Waikato Coastal Database

Ministry of Works Files – Whangamata and Wharekawa

1. Identification information

Status
Complete
Data Collection Date
1930-1983
Summary
The Ministry of Works and Development was the principal organisation carrying out the physical, engineering and environmental investigations for many government departments before it was disbanded in the 1980s. Consequently, the Ministry of Works files contain a wealth of environmental information about the condition of our harbours, coastlines and waterways, both as they were originally, and as they were modified during settlement. To fully understand these files they need to be read in conjunction with information from other Government Organisations, in order to place the investigations into context. For example the development of the West Coast mobile sand dune problems and the subsequent attempts to stabilise them needs to be studied in conjunction with the Maori Affairs Department and the Department of Lands and Survey files. Both of these departments were involved in financing sand stabilisation projects. Eventually the work of sand dune conservation, (formerly done by the Agriculture Department and then by the Ministry of Works Soil Conservators (Water and Soil Division) after 1958), was passed on to the New Zealand Forest Service; who took control of nearly all exotic forest planting and management together with some erosion control functions where pine forests were involved. From 1958 onwards the Ministry of Works Water and Soil Division was the service provider for NWASCA (National Water and Soil Conservation Authority) and SC&RCC (Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council), which authorised the funding for the many soil conservation activities throughout the country. All projects submitted for funding to the Authority by the various Catchment Authorities were examined by members of the Ministry of Works Water and Soil Division to ensure they were soundly based, before funding was approved. Thus, as the adviser to other government departments and NWASCA, the Ministry of Works played a pivotal role in land development and conservation throughout its existence. These files as a result contain a wealth of historical information about; land development, flood control schemes and soil conservation in New Zealand. Because of their extensive engineering knowledge, the Ministry of Works and Development (MWD) reviewed various engineering structures such as wharf construction, reclamations and coastal aggregate mining licenses for the Marine Department and later the Ministry of Transport. Purpose: See data set abstract below.
Content
7/14 Harbour and Marine Works – Whangamata Wharf 1922-1931 May 1922 file Auckland 12/126: The Minister agreed to pay £180 (£1 for £1)to Thames County for the construction of a wharf at Whangamata. The original wharf site was at the entrance of the harbour and was frequently inundated with wind-blown sand from the beach and dunes. RE (resident engineer) Paeroa suggested a better site some 5 chains (100 m) upstream, however with the existing money available (£360) a suitable wharf could not be built. His estimate was that it would cost around £800. The wharf would need to be about 200 ft (60 m) long and about 2 ft (0.6 m) higher than the proposed structure. Also provision would need to be made for a possible extension in the future. At present the N.S.S. Company's steamers call once every 6 weeks so an extension is not justified at present. He suggested that there should be a small shed for goods storage at a cost of £70. September 1922: Auckland wrote to the RE Paeroa stating that given the existing conditions, the wharf proposal should be shelved and that a Horse drawn punt be used instead to unload goods from the steamer and to deliver them along the beach. Punt capable of carrying 12 tons would need to be 20 ft (6.0 m) long and 15 ft (4.6 m) wide with 3 ft (1.0 m) depth cost £226. Punt to be in the control of a responsible person. This idea was declined and a wharf was eventually completed in 1930. 