116-588: Wellington Harbour Board was the body which formerly managed the shipping and commercial affairs of the port of Wellington in New Zealand. It was constituted in 1880 and was disestablished in 1989. During its 110-year tenure the Harbour Board reclaimed land around Wellington Harbour, and built and maintained facilities including quays, wharves, goods sheds, a marina, and a floating dock for ship repairs. The Board managed goods and passengers passing through
232-518: A Priestman dredge so that it could remove silt and increase the depth of some berths. In 1902, that dredge was replaced with a new steam dredge. The dredge, named Whakarire ('to deepen water'), was built by Lobnitz and Co. in Renfrew, Scotland and sailed to New Zealand via the Suez Canal and Torres Strait. Whakarire was sold to Napier Harbour Board in 1934 and replaced by Kerimoana ('to dig
348-579: A self-propelled floating steam crane, in 1925. Hikitia was constructed in Scotland and sailed to Wellington under its own power. As of 2023 it is still in working order and thought to be the only working steam crane of its kind in the world. Although the Harbour Board controlled the wharves, Wellington City Council retained control of the Te Aro seabed and foreshore. From 1884 to 1889 the Council conducted
464-477: A 61 m (200 ft) extension seawards, followed by a new cross section 91 m (300 ft) long, extensions to the original cross sections, and the addition of a steam crane and goods sheds. Queens Wharf was managed by the Provincial Council and then Wellington City Council until Wellington Harbour Board was created in 1880. Queens Wharf became the Harbour Board's operational base and
580-463: A ceremony for the laying of the last block held on 26 March 1909. It was the last major wharf to be built in timber, as concrete was used for all other wharf construction after 1909. One of the notable vessels to berth at the wharf in the years immediately following its construction was HMS New Zealand , the Royal Navy battlecruiser of the dreadnought era. The vessel had been funded for
696-585: A crane intended to load containers onto railway wagons at the port. The crane was finally put into service in August 1975. In November 1976, funding was approved for a third container crane at the port. Industrial disputes involving the Wellington boilermakers and the Federation of Labour caused a delay of almost 12 months in the construction and commissioning of the crane. The delays to the construction of
812-653: A full scale captain's cabin, and a display commemorating Paddy the Wanderer . The Wahine Theatre is in memory of the TEV Wahine disaster and includes items salvaged from the wreck as well as a theatre showing a short film by New Zealand filmmaker Gaylene Preston. The Von Kohorn Room was once the boardroom of the Wellington Harbour Board. The Von Kohorn Room is named after Baron Ralph Steven von Kohorn in recognition of his significant contribution to
928-586: A large publicly-owned wharf. Wellington Provincial Council gave permission, and Queens Wharf was built in 1862. It was managed by a Wharf Committee of the Provincial Council. In 1870, Wellington City Corporation (now Wellington City Council) came into being and in 1871 the Provincial Council sold its interest in Queens Wharf to the City Council, along with the bond store at the wharf and some newly-reclaimed land. The City Council leased wharf operations to
1044-604: A new commercial company called Port of Wellington (now known as CentrePort) formed on 1 October 1988. Ownership of the Port of Wellington company was vested in Greater Wellington Regional Council and Horizons Regional Council . When the port company was formed, it owned approximately 72 hectares (180 acres) of Wellington waterfront property including wharves. The remainder of the Wellington waterfront area, from Shed 21 to Clyde Quay Wharf, including all
1160-476: A pilot boat. Uta served the Harbour Board until 1950, and was replaced by Tiakina in 1953. In 1925 Wellington Harbour Board acquired a purpose-built deep water salvage tug, which it named Toia ('to pull'), on loan from the British Admiralty. The Board also commissioned construction of a floating crane, HIkitia ('to lift') and a new harbourmaster's launch, Arahina ('to lead'). In 1949 Toia
1276-583: A private company until 1876, when it took over direct responsibility for the wharf. Continuing expansion of the city and shipping trade led the Chamber of Commerce to push for a separate entity to manage the business of the port. The government passed the Harbours Act in November 1878 to regulate management of harbours around New Zealand, and this led to the establishment of Wellington Harbour Board under
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#17327809691521392-454: A programme of reclamation which brought it into conflict with the Harbour Board. Further reclamation would continue throughout the life of the board. Major reclamation at Thorndon was proposed in 1916 but work did not begin until 1923. In 1930, Wellington was the main trans-shipping port in New Zealand, with over 3000 trading vessels visiting in the previous year. The port handled 62% of New Zealand's hemp exports, 50% of cheese exports and 28% of
1508-432: A queue of freighters waiting to berth, and by the end of March, 38 ships were in the harbour waiting to discharge 70,000 tons of cargo. As Harbour Board employees refused to work, the government called in hundreds of army and navy servicemen to unload ships. At the end of March, Harbour Board employees voted to return to work, but other workers on the wharves remained on strike. The dispute lasted 151 days and led to changes in
1624-489: A rapid decline in international passenger shipping resulting from increasing international air travel. The building was subsequently used as an exhibition and events centre and housed various businesses and restaurants. The Overseas Passenger Terminal was demolished in 2012 to make way for a new apartment complex called Clyde Quay Wharf, which opened in 2014. The Clyde Quay Wharf apartments were designed by Athfield Architects and won several awards. There are 75 apartments in
1740-460: A salary. Another deep-water wharf was completed in April 1880: Railway Wharf had been built by the government on newly reclaimed land near Wellington Railway Station . Three railway tracks were laid down on the wharf so that goods could be transported directly from the railway station. The wharf was angled on a north-north-west /south-south-east axis, the same as Queens Wharf, because at the time it
