protect it, as well as covenant an area of mature native trees with the QEII National Trust. They gave us some really good advice on how to preserve the pā – and then came out to look at the pā itself.” The call provided a timely opportunity to study the Parapara site, according to our
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Northland Manager, Bill Edwards, who is currently working on a project that will consolidate archaeological records and other research that has been carried out at neighbouring Oruru Valley over the years. This will inform council about these places, and assist in their scheduling and protection. “A site visit enabled us to ‘read the landscape’ around the pā,” explains Bill, and it became obvious very quickly that the pā site on the Oud’s land – which is literally the next valley up from Oruru – was really an extension of the complex of pā that existed in Oruru. The numerous marae around Parapara, all of which link by whakapapā back to other marae in the Oruru valley, just reinforced the physical connections of these pā sites with each other.”
In addition, other pā close by highlighted the strategic nature of its location. “Essentially these pā worked together to defend the considerable food resource that was being grown in the valley,” he says. The Oruru area was well known for being a large-scale producer of food through its extensive gardens. The fertility of the soils was able to sustain a large population, and in Oruru Valley alone there were known to be at least 80 pā. The area even features on Tuki’s map – described as New Zealand’s first literary document. “Young rangatira Tuki Tahua had been kidnapped and taken to Norfolk Island in 1793, where Governor King – embarrassed by the episode – struck up a friendship with him,” says Bill. The young rangatira drew a map for the Governor showing KŌANGA • SPRING 2021
places that were significant in his world – this included Oruru Valley, written on the map as Ho-do-do.
Carol Hudson, has already provided useful insights into its place in the area and in history.
The map also recorded the fact that the area had “2000 fighting men”.
“Going by the age of the mature trees close to the pā, we estimate it is 300 years old or more,” says Bill.
In years to come, introduced diseases took an appalling toll on people living in the area, reducing the population to about 300 people. “Besides the terrible impact disease had on Māori in the area, culturally it also resulted in the loss of much of the oral history and traditions that were held by local people as so much of this information didn’t get passed on,” he says. “The result has been significant knowledge gaps. Part of the project in Oruru Valley is to pull together as much information about these places as possible to assist in their protection, but also to be a resource for tangata whenua to draw on and add to.” An assessment of the pā, with support from the Piri Raiti whanau who are mana whenua, and kaitiaki TinaLee Yates and
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“The trees that would have been harvested to build the palisades and other parts of the pā were replaced by new growth. This new growth makes up the mature trees we see today, and these are estimated to be about 300 years old.” The layout of the pā also provides clues. “The pā definitely predates European contact,” says Bill. “It has straight defensive ditches with no zig-zag features, showing that it was built for hand-to-hand fighting before European contact.” The desire to learn more about the pā and the surrounding area is shared by Kees, Lizette and Jan Dabb, Lizzete’s mother who also lives with them. They are looking forward to sharing this information with others.
“The history of this place intrigues me. I found some shells up in the bush some time ago and it started me wondering about the people who lived here – what they were talking about when they were eating the shellfish for example,” says Kees. “Although I’m not descended from these people I want to preserve this place, and help find out more about those who once lived on this land.” The Oud’s commitment to preserving the pā and learning more about its story is a tremendous gesture according to Bill. “It’s a wonderful initiative, and we’re delighted to be able to support them,” he says. n
Our archaeologist, Dr James Robinson, with Kees Oud on-site at the pā.
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Director Southern Region, Shelia Watson, and Mayor of Clutha, Bryan Cadogan.
CANTERBURY
Awards ceremony celebrates agricultural heritage A record number attended the Century Farms and Station Awards this year, where agricultural heritage was acknowledged and celebrated as part of Aotearoa New Zealand’s rural history. WRITER: Rosemary Baird
IMAGE: Sarah Gallagher
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ew Zealand Century Farms recognises New Zealand farming families who have owned and worked their land for 100 years or more. The application process is also a way of capturing and preserving the history of these rural families. Photos, documents and memorabilia are lodged with the Alexander Turnbull Library in Wellington. “This partnership is a fantastic way for us to engage with rural heritage and support the important work of Century Farms,” says Director Southern Region, Sheila Watson.
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Staff enjoyed attending the two Century Farm Awards in Lawrence on Saturday 22 May and 29 May. The ceremonies launched our role as a principal sponsor of the Awards programme. Deputy Chief Executive, Nicola Jackson attended the second ceremony. “Like Century Farms, Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga values the stories associated with people and place that bring New Zealand history alive,” she says. “We hope this is the start of a relationship where we support each other’s work in celebrating rural history.”