7/14 Part 2 November 1948: A proposal to erect a jetty by a local resident led to a proposal to make one public facility so that there would not be a proliferation of jetties around the harbour. May 1949: The wharf structure was in need of repairs. The County was not keeping a check on wharf use and was not collecting funds from users. There was an application to take shingle from Torere Beach and sand from a sand bank opposite the wharf. Wanted to take 1,000 yds3 (914 m3) from Torere and 1,000 yds3 (914 m3) monthly to sell in Tauranga. July 1949: The engineers did not see a problem with taking sand from the bar opposite the wharf. August 1949: Above applicant is given approval to take sand from Whangamata. The bar in question was apparently increasing is size at the time. October 1952: Thames County Council making formal application to build a new wharf at Whangamata. June 1953: File M4/3850 Head Office Wellington: Excerpt from the Waihi Gazette 21/5/1953. A resident complained that the continued removal of sand and shell from the harbour water front is ruining its attraction. The County was removing material from above high water mark and using it for roading works. RE Paeroa reported that no damage had been done to the beach below high water. October 1953: A resident applied to level the sand dunes at the end of Winifred Street to provide beach access. The county undertook to lay clay over the sand to prevent erosion and wind-blown sand problems. December 1957: a complaint by a member of the public about the removal of sand dunes on what is known as the Maori Block, Whangamata. The area is being subdivided. The complainant thought that an extension of this activity would threaten 1,000 acres (404 ha) of flat land with flooding from the sea. The senior Engineer, Paeroa thought that the levelling of the dunes would not cause any problems. However the RE Tauranga (file PW 37/25) states that the houses were being built too close to the high water mark and that in the past storms had eroded the dunes. He also noted that during extra ordinary high tides on the east coast there had been serious erosion in the recent past. April 1964: Thames County applied to the Marine Department for control of the foreshore at Whangamata in terms of section 165 of the Harbours act 1950. July 1964 the RE Paeroa recommended that the Thames County be given control of the ocean beach foreshore to control unruly Christmas visitors. July 1965: A letter from the Whangamata Yacht, Powerboat and Fishermans' Club pointing out the difficulties in launching and beaching boats in Whangamata Harbour. The secretary suggests that this is caused by the large amount of sediment coming from the Wentworth Valley stream and the large amount of weed growing in the area. RE Paeroa suggested that the County did not have funds for dredging the channel and he thought that there would be little success with dredging. Suggested blocking the Wentworth Stream with a weir and sluice gates to create a fresh water lake 1-4 ft (0.3-1.1 m) deep in summer and then flush out the harbour during winter floods when the sluice gate would be opened. March 1966: The Whangamata Settlers and Ratepayers Association wrote complaining of the erosion and siltation taking place near the wharf is a response to the construction of the Port Road Storm water outlet into the harbour. April 1966: County states that the structure for the stormwater outlet is not complete and therefore there will be some short term problems. The cure is to lengthen the drain to below low water level work to be done in 12-18 months. Works wanted the work to be finished earlier to prevent further erosion by the pipe and deposition around the wharf. September 1966 Marine Department file 13/13/4: Noted that there has been serious siltation in the harbour. Marine Department was trying to get a commercial firm interested in dredging the sand if it was of commercial value. November 1966: the RE Paeroa reported that it was doubtful that dredged sand could compete with sand from the sand dunes for building materials. However the estuary sand may be suitable for roading projects. A lab test showed that the sand was not suitable for general concrete work but could possibly be used in small quantities as plasterers’ sand. January 1971: Hamilton File 96/126000 The district Water and Soil Officer reported that he could see that the stormwater outlet could contribute to erosion he did not think that the siltation and bar growing in the channel were a result of the outlet alone. He noted that Head office file 75/14/56 noted that erosion was occurring on the ocean beach. December 1971: the County engineer suggested that the siltation was becoming a problem and he proposed to dredge a new channel to the launching area (marked on an aerial photograph). The dredge tailings to be used as fill around the town. The dredging was approved in December 1972. No further information in this file. 12/1 Harbours and foreshores: Harbour and river works general 1926-1937: July 1930: Regulations for the reclamation of mudflats for agricultural and pastoral purposes passed and gazette May 1930. 