1856-454: A saving of 19% compared with the lowest tendered cost. There was a major incident in June 1936 when the inter-island ferry TSS Wahine collided with the wharf while entering the port in dense fog. The bow of the vessel was extensively damaged. During World War II , Pipitea Wharf was used for berthing large ocean liners that had been converted for use as troopships . One of these vessels
1972-478: A stylised version, and the building which housed machinery for operating the bridge is now used as a base by Wellington Free Ambulance. Land between Queens Wharf and Taranaki Street Wharf was reclaimed from 1969, allowing creation of Frank Kitts Park and Whairepo Lagoon and closing in the landward side of Taranaki Street Wharf. In 1989 two historic rowing club buildings were moved to the reclaimed area. In 2002, Wellington Waterfront Limited began transforming
2088-563: A wharf opposite his premises in Lambton Quay; and Rhodes' Wharf, constructed in 1841 by William Barnard Rhodes . He built a wharf near what is now the Michael Fowler Centre carpark at lower Cuba Street to provide access to his goods store and iron store. Baron Charles Ernest von Alzdorf, land agent and hotelier, built a wharf opposite his hotel. Alzdorf's Wharf was said to have been left high and dry fifty feet from
2204-482: Is a former wharf in the inner harbour that was absorbed into the reclamation undertaken to create the Thorndon Container Terminal in the 1960s. The Harbour Board announced a commitment to the new wharf in 1912. At that time it was proposed to be 180 m (200 yd) to the east of Kings Wharf, 180 m (600 ft) long and wider than Kings and Glasgow wharves. However, construction of
2320-443: Is controlled by CentrePort. Ferry Wharf, also known as Ferry Wharf no. 1 to distinguish it from Tug Wharf (or Ferry Wharf no. 2) built beside it some years later, is located immediately west of Waterloo Quay Wharf. J H Williams had begun a ferry service to Days Bay in 1895, and Wellington Harbour Board wanted to take pressure off busy Queens Wharf. Ferry Wharf came into use in 1897, with additions in 1906 and 1912–1914. The wharf
2436-500: Is managed by Wellington City Council. The floating crane Hikitia is berthed at Taranaki Street Wharf. Kings Wharf is a timber wharf constructed between 1906 and 1909, parallel with and to the east of Glasgow Wharf. Tenders for construction of the wharf and two double-storeyed sheds were accepted in September 1906, with Charles F Pulley as the builder. The wharf was 262 m (861 ft) long and 49 m (160 ft) wide. It
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#17327809691522552-399: Is thought to be the only one of its type in New Zealand. There is a Stothert & Pitt tripod gantry crane , one of ten bought in 1966 that operated on Glasgow Wharf until containerisation arrived, and the third crane is a Series 520 Straddle Carrier used in the early days of container shipping. There is a memorial to Paddy the Wanderer at the entrance to Queens Wharf, outside
2668-465: The 1913 Great Strike , supporters broke through gates and barricades at Queens Wharf and Kings Wharf and boarded ships in an attempt to stop strike-breakers from working. They also stopped goods vehicles and racehorses heading for Christchurch from entering Queens Wharf. In 1989 the Harbour Board was disestablished and a new company (Port of Wellington, now CentrePort Wellington ) took over management of port operations. The seafront from Shed 21 near
2784-445: The 1st Marine Division . In the 1960s, the Thorndon Container Terminal was built with reclamation of land up to and including the east side of Kings Wharf. However, berth 1 on the western side of Kings Wharf remains operational. Kings Wharf was pushed sideways by the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake , but has been repaired. Clyde Quay Wharf was completed in 1910 by Wellington Harbour Board. Its location and purpose were controversial at
2900-506: The Interislander , have berthed at a terminal near Aotea Quay. StraitNZ , a competing privately-owned company, operates its Bluebridge ferries from Glasgow Wharf. In 2020, following two years of discussion with stakeholders, Greater Wellington Regional Council announced that it had chosen Kaiwharawhara as its preferred site for a new wharf and ferry terminal. The terminal would be built on land owned by KiwiRail , CentrePort and
3016-541: The Museum of City & Sea ) is a museum on Queens Wharf in Wellington , New Zealand. It occupies the 1892 Bond Store , a historic building on Jervois Quay on the waterfront of Wellington Harbour . In 2013, it was voted by The Times as one of the world's 50 best museums. The museum has four floors covering the history of Wellington. Celebrating the city's maritime history, early Māori and European settlement, and
3132-652: The NZ Transport Agency . The new wharf would be able to accommodate the larger ferries that Interislander planned to introduce, and would replace the two separate facilities currently operated by the Interislander and StraitNZ. In addition, CentrePort would be able to make changes to the layout of its other port operations. The plan includes a wharf about 250 m (820 ft) long, a ferry terminal building, changes to road, rail and pedestrian access, and marshalling and loading areas. Resource consent
3248-820: The Tiakina , in 1953. Tiakina arrived in Wellington in 1954 and was in service until 1992. As of 2023 it is used as a private charter boat in Dunedin. When the Wahine ran aground in 1968, killing 51 people, the Union Steam Ship Company's tug Tapuhi was not strong enough to assist the ship. Responding to the disaster, the Harbour Board bought new, bigger tugs: Kupe , which went into service in 1971, Toia (1972) and Ngahue (1977). The Harbour Board's successor, CentrePort, sold Kupe in 2009, and Toia and Ngahue in 2014. The Harbour Board bought Hikitia,
3364-438: The railway station to Clyde Quay, which includes Queens Wharf, was handed to Wellington City Council. In the 1990s Lambton Harbour Management, a company controlled by Wellington City Council, was involved in developing Queens Wharf as an entertainment area. Two large buildings, Queens Wharf Retail Centre and Queens Wharf Events Centre, opened in 1995. They were designed by the architect to look like wharf sheds. The retail centre
