ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The text of Engineering to 1990 was compiled for IPENZ by Thanks are also due to Trevern and Anna Dawes whose F.N. Stace, foundation editor of New Zealand Engineering photographs from their book Kiwi Curiosities (published by (1946-1980) from information supplied by the nominees of the Pacific publishers and later by Penguin Books Ltd) are repro- engineering works commemorated. duced on pages 15, 51 and 53. Organisations who have given approvals and financial support The cover photograph of the Wellington Motorway is by for the projects are listed on page 4. Woolf Ltd. © 1990 The Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand Incorporated Published by Engineering Publications Co Ltd PO Box 12241, /0/ Molesworth Street, Wellington, New Zealand THE INSTIT UTION F PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS NEW ZEALAND ENGINEERING1990 TO The Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand is actively involved in our country's 1990 sesquicentennial celebrations. We are proud of the enormous contribution engineers have achieved in New Zealand's development. It is there for all to see — in our roads, railways, bridges and buildings; in our systems for electricity, gas, water and telecommunications; in the production of steel and aluminium, and in agriculture and forestry. The application of engine- ering has enhanced the lives of all New Zealanders. During 1990, the Institution has placed commemorative plaques on 68 selected sites throughout the North and South Islands. This publica- tion describes those sites and their importance to New Zealand's engineering heritage. B J BUTCHER PRESIDENT The Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand is a society of professional engine- ers joined together for the advancement of the science and profession of engineering. It was originally incorporated in 1914 as the New Zealand Society of Civil Engineers, became The New Zealand Institution of Engineers in 1937, and took its present name in 1982. Its membership embraces professional engineers from all disciplines, particularly civil, mechanical, electrical and chemical. The Institution sets the qualifying standards for professional engineering in New Zea- land. It represents in the widest sense the New Zealand engineer to the New Zealand public and, through its membership of the World Federation of Engineering Organisations, to overseas countries. Engineering to 1990 On this map the places at which the IPENZ "Engineering to 1990" sites can be found are indicated in heavy type. 2 Engineering to 1990 Contents Project sites 2 Cement Works in Northland – Mahurangi Portland 5 Grafton Bridge 6 Auckland Ferry Building 6 New Zealand Yacht – KZ1 6 Western Springs Pumping Station 7 Vacreator Cream Pasteurising Plant 7 Kelly Tarltons Underwater World 8 Carter Holt Harvey Pavilion 8 Manukau Sewage Purification Works 9 Lower Nihotupu Dam 9 Auckland Motorway System 10 Auckland Harbour Bridge 11 Steel from Ironsand 13 Slurry Pipeline 13 A G Price Ltd 15 Gold Mining at Waihi 15 Port of Tauranga Development 17 Arapuni Power Station 21 Wairakei Geothermal Power Development 22 Ohaaki Power Station 22 State Highway 1 – Wairakei to Taupo 23 North Island Main Trunk Railway 23 Hapuawhenua Viaduct 24 Synfuel Gas-to-Gasoline Plant 25 New Plymouth Power Station Chimney 25 Kiwi Co-operative Dairies Ltd 27 Ohakea Hangars 2 3 27 Moutoa Sluice Gates – Manawatu River Control 29 State Highway 1 – Mangaweka to Utiku Deviation 29 Mokopeka Hydro-electric Station 30 Mohaka Viaduct 30 North Island Main Trunk Electrification 31 Lower Wairarapa Valley Development 31 Hutt Estuary Bridge 32 K Class Locomotive (Ka 945) 32 State Highway 1 – Wellington Motorway 33 Total Energy Centre – Wellington Hospital 35 Department of Health Building, Wellington 35 Wellington Railway Station 36 Telecom Museum and Archives 36 H.V.D.C. Link, Benmore to Haywards 38 Picton Terminal – Cook Strait Rail Ferry 38 Maitai Water Supply Scheme 40 Denniston Self-acting Incline 40 The Otira Gorge Road S.H.73 42 The Midland Railway 42 The Otira Tunnel 43 The Original Laboratory of the School of Engineering 44 Fort Jervois 44 Moorhouse Railway Tunnel 45 Lake Coleridge Power Station 46 Addington Water Tower 46 Rangitata to Rakaia Diversion Race 47 Rakaia River Bridge S.H.1 47 H.V.D.C. Link 48 Hamilton Jet Marine Propulsion Unit 48 Upper Waitaki Power Development 49 Waianakarua Bridge – S.H.1 49 Hillside Railway Workshops 50 Ross Creek Waterworks 50 The Development of Gold Dredges 51 NZ Express Co Building 51 Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge 52 TSS Earnslaw 52 Percy Burn Viaduct 53 Homer Tunnel – S.H.94 53 Bluff All-weather Package Loaders 54 Invercargill Water Tower 55 Engineering to 1990 IPENZ gratefully acknowledges the approvals given by all owners of the Engineering to 1990 projects and the financial support given by the following organisations. New Zealand Lottery Grants Board Beca Carter Hollings Ferner Ltd through the New Zealand 1990 Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council Commission Newton King ODea Transit New Zealand Wellington Regional Council