The 2021 celebration featured record numbers of families, due to last year’s lockdown postponement, but also due to the large number of government ‘Soldier Settlements’ after World War 1, where returned servicemen were given parcels of land to improve and farm. Thirty-three families attended from the North Island and 36 from the South. In addition, eight sesquicentennial awards were presented, recognising families who have been farming their own land for 150 years or more. n
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ARCHAEOLOGY
Archaeologists and arborists team up for Arbour Day Otago archaeologists and arborists have been working together to preserve an important settler archaeological site in the Hereweka/Harbour Cone reserve. WRITER: Rosemary Baird
IMAGE: Peter Petchey
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n 4 June, the arborist team from Delta honoured Arbour Day by donating a day’s free work at the Hereweka/Harbour Cone property on the Otago Peninsula. Instead of straightforward tree-pruning, however, the team of five arborists faced the challenge of rescuing an 1860s farm building and archaeological site from overgrown macrocarpa. Arbour Day, observed on 5 June, is a little known but longstanding holiday in New Zealand. From 1892-1914, government departments and schools took a day off to plant exotic trees. It was revived in 1934, and from 1977 it was celebrated on 5 June, with an emphasis on planting New Zealand native trees. For Delta, Arbour Day is now a chance to use their expertise to help the community.
“We are already working with the New Zealand Arborist Association to inform them about the archaeological authority process. Arborists are the best people to manage heritage trees and trees on archaeological sites because of their aboricultural expertise.” Five Delta arborists took to the trees to tackle the overgrowth. Archaeologist, Peter Petchey, monitored the work and was amazed by the aborists’ skills. “It was fantastic to see the Delta team carefully rappelling from trees. They were incredibly professional while doing challenging and dangerous work.”
One of the homestead buildings, built by Walter Riddell, was in danger of collapse. A nearby macrocarpa hedge had grown enormous. Branches were resting on the building, damaging the roof, and making it impossible to enter it.
Delta arborist, Rimu Tane, says he enjoyed the unusual nature of the project. “This was a great chance for us as arborists to use our skillset to help preserve a piece of the Otago peninsula history. We were initially concerned that removing the tree limbs that had fallen onto the building might cause further damage, but with a bit of planning and careful rigging it all worked out and afterwards it was easier to appreciate the size of the structure. Hopefully these trees can go on to provide shelter and contribute to the story of this site for many more years to come.”
“This was a great collaboration between archaeologists and arborists,” says Nikole.
For Hereweka Harbour Cone Management Trust, Delta’s contribution was a great
Delta arborists first heard of the overgrown macrocarpas at Hereweka/Harbour Cone through our archaeologist for Otago/ Southland, Nikole Wills.
support to their busy programme of work. Norcombe Barker, the Chair of the Trust, says, “Given the number of historic sites on the property, the Trust is working to prioritise an overall assessment to prioritising for restoration. This is in addition to our biodiversity enhancement and riparian revegetation work. Riddell’s Farm is a project we have been wanting to have assessed for a long time. Tree work is expensive, and we are very appreciative of the work of the arborists.” Now that the trees have been cleared, future discoveries beckon. Dr Gillian Hamel from the Hereweka Harbour Cone Management Trust is excited. “Having the trees cut back will finally allow safe access for an archaeological assessment and recommendations on the future of the building.” This project is a great example of our archaeologists working together with arborists to help them become ‘archaeologically aware’. When trees on archaeological sites become physically connected to archaeological remains, arborists play a key role in applying for an archaeological authority and avoiding damage of an archaeological site. n
The team of Delta arborists who worked on Riddell’s Farm for Arbour Day 2021.
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Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Quarterly
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TOHU WHENUA
Ruatara’s legacy at Rangihoua The entrepreneurial endeavours and world travels of rangatira Ruatara were key to our nation’s first bicultural settlement WRITER: Claudia Babirat
IMAGES: Mark Russell
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s you stand in the welcome pavilion overlooking Rangihoua Heritage Park in the Bay of Islands, you know you’ve come to a special place. Two hundred years ago Māori and Pākehā held high hopes for new partnerships between their peoples here, and the land is charged with their stories. Recognised as a Tohu Whenua, Rangihoua Heritage Park encompasses Rangihoua Pā, as well as our nation’s first planned European settlement. A once popular belief regarding 19th century European contact with Māori stressed its ‘fatal impact’ and the inability of Māori to withstand the technologicallyadvanced European culture. Māori society was given little credit for its ability to adapt to and manage contact. Rangihoua dispels this myth. Here, Māori sought to ensure that interaction was as much as possible on their own terms. At the heart of Rangihoua’s story was Ruatara, a powerful Ngāpuhi rangatira who guaranteed protection to the three families who set up a small mission at the base of his pā, the terraced hill you still see today. Ruatara was well-travelled and ambitious. In 1805, he left New Zealand on the whaling ship Argo with the intention of meeting King George III. Over the next four years he served on several whaling ships, receiving mixed treatment. He never met the King, but in 1809 he encountered the missionary Samuel Marsden who was returning to Port Jackson (Sydney) on the convict vessel Ann. Marsden ensured that Ruatara, who was in poor physical condition, was cared for and supplied with clothes during the voyage. Ruatara ended up spending eight months with Marsden at Parramatta, studying European