3480-540: The 1990s, Hutt City Council considered demolishing the wharf but after public opposition a trust was created to look after the wharf. After a restoration project costing $ 3.3 million, the wharf was re-opened in 2018. In 1883–1884 the Gear Meat Company built a wharf at Petone so that it could move its products quickly to Wellington for export. The company bought an old ship, the Jubilee , and moored it at
3596-566: The 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force embarked from Wellington. In 1946 Wellington was still New Zealand's busiest trans-shipping port, with 70% of New Zealand's tonnage moving through the port. By weight, Wellington accounted for 43% of New Zealand's cheese exports, 24% of frozen meat, 19% of wool bales and 14% of butter exports. In February 1951, major industrial action now known as the Waterfront Dispute took place. Waterfront workers around New Zealand refused to work overtime on
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3712-511: The Chamber of Commerce), William Valentine Jackson and Paul Coffey (elected by ratepayers), Henry Rose (of the New Zealand Shipping Company, representing shipping interests), Stephen Lancaster (representing Hutt County Council), and Frederick Augustus Krull (a Wellington businessman representing Wairarapa). Wellington Harbour board was unique amongst New Zealand harbour boards because as well as control and regulation of
3828-597: The Government, the mayor, one person elected by the Chamber of Commerce, two members elected by Wellington ratepayers, one representing shipping interests, one elected by Hutt County Council, and one to represent the Wairarapa County Councils. The members of the first Harbour Board were William Hort Levin , Edward Pearce and William Robert Williams (government appointees); William Hutchison (Mayor of Wellington), Joseph Edward Nathan (representing
3944-428: The Harbour Board resolved to extend Ferry Wharf and build a new wharf 26 m (85 ft) long next to it to serve the ferries to Seatoun and Karaka Bay. A contract was signed in June 1912 but construction was delayed due to difficulties sourcing timber and by the 1913 Great Strike, so the wharf was not completed until 1914. By this time ferry services to Seatoun and Karaka Bay had ceased, but other ships and tugs used
4060-559: The Harbour Board, so in an arrangement with the Government the board ceded these areas to the airport development and received land near the Hutt River estuary in exchange. The board reclaimed 47.5 acres (19.2 ha) of land near its Point Howard oil wharf for leasing to oil companies. By 1960 there were 15 men on the board, representing Manawatu, Wairarapa, Upper Hutt/Lower Hutt/Petone, Hutt County/Eastbourne/Tawa, and Wellington city. The board had 739 permanent staff in four departments:
4176-988: The Lambton Harbour Development Project was transferred to Wellington City Council under the provisions of the Local Government (Wellington Region) Reorganisation Order 1989. From this time, Lambton Harbour Management was wholly owned by Wellington City Council but operated separately. Wellington Harbour Board was officially dissolved on 1 November 1989. The following is a complete list of chairmen of Wellington Harbour Board. 41°17′07″S 174°46′41″E / 41.285161°S 174.778039°E / -41.285161; 174.778039 Wharves in Wellington Harbour#Queens Wharf (1862) Wharves in Wellington Harbour have been essential to
4292-493: The Miramar Ferry Company which then formed into Wellington Harbour Ferries. The ferry company's lease on the wharf expired in 1909, and Wellington Harbour Board took ownership. Today the wharf is used by East by West Ferries to transport commuters and visitors and is a popular attraction for people visiting the beach. Days Bay Wharf is listed as a Category 2 Historic Place by Heritage New Zealand. Rona Bay Wharf
4408-550: The Panama route. Queens Wharf, possibly named by local man Thomas McKenzie in honour of Queen Victoria, opened in 1862 as Wellington's first public wharf and is Wellington's oldest extant wharf. The original wharf was constructed from timber, with totara piles. It was 170 m (550 ft) long with two cross tees extending 23 m (75 ft) on each side. The wharf was extended several times as harbour reclamation occurred and larger ships arrived, beginning in 1865–67 with
4524-649: The Police Maritime Unit and national dive squad. The Eastbourne Ferry Building is listed as a Historic Place Category 2 by Heritage New Zealand . The Harbour Board approved plans and funding for a new road and railway wharf in 1898–1899, as part of a larger scheme of harbour reclamation and development. The wharf was named Glasgow Wharf after the late governor, the Earl of Glasgow. It was about 180 m (580 ft) long and 43 m (140 ft) wide and constructed of imported ironbark timber. The wharf
4640-545: The Royal Navy by New Zealand as a gift. It berthed at Kings Wharf in June 1913, during HMS New Zealand's 1913 circumnavigation . Later in 1913, the wharf was the location of a strike by waterside workers that was an early stage of the 1913 Great Strike . During the Second World War, another notable event at Kings Wharf was the arrival of USS Wakefield on 14 June 1942, carrying around 6,000 US marines from
4756-508: The Taranaki Street Wharf area to a public space. In 2011, Te Wharewaka o Poneke opened on reclaimed land between the wharf and the lagoon. This building is an enterprise by Taranaki iwi and Wellington Waterfront Limited. It houses two waka taua (ceremonial canoes) as well as a café and function rooms. Taranaki Street Wharf is now part of a waterfront public area and promenade stretching from Clyde Quay to Waterloo Quay and
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4872-833: The Traffic Department received and delivered cargo; the Harbour Department controlled the movement of ships in the harbour, mooring and pilotage; the Engineers Department handled repairs to facilities and planned new works; and the Accounts Department handled financial matters and statistics. The board also employed almost 500 casual workers on the wharves. During 1959, there were 2579 shipping arrivals in Wellington from New Zealand and foreign ports. The port handled 68% of New Zealand's trans-shipment tonnage. Primary produce made up much of