Works Civil Construction Lower Hutt City Council Works Consulting Services Morrison Cooper Ltd NZ Railways Corporation Government Property Services Ltd Trans Power NZ Ltd Wellington Hospital Board Electricorp Production Hawker Siddeley Engineering Department of Conservation Kerslake Partners Ltd Downer Company Ltd Clendon Burns Park Ltd Fletcher Development Construction Ltd Skellerup Industrial Ltd Fletcher Civil Engineering Ltd Port Marlborough (NZ) Ltd Wilkins Davies Ltd Kidson Construction Ltd Golden Bay Cement Co Ltd T. H. Barnes Ltd Worley Consultants Ltd Thompson Devanny Ltd NZ Steel Ltd Ian Macallan Co. McConnell Dowell Constructors Ltd Telecom (Wellington) Ltd Auckland Regional Council Nelson City Council W. Stevenson Sons Ltd Tonkin Taylor Ltd Protech Engineering Ltd C. W F. Hamilton Co. Ltd Kelly Tarltons Underwater World Ltd Invercargill District Council Bruce Wallace Partners Ltd South Port (NZ) Ltd Challenge Properties Ltd Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries Carter Holt Harvey Timber Ltd Bechtel International Inc NZ Expo Centre Ltd Port of Tauranga Ltd Albert Smith Industries Ltd Murray North Ltd Rankine Hill Ltd Waihi Gold Mining Company Ltd NZ Synthetic Fuels Corporation Ltd Davy McKee Corporation Fitzroy Engineering Ltd Kiwi Co-op Dairies Ltd National Dairy Association Ltd Arthur Brown Construction Ltd Cowie Rockell Chong Ltd Hawkes Bay Electric Power Board 4 Engineering to 1990 Cement Works in Northland Mahurangi These engineering remains (2 km south of colony. Production grew from 1520 Warkworth) are an important part of New tonnes in 1897 to 7620 tonnes by 1902, Zealands engineering heritage. Opened in and with a major extension to the works 1876 to produce hydraulic lime, the plant in 1903 annual production rose to 20 230 was developed in 1884 to become the first tonnes. Portland cement works in the Southern The availability of Portland cement in Hemisphere. The works were closed in tonnage quantities from the beginnning 1928. of this century enabled rapid develop- ment of durable port facilities, particu- In 1883 Nathaniel Wilson of Wark- larly in Auckland. worth began experimenting with local The Mahurangi remains are also not- materials to produce Portland cement. able in that the 1903 extensions used With the assistance of J A Pond, govern- unreinforced concrete walls of about 225 ment analyst in Auckland, full-scale pro- mm thickness and 12 m height which are duction began under the name John Wil- still standing though much of the struc- son and Company. This local production ture is derelict. of Portland cement was the first both in Wilson expanded his works to increase New Zealand and in the Southern Hem- production by utilising the latest in over- isphere, and introduced an important seas technology. In the mid-1890s he sent Original owners, builders and opera- building construction product to the his son to the United States, following tors: John and Nathaniel Wilson colony at a time when the same product which visit rotary kilns and ball and tube (1878 John Wilson and Company) was far from being in general use else- grinding mills were installed, providing (1903 John Wilson and Company where in the world. for high capacity output to the growing Ltd.) Portland Located near an unusually consistent plant is the largest and most modern in 1913 and the Dry process commenced in reserve of high-grade raw material this New Zealand. The original plant opened in 1983. Nathaniel Wilson and his brother John. later followed by a third brother, were largely responsible for promoting the construction of the Portland cement works, 8 km south of Whangarei. Fullers Engineering Co. of the United States was responsible for the design of the Portland works and also provided 11 grinding mills. The Wilkes Barre Co. (also of United States) provided kilns, driers and coolers. The reconstruction in 1980 was designed by Gatx-Fuller, the same com- pany that did the original plant, and local contractors Whangarei Engineering Co Ltd (WECO) and Wilkins and Dav- ies were responsible for the construction work. With the latest improvements the Port- land plant is a very sophisticated engine- ering project and its conversion to the dry process makes it for its size, one of the most efficient plants in the world. Companies involved: New Zealand Portland Cement Com- pany Ltd Dominion Portland Cement Company Ltd Wilsons (NZ) Portland Cement Com- pany Ltd Present owners: Fletcher Challenge. Engineering to 1990 5 Grafton Bridge At the time of its construction (1907 - 1910) in the city of Auckland, Grafton Bridge had the longest arch span in the world (97.5 m) and for many years the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. Its architectural style utilised false piers to create the visual impression of strength associated with traditional masonry construction, while the slim ferro - concrete load - bearing members provided the true structural support. The structure demonstrated at an early date the potential of reinforced concrete for major engineering works. It has become a striking monument to early bridge engineering design and as such is a work of national significance.