12/243/1: Harbours and Foreshores: Beach sand and shingle supplies, Auckland and Coromandel Areas. File starts 1950. (available for download from Ministry of Works Whiritoa dataset) This file contains the Rabone Report (Beach sand and shingle supplies, Auckland and Coromandel Areas, Special Report November 1950) which described individual beaches and their suitability for supplying sand of shingle aggregate for industrial purposes to Auckland City and some of the supporting investigation information. Much of the file is on the Auckland and Northland region with a later section on Coromandel Beaches. The coverage reflects the reduction in importance of the Coromandel area as a source of industrial sand and shingle for the Auckland area. The file also contains the photos and negatives used in the report. There are also notes on meetings held with sand merchants, land owners, and regulatory authorities. Note: Marine Department file M4/1965 contains a request for a copy of Rabone's study. It is reported here that the Marine Department supplied copies of the 1911, 1923 and 1924 reports as background information for the Rabone report. Following the Rabone report the Engineer in Chief recommended that all beaches on the east coast of Auckland Province be closed to mining. This created strong opposition from the sand mining interests and construction industry in Auckland. A petition was sent to parliament complaining about the beach closures and Mr Sheat (MP) went on a tour of the Firth of Thames and along the east coast of the Northland Peninsula. As a result Mr Sheat came back with the recommendation that that the sand could be removed from Pakiri, Mangawhai Heads and the Waipu River mouth as was being done in 1952, and recommended by Rabone (1950). There was no comment about Coromandel beaches at this time. File 12/243 contains a report dated 1958 which suggests the recommendations by Rabone to close all beaches was too harsh and though sand mining had not stopped after the 1950 report, this report recommended that mining to continue. During the 1960s there were a number of applications to take sand from offshore islands or other remote areas such as the Kaipara Harbour, which had been regarded as uneconomical while the east coast beaches could be mined. The Rabone (1950) report contains a number of recommendations for the Coromandel, including: Whangamata Beach: Attractive holiday beach. It had been estimated 5,000 visitors between Christmas and New Year. Rabone (1950) recognized the popular recreational value of the beach should be preserved and should remain closed to mining. File 6/6/11. Whangamata Wharf. Report starts 1949. (MWD file Hamilton 6/137 HO 63/169.) The original wharf was constructed in 1928. This structure required repairs in 1949 because of the increased truck loadings. There is a comment that the wharf was little used and had no supervisor. Therefore there was little chance of recovering fees for wharf usage. In 1952 the County was applying to renew the wharf. There was possible income of £80 per year from fishermen and boaties (Paeroa file PW7/14).The new wharf was built in 1955 for £3,000 but by 1959 they were having to replace the piles due to Teredo worm damage. Note: The original wharf was constructed of local materials and was replaced several times before road access to Whangamata was available. The Ministry of Transport was unwilling to subsidise the construction of the structures because of the lack of attempts to gain funding from local levees and wharf fees. File 6/133. Whangamata Harbour. Report starts 1948. No relative information about the coastal environment. Mainly covers an application for a private jetty upstream of Harbour View Road. 7/1 Harbour and Marine Works Annual Reports 1931-1945. January 1932: Rice grass Spartina Townsendii. A brief summary of discovery and its uses. Notes on planting or sowing seed. Lists experts who understand the plant. It was considered that the plant could never become a problem because of its agricultural value for grazing and hay making. The report was compiled by Mr. W. H. Hayes, Glen Eden Auckland. A Mr. Howell proposed to reclaim 294 acres of mud flats in Manaia Harbour using Spartina. Notes reference Allen, H.H., 1929. Journal of Agriculture. Vol. XXXIX No.5. This article describes the growth pattern of Spartina planted in the Manawatu estuary. This is one of three reports on the plant. 7/1 Harbour and Marine Works Annual Reports 1946-1969 June 10 1960: The effect of the tsunami on the eastern side of the peninsula. Ohinemuri County said that the waves were similar to a high spring tide and a dead low over a short period. Thames County residents of Whangamata were evacuated in the afternoon but no damage was caused by the abnormal tidal action in Whangamata Harbour. June 1963: Thames Valley Electric Power Board plan no. 1570B plan for crossing the Wharekawa estuary. 