4988-568: The Wellington Harbour Board Act 1879.The act came into effect on 1 January 1880, and the board held its first meeting in February 1880. The Board was an autonomous authority, with responsibility for planning and constructing harbour facilities, regulating the use of wharves, determining port charges and controlling navigation within the harbour limits. The Harbour Board initially consisted of 10 members: three appointed by
5104-498: The Wellington Patent Slip Company and didn't come under Wellington Harbour Board control until 1908. The Patent Slip Company, which was 90% owned by the Union Steam Ship Company from 1908, continued to operate the slip (and a second slip built in 1922) under lease from the Harbour Board until 1969, when the Harbour Board took over direct management of both slips. The first slip was taken out of commission and
5220-617: The Wharf Office Building was built opposite the Head Office and Bond Store at the entrance to Queens Wharf. Art Nouveau gates made of iron were installed in 1899 between these two buildings at the wharf entrance. As of 2023 the Wharf Office Building houses apartments and the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts . A patent slip for hauling up ships for repair was built at Evans Bay in 1873. It was operated by
5336-457: The Wharf Office Building. Paddy was a dog which used to roam the waterfront during the 1930s, befriending sailors and wharf workers. The memorial includes a bronze likeness of Paddy, a drinking fountain and drinking bowls below for dogs. Erected in 1945, it was paid for by people who knew Paddy and includes stones from London's Waterloo Bridge , bombed during World War II. Railway Wharf was Wellington's second deep-water wharf after Queens Wharf. It
5452-790: The area was owned by the Harbour Board. The Board and Wellington City Council would together choose which concept they preferred for the area. Wellington Harbour Board, Wellington City Council and the Wellington Civic Trust jointly won an award from the New Zealand Planning Institute for the Lambton Harbour Development Project in April 1988. The president of the Institute said that the Lambton Harbour project
5568-466: The base for the Straitsman ferry, and since 2003 Bluebridge ferries have operated from the wharf. The wharf is managed by CentrePort and is not open to the public. In 1898, the chief engineer of Wellington Harbour Board suggested construction of a wharf opposite Taranaki Street, to be used mainly for moving coal but also for timber and produce. After preparatory reclamation and dredging, the wharf
5684-412: The building, but the area at ground level around the wharf has been left accessible to the public. The spire and four wall mosaics from the old building were used in the new one. In the early 20th century, ferry services were important for conveying people from localities around the harbour into the city. By 1911, Ferry Wharf had become congested, with six boats needing to berth there. In November 1911
5800-502: The buildings and the area covered by the Lambton Harbour Development Project, was transferred to Wellington City Council. In 1988, Australia was New Zealand's biggest trading partner but most of the new Port of Wellington's business was with Europe and Japan. Meat and manufactured goods were the main products exported from Wellington, and other products shipped through the port included bulk wheat and cement, machinery, steel, imported cars, meat, dairy and wool. The Harbour Board's interest in
5916-609: The container crane, along with more protracted delays to the construction of the steel structure of the BNZ building in Willis Street, led building developers to change designs and move away from the use of steel as a main structural element in building construction. In the 1979 financial year, the Harbour Board reported 85,257 container movements. With the shift of port facilities to the Thorndon container terminal, other parts of
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#17327809691526032-517: The country's wool exports. Other products exported from Wellington included butter, frozen meat and apples – in total, an average of 26% of New Zealand's exports. By this time there were 14 members on the board, and almost 400 permanent staff. In addition, the board employed an average of around 350 casual wharf labourers each day. Harbour Board facilities included 10 inner-harbour wharves, oil wharves at Evans Bay and Point Howard, suburban wharves, Clyde Quay marina for pleasure craft, 35 goods stores along
6148-400: The cranes then in use at Queens Wharf. The wharf handled frozen meat and produce needing cold storage. The wharf has been upgraded several times. In 1966 the Harbour Board installed 10 new electric tripod gantry cranes. These were then made obsolete by the introduction of containerisation. One crane was restored and is now on display at Queens Wharf. From 1992 until 2004, Glasgow Wharf was
6264-495: The goods exported: 30% of New Zealand's cheese exports by weight and 16% of its frozen meat exports left from Wellington. Other commodities exported included wool, hides and skins and apples. Imports coming through Wellington included cars, tractors, iron and steel, cotton and synthetic piece goods, petrol and tobacco. In 1969, the Government approved a recommendation from the New Zealand Ports Authority for
6380-496: The growth of the region, the museum seeks to tell Wellington's stories and how the city has evolved over its 150 years as capital of New Zealand. A giant cinema screen stretching between the ground, first and second floors shows a series of films about Wellington. There are three theatre areas: one tells Māori legends using a pepper's ghost , the other is a memorial to the sinking of the Wahine ferry in Wellington harbour and located on
6496-407: The harbour entrance. With the business of the port expanding, the Harbour Board commissioned a new administration building and bond store to replace earlier wooden buildings. The building was built on Jervois Quay at the entrance to Queens Wharf, and was completed in 1892. As of 2023 it houses the Museum of Wellington . The Harbour Board's board room is still on site and open to the public. In 1896
6612-476: The harbour, it initially had no assets. The board was entitled to take a loan from central government. In October 1881 the Harbour Board paid the City Council £64000 for Queens Wharf and the bond store, and the wharf became its centre of operations. Harbour Board employees in October 1881 consisted of the harbourmaster, outward pilot, four boatmen, pilot, coxswain, and two signalmen. The board members did not receive
