St. Paul Cathedral

On Thursday, September 14 while we were in New Zealand for the Rugby World Cup, we spent the morning wandering around downtown Dunedin. We walked by the cathedral as we wandered around The Octagon. Tomasin and Julie are in front of the church in the picture at the bottom.

St. Paul's Cathedral
New Zealand Historic Places Trust #376

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This historic place is located on The Octagon, Dunedin, Southern Island, New Zealand. The GPS coordinates for this location are S 45° 52.421 E 170° 30.166.

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Located in the heart of The Octagon in Dunedin, St. Paul's Cathedral is the mother church of the Anglican Diocese of Dunedin and the seat of the Bishop of Dunedin.

The land for St Paul's Church was donated by the sealer and whaler Johnny Jones of Waikouaiti. The first parish church of St. Paul was built on the site in 1862-1863. It was made of Caversham stone and could accommodate up to 500 people. It was not well constructed. The stone weathered badly and the tall spire was removed after just a few years.

In 1904, William Harrop, a prominent Dunedin businessman died and left the bulk of his estate to fund a new Cathedral. On June 8, 1915, the foundation stone of the new cathedral was laid. Huge foundations, large piers and a tremendous vaulted ceiling, the only one in stone in New Zealand, rose from the ground, forming the new Cathedral’s nave. Finances precluded construction of anything more. There was no money for the crossing or the chancel, as originally intended. In the end, it was resolved that a temporary chancel should be constructed, using material saved from the old St Paul’s. The new Cathedral was consecrated by Bishop Nevill on 12 February 1919.

In the 1950s, it was decided that it wouldn't be possible to complete the Cathedral to its original design. In 1966, the decision was made to build a new chancel. Construction began in earnest in December 1969. The old chancel was stripped and demolished and new columns began to rise from the debris. Construction and clearing up finished on Saturday, July 24, 1971, and the Cathedral reopened the next day.

Auckland Ferry Building

During the first three days [9/8, 9/9 and 9/10] that we were in New Zealand for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, we were in and around the Auckland Ferry Building.

Ferry Building
New Zealand Historic Places Trust #102
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This historic place is located at 99 Quay Street, Auckland, Northern Island, New Zealand. The GPS coordinates for this location are S 36° 50.585 E 174° 46.015.

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The Ferry Building is one of the most imposing port buildings in New Zealand, and testimony to the importance of water transport in early twentieth-century Auckland. Erected by the Auckland Harbour Board in 1909-1912, this ornate structure was intended to be a focus for the extensive ferry network entering and leaving the city. It was also intended to raise a regular income for the harbour board, as it was designed entirely for lease. Its construction was part of a costly reorganisation of the docks, which included the building of the ferro-cement Queen's Wharf. These works were undertaken by the city in a bid to retain its position as a leading Southern Hemisphere port.

Designed to reflect the aspirations of the project, the imposing facades of the four-storey building were modelled in the Imperial Baroque style. Its prominent central tower was a focus of harbour life having a time ball, later replaced with a clock and siren, to regulate activity on the wharves. The building initially housed the headquarters of the two main ferry operators in the harbour - the Devonport Steam Ferry Company and Takapuna Tramways Ferry Company. Later tenants included trade unions and consulate offices. The construction of the Auckland Harbour Bridge in the 1950s dealt a major blow to maritime activity on the wharves, after which the building deteriorated. It was refurbished in 1986-1988, when its interior was gutted, strengthened and converted to office and retail use.

The Ferry Building is significant as a striking and monumental piece of architecture, whose scale reflects the importance of civic authorities in the early years of the Dominion (1907-1947). It is a powerful reminder of the importance of ferry transport in the early twentieth century, and the role played by the wharves in the social and commercial life of the city, particularly until the 1960s. It is of value as tangible evidence of the dock improvements undertaken in the early 1900s, and as one of the earliest office buildings in Auckland built entirely for lease. It is also significant for having been a familiar landmark for nearly 100 years, instilling a sense of place and identity in the everyday lives of Aucklanders travelling in and out of the city over several generations. The Ferry Building's valuable visual contribution to the city's waterfront is enhanced by its proximity to other historic structures, including those in the surrounding Harbour Historic Area and nearby Quay Street Historic Area.

Fort Taiaroa

On Tuesday, September 13 while we were in New Zealand for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, Tomasin, Hunter, Debbie and I toured Fort Taiaroa.

Fort Taiaroa
(Including six-inch Armstrong Hydropneumatic Gun
and Underground Chambers)
New Zealand Historic Places Trust #389
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This historic place is located at the end of Harrington Point Road, Taiaroa Head, Dunedin, South Island, New Zealand. The GPS coordinates for this location are S 45° 46.468 E 170° 43.686.

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The Russian war scares of the 1880s caused the New Zealand Government to erect batteries overlooking the harbours of the four main centres. The strategic position at Taiaroa Head gave excellent control over ships approaching Otago Harbour. Local stone was used by prison labour with outstanding skill to form the underground galleries and storage for the gun emplacement. The six-inch Armstrong hydro-pneumatic disappearing gun is still in sound condition except for incomplete breech mechanism. Fort Taiaroa is an excellent example for a military fortification of a bygone era and in its dramatic siting is most worthy of preservation.

Dunedin Railway Station, Platform & Gates

On Thursday, September 14 while we were in New Zealand for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, we spent the morning wandering around downtown Dunedin. Tomasin, Julie and I wandered through the Dunedin Railway Station.

Dunedin Railway Station, Platform & Gates
New Zealand Historic Places Trust #59
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This historic place is located at 20B Anzac Avenue, Dunedin, South Island, New Zealand. The GPS coordinates for this location are S 45° 52.517 E 170° 30.534.

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The Dunedin Railway Station was the last of three stations built in the city between 1873 and 1906 and was the largest and busiest railway station in New Zealand.

The station was designed in Flemish Renaissance style by the Railways Department chief architect George Troup and is constructed from two types of Otago Stone, a dark volcanic stone from Kokonga and a lime stone from the Oamaru District. The columns are of Aberdeen granite. The board area outside the station at the foot of Stuart Street provided a space for vehicles carrying goods and passengers. This area later became known as Anzac Square after the Australian and New Zealand forces which service in the 1914-1918 war.