COASTAL & UNDERWATER ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES OF THE WELLINGTON REGION For Greater Wellington Regional Council COASTAL & UNDERWATER ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES OF THE WELLINGTON REGION Survey for the Coastal Plan Review Report prepared by A N D Y D O D D SUBSURFACE LTD PO Box 31, Paekakariki 5258 Tel 04 902 3290 Email [email protected] for GREATER WELLINGTON REGIONAL COUNCIL 142 – 146 Wakefield Street P O Box 11 646 Wellington 30 June 2013 CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION 5 1.1 Commission 5 1.2 Process 5 1.3 Sources of Information 6 1.4 Acknowledgements 6 1.5 References 6 INVENTORY OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES Shipwrecks Tyne 7 Subraon 18 St Vincent 29 Wellington, Cyrus, Progress, Yung Pen 40 Hannah Broomfield, Magic 58 Tui 71 Waitaki 85 Willie McLaren 96 Grassmere 109 Halcione 118 Delmira 130 Zuleika 141 Ben Avon 150 Nambucca 162 Woollahra 173 Devon 186 Defender 200 Opua 212 HMNZS South Sea 223 Phyllis 235 Scuttling ground 244 Anchorages Entry Anchorage 256 Kau Bay 266 Shore whaling stations Te Kahuoterangi 276 3 Korohiwa 288 Tohoramaurea 299 Tokomapuna 310 Waiorua 321 Mana 334 Coastal Defence Makara Home Guard defences 345 Point Gordon submarine cables 353 Wharves and landings Mahanga Bay wharf 364 Matiu-Somes lighthouse landing 376 Castlepoint lighthouse landing 387 Shipbuilding Balaena Bay shipbuilding 398 Front cover photo: Diver on the wreck of the Ben Avon, Cape Palliser 4 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Commission This survey of archaeological and historic sites in the Wellington region coastal marine area has been prepared to compliment a study of historic built heritage commissioned by the Greater Wellington Regional Council in 2010 (Cochran, Murray and Kelly 2012). These surveys were commissioned to inform the current review of the Regional Plans. The proposed Regional Policy Statement 2009 requires, in policy 20, that significant historic heritage be identified in the new Regional Plan. 1.2 Process A regional scoping survey was carried out by the author which identified 50 archaeological sites in the Wellington region coastal marine area for further assessment (Dodd 2012). As with the survey of built heritage, sites were limited to those that fall within the coastal marine area, the landward boundary of which is the line of ‘mean high water springs’. The individual assessments in this report have been prepared and laid out using the same method as the previous survey. The inventory entries include a history of each site, a physical description, an evaluation of significance, and present-day photographs. Evaluation criteria are based on those in policy 20 of the proposed Regional Policy Statement 2010, with particular attention being paid to physical values. These include architectural and technological values, integrity, age, and group or townscape values. During the course of the project it became apparent that the assessment of some sites was likely to be impractical or difficult to relocate. The short-list was progressively refined as the project was carried out. In some cases, sites were removed after an initial evaluation of heritage values, and replaced with other sites not identified in the desk-based scoping study. These sites were then reviewed jointly by author and by Laura Paynter of Greater Wellington Regional Council. The number of archaeological sites subsequently included in the Inventory is 51. These are made up of 34 previously un-assessed sites, and 17 sites already assessed for built heritage values by Cochran, Murray and Kelly. In the case of the later, the initial history and assessment remains largely unchanged except for the addition of a statement of archaeological significance, and additional photographs of underwater features. 5 1.3 Sources of Information Research on the history of the sites was carried out by the author and a list of references has been compiled for each site. A considerable body of work relating to the rediscovery and research of shipwrecks and underwater historic heritage in the Wellington Region has already been compiled. Key secondary sources give basic information on the history and location of shipwrecks and these were supplemented by primary sources including records contained in the New Zealand Archaeological Association Archsite, as well as archival material such as Papers Past, AtoJs on-line and Digital NZ. Survey work was carried out in 2012-13 by the author assisted by volunteer divers. The photos used in this report were taken during these site visits. 1.4 Acknowledgements This report was funded by the Greater Wellington Regional Council, but also involved assistance from a number of other people and agencies. The author would like to acknowledge the contributions of the following people in no particular order for their assistance with the project planning, research, fieldwork, and report preparation. Laura Paynter, Joan McCallum, Neil Dudley, Dave Watson, Justin Amor, Tim Walsh, Ronan Bullock, Mark McAlpine, Rex Johnson, Peter Cooke, Ken Scadden, Allan Jenkins and Blyss Wagstaff. Thanks also to staff at NZ Historic Places Trust and Greater Wellington Regional Council for access to files and previous research. 