6728-495: The installation of a container crane at the ports of Auckland and Wellington. Construction of the Wellington container handling terminal was underway by 1971, including a 49 ha (120 acres) reclamation at the end of Aotea and Fryatt Quays. Two new tugs, Kupe and Toia, were purchased to handle the larger ships expected, and a 40 tonne container crane was ordered. Erection of the container crane began in early 1971. The first container ship arrived in Wellington in June 1971, but
6844-486: The length of the wharf. This was a crane track for electric cranes to run along, but initially the Harbour Board chose not to install a crane until it was proven necessary. In 1961 the wharf was closed. The wharf was then extended, and the Overseas Passenger Terminal was built on the wharf by the Wellington Harbour Board. The building was constructed to replace inadequate passenger facilities at
6960-555: The museum over many years. In 1987, Baron von Kohorn was awarded the Wellington Civic Award for services to the city. He was a driving force behind Wellington's former maritime museum, was on the steering committee and board of the Sports Foundation, now SPARC, was involved in setting up New Zealand Oral History Archives, served as finance chairman for Cot Death Research and was on the board of directors for
7076-456: The new floating dock was an overhaul of the ferry TSS Maori , from early April. One of the more notable incidents associated with the floating dock during more than 50 years of service was the repair of the trans-Tasman liner MS Wanganella after it struck Barrett Reef while entering Wellington Harbour in January 1947. Shortly after entering the floating dock, repair work on the vessel
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#17327809691527192-491: The new wharf. It was originally known as Ferry Wharf no. 2 , but by the 1930s it was known as Tug Wharf. By the 1970s, reclamation nearby meant the landward side of the wharf could not be used, and in 1971 a walkway was built which connected Tug Wharf to Queens Wharf along the newly reclaimed area. In 2007 Tug Wharf became part of the Kumutoto Precinct development, and a pedestrian bridge was built in 2008 to link
7308-638: The operation of the Port of Wellington and to the development of the city and the lower half of the North Island of New Zealand. There are 20 wharves situated around Wellington Harbour . These include large wharves in the inner harbour and port area, smaller wharves in seaside suburbs and fuel wharves at Point Howard and Evans Bay . The first wharves were built from 1840 by newly arrived European settlers, to enable them to move goods from ship to shore. The first publicly-owned wharf built in Wellington Harbour
7424-401: The port from domestic and international locations and was responsible for the safe movement of vessels within the harbour. Wellington city was settled by British colonists in 1840 and quickly became an important port and business centre. Small private wharves built in the 1840s became inadequate as trade grew and visiting ships became larger. From 1856 the Chamber of Commerce began agitating for
7540-427: The port, supplying water to ships, and providing cool storage, it acted as wharfinger, responsible for taking goods from ships and delivering them to other ships or to destinations in the city. This was said to be cheaper and more efficient than having other businesses do the work, and gave the harbour board strong authority. Although the Harbour Board was set up with powers to manage shipping, wharf charges and trade in
7656-497: The proposed hotel, but a public survey showed that 86% of those surveyed did not want a hotel at this location. In 2009 the Environment Court turned down the proposal, stating that "building a five-star hotel on a public wharf was inconsistent with the sustainable use of natural and physical resources". Three cranes are displayed on the wharf. One of them, a level luffing crane built in 1951 by Stothert & Pitt ,
7772-600: The region. The conversion of this building into the Museum of Wellington City & Sea was completed in 1999, and it became Wellington Museum in July 2015. It is run by Experience Wellington . The museum contains various exhibits spread through four floors of the Wellington Harbour Board Head Office and Bond Store building. This exhibit shows the layout of the historic museum building as it
7888-399: The sea') in 1938. Kerimoana was scrapped in 1981. Various privately-owned vessels acted as tugs and pilots on the harbour during the 19th and 20th centuries. For example, Wellington Harbour Ferries operated a tug called Duco between 1892 and 1909, and the Union Steam Ship Company bought a tug named Natone in 1904. In 1900 Wellington Harbour Board bought a launch it named Uta, to use as
8004-442: The second one was upgraded. It closed in 1980. One of the triggers of the 1913 Great Strike was a demand by Wellington shipwrights that they be paid travelling time when they had to go to Evans Bay to work at the patent slip. In 1898 local yachtsmen complained that reclamation at Te Aro and other work around Railway Wharf was displacing moorings for small boats. The Harbour Board suggested that yachts could be moored at Evans Bay but
8120-399: The shore. The names of these early private wharves changed as their ownership changed: for example, Hickson's wharf was also known as Ridgway's Wharf, Wills' Wharf and Houghton's Wharf. The first wharf built may have been one constructed by J. H. Wallace, opposite Bowen Street. A newspaper article in 1930 described the wharf: "its construction was of the simplest. An empty dry-goods hogshead
8236-417: The shoreline of Wellington Harbour . Many wharves have been repurposed in response to changing domestic and international conditions and requirements for maritime transport of passengers and cargo. Wellington Harbour's first wharves were privately owned, built by businessmen to facilitate movement of goods from ships to warehouses and shops. Goods were transhipped from deep-sea vessels to lighters and then to