7/1 Harbour and Marine Works: Annual reports. 1969-1973. February 1972: The Maori Trustee proposed to develop the south side of the Otahu estuary, put in a weir to create a lake. Locally voiced objections included increased flooding, effects on marine life and an obstacle to navigation. August 1972: The proposed new alignment of SH25 across the Moana Anu Anu estuary. 7/2 Harbour and Marine Works: Removal of sand Coromandel Peninsula. 1958-1970. In the 1950s the Lands and Survey Department was responsible for all Crown land and this included river and stream beds. Ministry of Works and the local County Councils often used shingle from local streams for roading material. To simplify licensing these activities and Lands and Survey issued a blanket licence to Ministry of works to take shingle from all rivers and Streams. The Ministry of Works then issued permits to the County Councils and sent in a quarterly return to the Lands and Survey Department. Much of the content of this file contains these returns from the different areas of the Coromandel Peninsula and the collated summaries sent to the Lands and Survey Department. August 1951: There several memos referring to illegal taking of sand and shingle from beaches. Associated files Paeroa 24/256, SH39/1/1 and SH72/25/2C/6 also Paeroa 24/1256 October to December 1960. March 1965: An application to remove sand from Whangamata was made by the Whangarei Tow Boat Company Ltd. The application involved taking sand from the 2 fathom (3.5 m) mark off Orakau, Omunga and Whiritoa Bays. 7/2 Harbour and Marine Works: Removal of sand Coromandel Peninsula. Volume II 1970-1974. Note: This file contains 3 monthly returns of material taken from beaches and streams in the Coromandel Peninsula and sent to the Lands and Survey Department who was responsible for Crown Land. This summary does not include these returns and anyone wanting to know where and when material was taken will need to consult these files at Archives NZ. April 1971: Rope Shipping Ltd placed an application to take 10,000 yds3 (7,650 m3) from both Tairua and Whangamata harbours. The resident engineer made the comment that if material was to be taken it should be in the area downstream of the wharf in Tairua Harbour to improve navigation. October 1971: Coromandel County applied for permits to take material from a number of beaches and streams, specifically Papa Aroha Creek, Goat Bay, Whangarahi Stream, Okahutahi Stream (Sandy Bay), and the Urarimu Stream at Melsops Crossing. A total of 9,760 yds3 (7,562 m3) of material was applied for. At the same time Parry Brothers Ltd applied for 3,000 yds3 (2,294 m3) from the entrance to Whangapoua Harbour and Mr Simpson of Whitianga applied for 500 yds3 (382 m3) from Kuaotunu beach. 7/2 Harbour and Marine Works: Removal of sand Coromandel Peninsula. Volume III 1974-1976. May 1974: The Lands and Survey Department lost control of sand mining in rivers and beaches to the Mines Department. Control of sand removal now came under the Mines Act 1970. Ministry of Works now told that would have to apply to the Mines Department for a blanket approval to take sand and shingle from the catchments of the Peninsula. This was a continuation of the system run by the Lands and Survey Department. Ministry of Works then issued permits to remove material to local bodies and contractors. May 1974: Ministry of Works were told by the Mines Department that shingle removal from streams etc was better dealt with under the Lands Act 1948 and that the Lands and Survey should control such licences. November 1975: Whangamata Metal Supplies applied to take material (3,000 m3/yr) from the coast between Te Ananui and Patuhamo Points, just north of Whangamata. Nothing was known about the area so it was recommended that a licence be given to take 1,000 m3 per year using a suction dredge. Photos supplied but not in file. August 1976: J.G. Gibb commented on the proposal to mine offshore between Te Ananui and Patuhamo points. His recommendation was that it should not proceed. 