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agricultural techniques, carpentry and other skills with the aim of introducing wheat to New Zealand. After running into some trouble on his way home, Ruatara finally returned to Rangihoua in 1812. Ruatara’s influence had waned during his long absence and Ngāpuhi took some convincing that the new wheat crop was worth growing. In 1814, Marsden sent Thomas Kendall to consult Ruatara about establishing a Church Missionary Society mission at Rangihoua. Kendall’s gift of a hand-powered flour mill convinced Ruatara’s fellow chiefs of the value of wheat and re-established his mana. Ruatara returned to Port Jackson to further his study of European agricultural techniques. When he arrived back at Rangihoua on 22 December 1814, he made it clear that he was the protector and patron of 'his’ Pākehā – the missionaries Samuel Marsden, Thomas Kendall, John King and William Hall – who had accompanied him with their families to New Zealand and would live at Rangihoua, although he was never completely convinced that allowing the missionaries to settle was a good idea. He’d seen for himself that Australian Aborigines hadn’t prospered through European contact. By 1814, Rangihoua was the major centre in the northern Bay of Islands and Ruatara was its entrepreneurial leader. In Ruatara’s words to Marsden: “I have now introduced the cultivation of wheat in New Zealand. It will become a great country, for in two years more I shall be able to export wheat to Port Jackson in exchange for hoes, axes, spades, and tea and sugar.” Sadly, Ruatara was not to see that vision fulfilled, passing away less than three months after the settlers arrived. n
Discover Rangihoua Heritage Park for yourself . • See spectacular views of the Bay of Islands from Rangihoua Pā • Follow the interpretive walk to the beach (40 minutes one way) • Explore the site of Aotearoa New Zealand’s first mission settlement, which includes the site of our first European school and a small cemetery marked by a plaque • Stand at the Marsden Cross, which commemorates our first Christmas Day sermon in 1814 • Meander through the remnants of our first European orchard, which includes the country’s oldest lemon trees (they still fruit!) • For more on the history of Rangihoua Heritage Park, download the virtual tour at: rangihouaheritage.co.nz Rangihoua Heritage Park is one of 25 treasured heritage places recognised as Tohu Whenua. The park is proudly cared for by the Marsden Cross Trust Board in partnership with the Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai. Information sourced from Mark Derby, 'Cultural go-betweens – The first cultural go-betweens', Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, 2011 (ABOVE) Interactive interpretation helps visitors gain an understanding of the place where Māori and Europeans learned to live side by side. (BELOW) The Marsden Cross at the site of the first planned European settlement marks the first Christmas Day sermon in 1814. The site of Rangihoua Pā can be seen in the background.
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HAWKE'S BAY
Central Hawke’s Bay landmark wins architectural award
Mt Vernon Station homestead is the heritage category winner of the Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay 2021 Awards. WRITER: David Watt
IMAGES: Michelle Hepburn & Ann Galloway
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e have conveyed our warmest congratulations to Napier architect, Ann Galloway, for her work with the new owner of the 139-yearold Waipukurau country house, Tim Coddington, in restoring the very special heritage property of Mt Vernon Station. Built in 1882, Mt Vernon is a Category 1 historic place. The property went on the market in 2017 for the first time since it was built, having been in the ownership of a well-known Hawke’s Bay family, the Hardings, for six generations until the property was sold. Mt Vernon Station was established by John Harding in 1854 and the present house is the third on the property. John Harding was a self-made man, a staunch Methodist and Temperance supporter, who founded the New Zealand Alliance in 1886, along with former Premier of New Zealand, Sir William Fox. Harding commissioned the architect of Mt Vernon, Ben Smith, to design the present homestead after a visit to the United States in the 1870s. Harding was an admirer of George Washington, the first President of the United States. It is understood that he instructed Ben Smith to design something resembling Washington’s famous residence, also called Mt Vernon, overlooking the Potomac. Mt Vernon, in Waipukurau, is an elegant and imposing house incorporating refined classical detailing. The original architectural drawings are still in the house and include details of elaborate cornices, the gracious sweeping staircase and timber joinery. Other notable features include richly-detailed timber panelling in the entry lobby; a rooftop lantern window
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Mt Vernon Villa exterior. Credit: Michelle Hepburn Mt Vernon Villa ground floor and stairs. Credit: Michelle Hepburn Bedroom on completion of work. Credit: Ann Galloway Bedroom before work, disused since the 1931 Hawkes Bay earthquake. Credit: Ann Galloway
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and flagpole; exterior doors which slide into the wall cavity; a faux marble fireplace in the study; a slate roof; and a full basement constructed in concrete. The house was originally clad in solid plaster, with lath-and-plaster interiors. The house was badly damaged during the Napier Earthquake on 3 February 1931, to the extent that the exterior plaster and most of the interior linings had to be removed, and the Harding family had to move out. The house was temporarily sheathed in corrugated iron, and was reclad in heart matai weatherboards in 1940. In 1957, most of the interior was relined with fibrous plaster and the family was able to move back in. The new owner of the property, Tim Coddington, grew up in Central Hawke’s Bay, not far from Mt Vernon and remembers visiting the property as a child. Tim said it had been a delight to work with Ann Galloway. Speaking at the awards ceremony, convenor Evan Mayo, of Architecture Bureau, described the Mt Vernon restoration as “a labour of love”. “Great care has been taken to ensure that the modernised service spaces don’t just complement the original building, but enhance the character of the property, and ensure that its story from construction in 1882, through the Napier earthquake in 1931 and its decline through the latter part of the last century, is told for another 140 years.” Ann Galloway, said she was very pleased to have received the heritage award for her work.