8352-422: The time. Trade in imported goods was decreasing by the time the wharf was completed, and the wharf was distant from the rest of the port, so it was never used as much as other wharves in the harbour. The wharf was 170 m (560 ft) long and was the first wharf in Wellington built of reinforced concrete rather than timber. It was also notable for a line of concrete arches 6.1 m (20 ft) high running
8468-683: The top floor a Wellington Time Machine. A new exhibition space, The Attic, opened in late 2015 after extensive refurbishment and restoration to the top floor. The museum started in 1972 as the Wellington Maritime Museum of the Wellington Harbour Board . In 1989, with the reorganisation of local bodies throughout New Zealand, the museum was transferred to the Wellington City Council (WCC) and expanded in scope to include social history of
8584-414: The unionisation and employment conditions of waterfront workers. Between 1950 and 1960 the board built bulk-handling facilities for coal and wheat at Aotea Quay and began development for a roll on/roll off road and rail ferry at Interisland Wharf. The ferry Aramoana came into service in 1962. Development of Wellington Airport, which opened in 1959, required land, foreshore and harbour areas controlled by
8700-402: The water after the 1855 earthquake raised the seabed. By the early 1860s many of these small private wharves were needing repairs and were no longer suitable for serving the larger ships that had begun visiting Wellington. From 1856, Wellington Chamber of Commerce began calling on the provincial government to fund construction of a large publicly-owned wharf that could serve steamers on
8816-476: The waterfront could be redeveloped. In 1986 the Lambton Harbour Group – a collection of architects, urban designers and town planners – was formed to develop concept plans for 22 hectares of the waterfront between Wellington Railway Station / Waterloo Quay and the Overseas Passenger Terminal (formerly Clyde Quay Wharf). Lambton Harbour Group was later renamed Lambton Harbour Management. About 80% of
8932-439: The wharf came in the late 1960s, when the wharf was converted for use by roll-on/roll-off ferries. A linkspan bridge with a control building designed by Roger Walker was completed in 1969. The Union Steamship Company planned to operate a fortnightly freight service to Australia, but the freight service was soon overtaken by the introduction of containerisation based at Thorndon. The original bridge has since been replaced by
9048-421: The wharf to the rest of the promenade along the waterfront. Further development in 2018 linked the wharf to the north Kumutoto precinct with two short bridges. In 2011, designer toilets nicknamed ' lobster loos ' were opened between Tug Wharf and Queens Wharf. Ngā Kina , a sculpture of giant kina (sea urchins) by Michael Tuffery , was installed at the water's edge next to Tug Wharf in 2012. Pipitea Wharf
9164-440: The wharf to use as a freezing plant. When the ship was full it was towed across the harbour to Wellington and the meat transferred to other ships for transport to markets. The wharf deteriorated and was removed in 1902, and contractors for the Harbour Board built a new wharf slightly further east during 1908–1909. The wharf has been used intermittently by passenger ferries. Wellington Museum Wellington Museum (formerly
9280-404: The wharf was driven on 13 February 1923. The final dimensions of the wharf were 289 m (948 ft) on the northern side, and 57 m (186 ft) in width, making it the second largest structure of its kind in New Zealand at the time (behind Queens Wharf, Auckland ). The Board elected to manage the construction of the wharf with its own resources and in 1923 reported that this had achieved
9396-420: The wharf was greatly delayed by the disruption and shortages of materials caused by World War I . The Board had called for tenders shortly before the outbreak of World War I, but had to withdraw the notice. A new notice calling for tenders for the construction of the wharf was eventually issued in June 1919. Steel reinforcing for the wharf did not arrive until 1920, and cement arrived in 1921. The final pier of
9512-431: The wharves and waterfront, a variety of cranes including its large new floating crane Hikitia , weighbridges, a repair shop, and a tug. A floating dock was being built, and reclamation of land at Thorndon was continuing. The Harbour Board continued to upgrade and expand its wharves and facilities. A new breastwork and reclamation in Thorndon begun in the 1920s was completed in late 1939. During World War 2, Wellington
9628-407: The wharves on the other side of the inner harbour. It was designed by an architectural practice owned by former Wellington Mayor Michael Fowler . The design was intended to give the appearance of an ocean liner and included customs and immigration facilities, a restaurant, café and waiting lounges. It was opened on 7 December 1964. However, it was effectively obsolete at the time of opening because of
9744-402: The wharves, demanding more pay, better working conditions and a repeal of restrictions enforced by the Government during World War 2. Shipping companies refused to employ workers unless they agreed to work overtime. Workers were then locked out of the wharves, which at that time were fenced and able to have access restricted. On 15 February 1951 there were 21 foreign ships berthed in Wellington and
9860-458: The wool trade. This was followed by Ferry Wharf (1897), Glasgow Wharf (1901), Taranaki Street Wharf (1906), Kings Wharf (1909), Clyde Quay Wharf (1910), Tug Wharf (1914) and Pipitea Wharf (1923). In addition to the big wharves built in the inner harbour for movement of goods and passengers, the Harbour Board oversaw construction of suburban wharves in the eastern bays from Petone around to Eastbourne as well as at Evans Bay and Seatoun and Karaka Bay at
9976-448: The yachting community objected, saying it was too far away and isolated, boats would be vandalised, and the winds there were not ideal. in 1900 the Harbour Board approved construction of a boat harbour and baths at Clyde Quay. Old structures on the beach were removed, Clyde Quay and Oriental Terrace (now Oriental Parade) were widened and a sea wall built, and public salt water baths and a boat harbour for pleasure craft were created. Some land
10092-475: Was RMS Aquitania , of the Cunard line , the largest of the ocean liners to call into New Zealand during the war. The ship's draught of 11 m (36 ft) was a record for any port in New Zealand at that time. Pipitea Wharf was one of the berthing places for passenger vessels bringing assisted migrants to New Zealand in the 1950s and 1960s. When the Thorndon Container Terminal was developed, Pipitea Wharf