7/2 Harbour and Marine Works: Removal of sand Coromandel Peninsula. Volume IV 1977–1981. February 1977: The Ministry of Transport instigated a requirement that the local Catchment Authority would have to be involved in approval of any sand mining operations. June 1977: Ministry of Transport asked the Ministry of Works if there were any other beaches that were suitable for mining out of the public eye. March 1978: The Hauraki Catchment Board and Ministry of Works agree to work together on matters of coastal sand extraction. June 1978: The Thames Valley Gazette ran an article that reviewed present sand mining permits. Included was a report by R.W. Harris, on "Sand and Shingle Extraction from Coromandel Beaches and its Relation to Coastal Erosion" The report concludes that the existing licences should be declined. June 1978: Proposal to mine Whangamata Harbour entrance at a rate of 150 m3 per month. Also an application to mine the harbour entrance at Whitianga at a rate of 125 m3 per month as well as Bowentown Heads delta 150 m3 per month and Pauanui offshore at 125 m3 per month. August 1978: The resident engineer Paeroa sends a letter to Hamilton District Office indicating that the Hahei storm damage might indicate erosion of a similar magnitude occurred at least twice in the past. He notes that the first concern about Buffalo Beach was expressed in 1924 but the first real erosion took place in 1960. He also noted the traffic ramp at Bowentown was uncovered by the 1978 storms. The Thames Valley Gazette summarised Mr Harris's report on the damaged beaches of the east coast Coromandel Peninsula. Present sand miners were warned that all applications would be reviewed downwards and after a year were likely to be terminated. March 1978: The Hauraki Catchment Board and Ministry of Works agree to work together on matters of coastal sand extraction. June 1978: The Thames Valley Gazette ran an article that reviewed present sand mining permits. Included was a report by R.W. Harris, on "Sand and Shingle Extraction from Coromandel Beaches and its Relation to Coastal Erosion" The report concludes that the existing licences should be declined. September 1978: The Hauraki Catchment Board declined the applications to mine sand at Bowentown, Whangamata and Pauanui. File 74/30/35. Estuarine Studies. Report covers period 1975 to 1982. The file has mostly Upper Waitemata Harbour Study comments and no reports. There is some mention of objections by residents of Wharekawa Harbour about sewage discharge plans for Whangamata sewerage. The file deals mostly with problems outside the Waikato Region. File 74/30/35. Estuarine Studies. Report starts 1975. There is a section on the proposal, to discharge sewage from Whangamata so it will flow into Wharekawa Harbour. This resulted in multiple protests from Opoutere residents. No other estuarine information for the Waikato Region is involved. File 96/125 000. Wharekawa Harbour. Report covers period 1959–1971. This file involves a proposal to cross the harbour with a causeway to allow access to properties on the southern side of the harbour which were cut off from the road by the State Forest. (Additional files: Marine dept M4/4-641, Works Paeroa 7/14, Works Hamilton 6/172). The matter was finally resolved by obtaining access through the forest. File 47/16. Whangamata Harbour. During July 1949 (file M4/3850), there was an application to remove sand from the middle of the channel west of the small wharf. In June 1953 a protest letter was sent to Ministry of Works Hamilton about the removal of sand and shell from the harbour waterfront. In the meantime there were notices along the ocean beach foreshore prohibiting sand removal. The removed sand was going into the construction of the roads in the area by the County. The County engineer insisted that if his instructions were being carried out then there would be no damage to the foreshore. In December 1957, there was a complaint to the Marine Department about the levelling of the dunes on the Maore Block (Whangamata) as part of the subdivision development. The writer thought that the area would be exposed to ocean waves and dune erosion as a result. It was suggested that there has been erosion of the beach and dune toe and that houses had to be pulled back to higher ground to prevent them falling onto the beach. In February 1958, a Paeroa Senior Engineer’s report says that no development of the dunes had taken place within half a chain of high water (10 m) (dune toe). He confirmed that a freak storm did in fact erode some dunes on which there were houses but said that had the dunes been high, they still would not have stopped the erosion. The Resident Engineers comment was that the development was too far seawards and in view of sand hills on the east coast, in general it was suffering erosion under the present conditions and it would be prudent to have housing developments further back from the toe of the dunes. In March 1958 the Marine Engineer C. W. O. Turner, said that it is