project – not only for its history and architecture, but also a very supportive client in Tim, and a wonderful building team involving many trades. Everyone worked so well together and produced first-class workmanship, with the aim of giving the house another century of life,” said Ann. In the process of the work, the timberwork, the beautiful leadlight windows and exterior cavity-sliding doors – all features designed by the original architect, Ben Smith – received some restoration. While the sprinkler pipework was being installed, other 19th century innovations were discovered beneath the floorboards, including acoustic insulation provided by a thick layer of pumice and sawdust, and pipes which supplied carbide gas to light fittings in the main ground floor rooms. Central Area Manager and architect, Alison Dangerfield, says that Mt Vernon is a wonderful house with a richness of detail and history and that she is pleased to have been involved in its protection and rejuvenation. The Local Architecture Awards 2021 were a peer-reviewed programme run by Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects in association with Resene and APL. The awards ceremony, held in Napier, was adjudicated by convenor Evan Mayo of Architecture Bureau, along with Aaron Sills of Sills van Bohemen, Richard Daniels of WSP Architecture and Andrew Caldwell of Ankh Photography. n
“Mt Vernon Villa, as it is now known, is a beautiful house and this was a very special KŌANGA • SPRING 2021
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ARCHAEOLOGY
Re-examining the HMS Buffalo shipwreck
HMS Buffalo Reexamination Project volunteers before the dive survey, 12 March 2021.
Fifty metres off Buffalo Beach, Whitianga, lies the historically and archaeologically significant shipwreck of HMS Buffalo. WRITERS: Kurt Bennett, Matthew Gainsford, Rebecca Cox
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uilt in 1813 and lost in a storm in 1840, the remains of the timber hull recently reappeared above the seafloor and are now threatened with extreme weather events. This continued exposure could mean the 181-year-old shipwreck disappears within the next few decades. After diving the wreck site in 2019, timber hull remains were found to be fully exposed in contrast to the 1980s maritime archaeological survey where the hull was entirely buried. Maritime archaeologists, Dr Kurt Bennett and Matthew Gainsford, and Mercury Bay Museum Manager, Rebecca Cox, identified the wreck site was at risk of rapid degradation, its current exposure allowing for a comprehensive archaeological survey with limited site disturbance. In response, the volunteer-led HMS Buffalo Re-examination Project was established with the Australasian Institute for Maritime Archaeology’s Scholarship,
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IMAGE: Marilyn Jesson
with support from Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga (HNZPT) and financial support from Whitianga businesses. The Project aims, through education and archaeological survey, to promote maritime archaeology and the vessel’s history, both locally and nationally. A direct result of this is the first detailed maritime archaeological survey of the shipwreck, and some exciting educational programmes designed for school children. Following sunrise on 12 March 2021, and a karakia performed by Joe Davis (Ngāti Hei), the dive survey commenced. Twelve volunteer divers from as far away as the Kāpiti Coast spent two days surveying and recording the wreck structure. Data was combined to produce the first ever complete site plan. Under archaeological authority, ship components were sampled for analysis. Preliminary results revealed the types of resources used in the construction of an early nineteenthcentury British colonial vessel.
As part of the Project, in early 2021, over 160 tamariki from local Whitianga schools participated in education programmes. Children explored the history of HMS Buffalo and its relevance to the area. They also tried their hand at being maritime archaeologists, recording a pretend shipwreck site in a school hall. These programmes have been so successful that teachers have requested more. A third programme is currently being designed. We may have even inspired New Zealand’s next maritime archaeologist! This Project acknowledges that without the financial assistance of local businesses and organisations and the time of enthusiastic volunteers, sharing new and exciting information about this shipwreck would not have been possible. Final results are expected at the end of 2021. A final report will also be submitted to HNZPT. In the meantime, updates are constantly shared through the Project’s social media channels. n
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