10208-495: Was "a good example of the enterprise planning which can be promoted to local authorities in New Zealand to ensure more efficient use and enjoyment of public resources by the people of New Zealand”. One of the first projects proposed by the Lambton Harbour Development Project was the Queens Wharf Retail Centre, initially described as a 'Festival Marketplace' or 'Market Hall'. The retail centre opened in 1995 but
10324-511: Was Queens Wharf, completed in 1862. Wharves were built for various purposes – moving fuel, primary products such as timber, wool and meat coming from the hinterland, and other goods and passengers. Wharves for passenger vessels included berths for ferries transporting commuters and day trippers to and from the city and suburbs, and larger inter-island ferries going to Picton and Lyttelton . The wharves also serviced passenger liners from overseas and TEAL flying boats . Wellington Harbour Board
10440-578: Was an immediate failure and the building was sold in 1998. Other early projects included the redevelopment of Frank Kitts Park , begun in 1989, and the refurbishment of Shed 3 as Dockside restaurant, begun in 1991. Wellington Harbour Board was disestablished after the passing of the Port Companies Act 1988 and the Local Government Act 1989, as part of the 1989 local government reforms . Operational port assets were transferred to
10556-442: Was an immediate failure, and the building was sold in 1998 to be converted into office space. The events centre, now known as TSB Arena , still operates and hosts music concerts, sports and other events. Two old goods sheds on the wharf, Shed 3 and Shed 5, were turned into restaurants. In 2001, Waterfront Investments proposed to build a Hilton Hotel on the outer tee of Queens Wharf. Greater Wellington Regional Council supported
10672-645: Was an important port for troop movements. United States authorities were given sole use of the newly developed Aotea Quay. In October 1943, the 2nd Division of the United States Marine Corps embarked at Aotea Quay on their way to the Battle of Tarawa . The marina and boatsheds at Clyde Quay were also made available to the United States as a base for repairs and maintenance of their small craft and landing barges. Almost 72% of 120000 troops in
10788-534: Was angled on a north-north-west /south-south-east axis, the same as Queens Wharf, because at the time it was important to moor vessels "fore-and-aft" to align with Wellington's prevailing winds. From 1906 to 1951, Railway Wharf was Wellington's main wharf for unloading coal. In 1951 the railway lines were removed, and the wharf was extended and converted to become the base for the inter-island ferry to Lyttleton which had previously been at Waterloo Quay Wharf. Ferries to Picton also operated from this wharf. The wharf
10904-433: Was built adjacent to the Thorndon reclamation for permanent mooring of the floating dock. The dock was powered by electricity and included a crane capable of lifting up to five tons. The dock was named 'Jubilee Dock' in honour of the Harbour Board's fiftieth anniversary in 1930. An initial test of the floating dock was undertaken with the passenger liner SS Ruahine , on 2 April 1932. The first commercial service using
11020-470: Was built by the government and completed in April 1880 on newly reclaimed land near the Railway Station . Control of the wharf passed to Wellington Harbour Board after the Wellington Harbour Board and Corporation Land Act came into effect on 1 September 1880. From the start the wharf was designed to have rail access to facilitate handling of goods, and three separate lines were laid down. The wharf
11136-408: Was built for Wellington Harbour Board in 1906, with additions in 1908. The wharf has a bend in the middle. It was intended to serve passenger ferries, and also ships bringing supplies to the fast-developing area. In fact, few ships other than ferries used the wharf, and the ferry service ended in 1948. In 1960, the Harbour Board leased the wharf to Eastbourne Borough Council (now Hutt City Council). In
11252-467: Was built in 1895 by Neil McLean for J. H. Williams to serve Williams' ferries bringing day-trippers across the harbour from Wellington city. Apart from benefitting day trippers, the wharf also improved access to bays on the eastern side of the harbour, which led to an increase in land values. In the early 20th century interest in Days Bay as an attraction decreased, and in 1905 Williams sold his shares to
11368-400: Was built in 1906. The wharf was 152 m (499 ft) long by 33 m (108 ft) wide and constructed from Australian hardwood. It had one fixed 20-ton hydraulic crane and 10 moveable 2-ton hydraulic cranes for shifting coal. Ornamental gates at the entrance to the wharf are similar to those at Queens Wharf. They were installed in the 1930s, replacing earlier gates. A major change to
11484-643: Was built in England by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson of Wallsend , with the contract awarded in August 1930 for a dock with a lifting capacity of 17,000 tons, with dimensions 160 m (540 ft) long and 36 m (117 ft) wide. It left the Tyne on 15 July 1931 and was towed for five and a half months at sea over a route through the Suez Canal , covering 21,000 km (13,000 mi), and arrived in Wellington Harbour on 28 December 1931. A wharf
11600-416: Was built on 903 ironbark timber piles, arranged in 42 bays each of 6.1 m (20 ft). The construction included two double-storeyed sheds (numbered 31 and 33) of timber construction. Railway tracks were provided on each side of the wharf, and large mobile cranes on special tracks were used for handling cargo between railway wagons and the holds of ships at the wharf. The wharf was completed in 1909, with
11716-408: Was built to serve the wool trade and was known as Wool Wharf or Wool Jetty. A shed that could hold 6000 bales of wool was built at the city end of the wharf. Originally the wharf was connected to land by a bridge, until the space between was reclaimed by 1906. Over the years the wharf has been altered and extended. In 1916 it was converted to serve the inter-island ferry to Lyttleton and until 1953
