KARORI CEMETERY CONSERVATION PLAN KARORI CEMETERY CONSERVATION PLAN prepared by Four Decades Conservation KAREN GREIG | MICHAEL KELLY | CHRIS COCHRAN | NEIL AITKEN COMBINING CONSERVATION SKILLS IN archaeology | history | architecture | landscape architecture WITH enthusiasm | commitment | experience | wisdom PO Box 14 575, WELLINGTON for the Wellington City Council June 2003 © 2003 Wellington City Council / Four Decades Conservation Cover: Karori Cemetery, looking north towards Mt Kau Kau, June 2003 (M. Kelly) Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 5 1.1 Purpose ..................................................................................................................................... 5 1.2 Executive summary .................................................................................................................. 5 1.3 Ownership and legal status ....................................................................................................... 6 1.4 Relevant legislation .................................................................................................................. 6 1.5 Assessing heritage values ....................................................................................................... 10 1.6 Acknowledgements................................................................................................................. 10 1.7 Changes to this plan................................................................................................................ 11 2.0 History of the Karori Cemetery ........................................................................ 12 2.1 Historical overview................................................................................................................. 12 2.2 The public and the cemetery ................................................................................................... 28 2.3 Planting and beautification ..................................................................................................... 30 2.4 Services cemetery ................................................................................................................... 32 2.5 Crematorium, chapels and columbaria ................................................................................... 34 2.6 Chronology ............................................................................................................................. 37 3.0 Physical description.......................................................................................... 40 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 40 3.2 Natural environment ............................................................................................................... 40 3.3 Graves and memorials ............................................................................................................ 46 3.4 Buildings................................................................................................................................. 49 3.5 Roads, paths, gates, walls and other facilities ........................................................................ 51 3.6 Cultural landscape .................................................................................................................. 52 4.0 Significance ...................................................................................................... 54 4.1 Historic value.......................................................................................................................... 54 4.2 Social value............................................................................................................................. 55 4.3 Aesthetic Value ....................................................................................................................... 55 4.4 Scientific Value....................................................................................................................... 56 5.0 Threats to heritage ............................................................................................ 58 5.1 Loss of use or purpose ............................................................................................................ 58 5.2 Natural or decay processes ..................................................................................................... 58 5.3 Disasters ................................................................................................................................. 59 5.4 Visitor impacts ........................................................................................................................ 59 5.5 Management impacts .............................................................................................................. 59 5.6 Information loss ...................................................................................................................... 60 5.7 Lack of public support ............................................................................................................ 60 6.0 Management Policies ....................................................................................... 61 6.1 Appropriate standards ............................................................................................................. 61 6.2 Cultural diversity .................................................................................................................... 63 6.3 Heritage landscape .................................................................................................................. 63 6.4 Significant fabric .................................................................................................................... 63 6.5 Remedial work........................................................................................................................ 64 6.6 Regular maintenance .............................................................................................................. 64 6.7 Vegetation management .......................................................................................................... 65 6.8 Disaster ................................................................................................................................... 65 6.9 Approved use .......................................................................................................................... 65 6.10 Skills ..................................................................................................................................... 66 6.11 Visitor facilities ..................................................................................................................... 66 6.12 Interpretation......................................................................................................................... 67 7.0 Work recommendations .................................................................................... 68 7.1 Statutory obligations ............................................................................................................... 68 7.2 Statutory identification and protection ................................................................................... 68 7.3 Recommended maintenance and repair work programme ..................................................... 69 7.4 Vegetation management .......................................................................................................... 70 7.5 General management regimes in landscape units ................................................................... 72 7.6 Future tree planting ................................................................................................................. 74 7.7 Visitor facilities....................................................................................................................... 74 7.8 Interpretation........................................................................................................................... 75 7.9 Further research ...................................................................................................................... 76 7.10 Documentation of work ........................................................................................................ 76 7.11 Security ................................................................................................................................. 77 Notes ....................................................................................................................... 78 Sources ................................................................................................................... 80 Appendix I: Heritage Inventory Sheets................................................................. 81 Appendix II: ICOMOS New Zealand Charter ...................................................... 87 Appendix III: Maintenance guidelines and repair specifications for graves and vaults .................................................................................................................. 92 Appendix IV: Historic maps and plans ............................................................... 106 Karori Cemetery Conservation Plan 5 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Purpose This