1.5 References Cochran, C. Murray, R. and M. Kelly, 2012 Historic Heritage of the Wellington Region, Survey for the Coastal Plan Review. Unpublished report prepared for the Greater Wellington Regional Council Dodd, A. 2012, Greater Wellington Coastal Plan Review. Archaeological Scoping Study. Unpublished report prepared for the Greater Wellington Regional Council 6 Detail of watercolour of the wreck of the Tyne, 1845. Alexander Turnbull Library B-089-006 Tyne, Sinclair Head, Wellington 1845 7 Outline History History The barque Tyne was built in Sunderland in 1841. It was owned by Belton & Co and registered in Newcastle.1 The Tyne made its first voyage to New Zealand shortly after its construction, arriving in Wellington in July 1841. On board were a number of notable passengers, including Sir William Martin, the first chief Justice of New Zealand, and William Swainson, the first attorney general.2 The Tyne also made two more voyages subsequent to this, arriving in Wellington in April 1842,3 and again in August 1843.4 On its final voyage the Tyne departed Gravesend on 24 February with a cargo of salts, coals, shooks, brandy, wine, beer, porter and blankets, and arrived in New Zealand on 3 July 1845.5 Early in the morning of 4 July, the weather closed in and the wind increased to a gale. Not able to ascertain their position the Tyne struck the rocks off Sinclair Head. Two of the crew made it ashore, but it was not until the next morning that a line was got ashore, and the remainder of the crew and captain were evacuated from the stricken vessel. Onshore the alarm had been raised in Wellington and some 400 people including the local militia and 96th regiment were assembled on the beach as they came ashore.6 On board the vessel, of particular concern to Captain Robertson, was a number of boxes of specie with 1000 sovereigns inside each. Five of these were recovered between July and December 1845.7 The wreck and cargo were sold at auction to a Mr D Scott for £35.8 Later salvage efforts recovered the chain and anchor,9 and in August 1846 the long boat from the Tyne was purchased by the colonial government, lengthened and used as a gun platform in the offensive against Rangihaeata’s pa at Pauatahanui.10 1 Ingram, C.W.N. 2007. New Zealand Shipwrecks: over 200 years of disasters at sea. (8th edition revised and updated by Diggle, L., Diggle, E. and K. Gordon). Hachette Livre NZ Ltd, Auckland, p.40 2 Brett, H. 1928. White Wings Vol.II. Founding of the provinces and old-time shipping. Passenger ships from 1840 to 1885. The Brett Printing Company, Auckland, p.17; Ward, L.1928. Early Wellington. Southern Reprints, Papakura, p.92 3 Johnson, D. 1996 Wellington Harbour. Wellington Maritime Museum Trust, Wellington, p.60. 4 Brett, p.216 5 Wellington Independent 12 July 1845, p.2 6 Ingram, p.40 7 Wellington Independent 23 July 1845, p.2; New Zealand Spectator and Cooks Strait Guardian 02 August 1845, p.2; 16 August 1845, p.2; 13 December 1845, p.2 8 Wellington Independent 16 July 1845, p.2 9 Wellington Independent 25 March 1846, p.2 10 New Zealander 15 August 1846 8 Location Map Tyne wreck site, image from Google Maps, 2012 Legal description The Tyne wreck site is located on the seabed at the Rimurapa (Red) Rocks, Sinclair Head, on Wellington’s south coast. Approximate NZTM Grid Reference: E1744350 N5419990 Physical Description Setting The Tyne wreck site is located on the seabed at the Rimurapa Rocks, Sinclair Head, on Wellington’s south coast. Very little of the wreck is still visible on the seabed, having been recovered by divers or having succumbed to the currents and wave action. The south coast is exposed to strong currents and numerous shipwrecks have occurred between Tongue Point and Owhiro Bay. 9 Tyne The Tyne was a wooden barque of 427 tons built in Sunderland, England in 1841.11 Wreck site The Wreck Book includes the following description: “A mast was discovered some time ago lying south of Sinclair Head and was thought to have come from the Tyne. Further evidence of a wreck is visible in the form of pieces of copper sheathing jammed in the rocks in the Sinclair Head area and divers have come across twisted copper pipes and a length of anchor chain.”12 The New Zealand Diver’s Handbook notes “The wreckage of the Tyne lies just inside Sinclair Head in 3 to 5 metres of water. Only small pieces are left.”13 Chronology, modifications Date Activity 1841 Vessel constructed in Sunderland, England.14 1845 Vessel wrecked at Sinclair Head (04.07.1845).15 Evaluation of Significance The Tyne site is significant as the wreck of an early nineteenth century wooden sailing vessel, and the vessel has high historical significance for its association with prominent early immigrants to the colony, including Chief Justice Sir William Martin esq and the first Attorney General William Swainson.