11832-493: Was carried out as far below low-water mark as it could be placed. When it was filled with stones it constituted the outer pier. Rough wooden trestles were placed at intervals in the intervening space, on which were laid some long straight logs, bound together by wooden ties, and squared on top by the nimble use of an adze". Other early wharves include Tod's Wharf, in operation by September 1840; Taine's Wharf, built by James John Taine who arrived in Wellington in 1840 and soon built
11948-488: Was completed in November 1901 at a cost of about £60,000 including sheds and cranes. The Evening Post reported that "the wharf is in all respects the finest structure of the kind in the southern hemisphere". An innovative feature at the time was the installation of ten gantry cranes, built by the Hydraulic Engineering Company of Chester, which were said to be better for working on big ships than
12064-478: Was connected to land by a bridge until reclamation was carried out. In 1912, Wellington Harbour Board built a ferry terminal building at the head of the wharf for the Wellington Ferry Company. Eastbourne Borough Council leased the building from the Harbour Board and operated a ferry service to Eastbourne until 1948. The building then had various occupiers until 2009, when it became the base for
12180-457: Was created in 1880 and took control of most wharves in the harbour until its disestablishment in 1989 . At that time a commercial company, Port of Wellington (now called CentrePort Wellington ), took over management of most industrial wharves, while Wellington City Council and Hutt City Council gained control of most suburban wharves. Over time Wellington's wharves have been altered, upgraded, extended, truncated or buried in reclamation along
12296-457: Was granted in January 2023. The panel that approved the project called it the biggest rail capital project since World War 2. Site preparation began, but the cost of the project increased significantly. In December 2023, the new Finance Minister, Nicola Willis , declined extra funding to Kiwirail for its proposed new ferries and terminal infrastructure, and the project stalled while the parties involved considered their options. Days Bay Wharf
12412-525: Was halted because of an industrial dispute. In 1988, the Harbour Board sold the floating dock to an engineering firm in Nelson, and it was then on-sold for use in Singapore. The dock was taken in tow from Wellington, but broke up and sank on 2 January 1989, only five days into the tow. From the 1960s, state-owned roll-on/roll-off passenger ferries to Picton, operated by Kiwirail and currently branded as
12528-401: Was important to moor vessels "fore-and-aft" to Wellington's prevailing winds. Following passage of the Wellington Harbour Board and Corporation Land Act in September 1880, control of Railway Wharf was transferred to the Harbour Board. More wharves were built around the inner harbour. The first wharf built by the Harbour Board was Wool Wharf (now Waterloo Quay Wharf), completed in 1883 to handle
12644-400: Was in the late Victorian era , where it was used as a bonded cargo warehouse holding goods. Telling Tales explores the history of Wellington city throughout the 20th century using a collection of artefacts to mark significant events. However, Telling Tales was later changed to another exhibit, Te Whanganui-a-Tara. The gallery showcases the nautical history of Wellington. The gallery includes
12760-566: Was known at first as the Wellington-Lyttleton Ferry Wharf, and later Lyttleton Wharf . The ferry terminal was then moved to Railway Wharf, and from about that time Lyttleton Wharf became Waterloo Quay Wharf, used by coastal trading ships. For many years until 2009 the Police Maritime Unit operated from Shed 19 on the wharf. The wharf was also used as a base for the Lynx and other fast ferries. Waterloo Quay Wharf
12876-423: Was part of the reclamation and became fully absorbed. However, in the 2016 Kaikōura Earthquake , the fill surrounding some of the remaining original wharf piles subsided by around 300 mm (12 in), leaving the tops of the piles exposed. In 1928, the Harbour Board announced a decision to procure and install a floating dock with a lifting power of 15,000 tons, to be used for ship repairs. The floating dock
12992-414: Was reclaimed so that the board could build a row of 24 reinforced concrete boatsheds in two sections, with stairs leading down from the footpath. The boatsheds were designed with their roofs below the height of the sea wall so that views of the harbour would not be obstructed. The boatsheds were completed in 1907 and, along with another group of sheds built in 1922, are still in use. In 1882 the board bought
13108-479: Was renamed the Inter-Island Wharf , with the first ferries berthing in 1954. The wharf was altered again when roll-on/roll-off ferries were introduced, but after 1975 the wharf was no longer used by ferries. Railway Wharf is managed by CentrePort. The wharf now known as Waterloo Quay Wharf was completed in 1883, the first wharf built after Wellington Harbour Board was established in 1880. The wharf
13224-509: Was returned to the New Zealand Navy, to be based at Devonport Naval Base and not replaced because the Union Steam Ship Company had two tugs for use in Wellington harbour. Arahina rescued many people from the passenger ferry Wahine when it ran aground at the entrance to Wellington Harbour in 1968. Arahina was sold in 1990, but as of 2023 was still afloat and moored at Queens Wharf. The Harbour Board bought another pilot launch,
13340-534: Was the port’s main wharf until the advent of container shipping in the 1970s. Two historical buildings on Jervois Quay at the entrance to Queens Wharf date from the Harbour Board era: the Wellington Harbour Board Head Office and Bond Store (1892) and the Wellington Harbour Board Wharf Office Building (1896). Art Nouveau gates made of iron were installed in 1899 between these buildings at the wharf entrance. During
13456-417: Was unloaded with conventional cranes, because an industrial agreement with unions had not yet been reached for the operation of the container crane. A second container crane was ordered for the port and delivered in 1975, but an industrial dispute with the boilermakers union caused delay to the construction. A separate industrial dispute involving demarcation issues caused a 3 year delay to the commissioning of
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