desirable that housing is set well back from the dune toe and that where possible, Lands and Survey should ensure that at least a chain is maintained between the toe of the dune and the section boundary. However, this is not possible on Maori land developments even though Lands and Survey try to encourage this practice. He also states that at Whangamata the foreshore reserve is either absent or inadequate in the case of the Maori Land subdivision. There are some grounds for restraint under the Harbours Act to prevent the removal of sand dunes which increases the danger of erosion but this would not necessarily result in the creation of a reserve. It is more likely that a subdivision on the sea front on top of the high dunes which would increase the danger to the housing. During April 1958 the DCW wrote to the Commissioner of Works about the conditions at Whangamata and made the following points: 1. There was no continuous dune along the foreshore well above the level of the land behind it as is common in other parts of the coast. In general the land is of similar level with a slight rise from the Maori block northwards. 2. The foreshore dune is irregular. On the Maori block where most of the levelling has taken place the general land level is only a few feet above the high tide mark. 3. Along the northern side of the bay near the harbour the dunes are transverse to the coast. It was noticed that in a few places that there were guts running into the dunes from the coast. 4. It was agreed that it would have been much preferred if the fore dunes had been left alone rather than levelled as part of the land development. 5. He thought that the erosion being experienced was caused by some very large seas that occurred in conjunction with some very high tides. Eye witnesses claimed that the waves swept the beach with a swirling motion that removed the sand from the beach. Locals thought that these waves were the product of refraction round the offshore islands. During February 1965 there was a request by the Whangarei Towboat Co Ltd to dredge for sand offshore of the Whangamata area. This was possibly from Onemana and Whiritoa Bays (uncertain as spelling not very accurate). The outcome was not contained in the files but it seems that they were turned down. In May 1971 there was a letter in response to a request to take sand from Whangamata harbour. Three places were considered suitable; the west channel 100 m up and down stream of the wharf, from 80 to 200 m downstream of the wharf widen the channel westward, and the harbour entrance channel (widen it westwards along the end of the sand spur). January 1976 consisted of a Whangamata metal supplier wanting to take material from the coast between Te Ananui Point and Patu Hamo Point. The resident Engineer recommended that the licence be granted for 1,000 m3 per year and that extraction should be limited to below the low water mark. The letter refers to a Hamilton MWD file 60/32, and a Town and Country planning file for further information. There was also a proposal in 1974 to create a coastal reserve from Whitipirorua Pa south to the forestry boundary. There was some concern that because of the small quantity allowed per trip (250 m3), the company may take the whole 1,000 m3 in one load because of the economics of the work. In July 1973, J. G. Gibb from MWD Wellington carried out an inspection of the coast between Whangamata and Wharekawa harbours. He came to the conclusion that the proposed extraction rate was in the order of 10 times the natural replenishment rate. He also suggested that Whangamata and Wharekawa harbours be investigated as a source of building sand rather than the open coast. File 74/30/28 (pt 1). Coastal Erosion Surveys. Report covers period 1974 to 1983. BOPCC file 21/4. The file notes the existence of the Bay of Plenty Coastal Erosion Survey (1977) and the Coromandel Coastal Survey (1981). The storms of July 1978 appear to have started a review of protection works around the coast. The list includes; Kawhia 1953, Ohope 1954 (Tropical cyclone) Maketu Domain 1965, Waihi Beach 1968 Ohiwa 1969 Whitianga Esplanade 1969 Whangamata 1970, Kawhia 1970, Whitianga 1970, Waihi Beach 1971, Ohiwa 1972, Aotea 1972, Whitianga 1972, Ohope 1973, Miranda 1975, Waihi 1975, Kawhia community shore 1975, Waihi estuary 1977, Marakopa estuary 1974. The Thames Valley Gazette in August 1978 gave a review of beach conditions. At Whangamata there was erosion in front of the Surf Club but there was no erosion on the south side from the island to Otahu estuary. MWD (Attwood) suggests that beach profiling is expensive and sometimes misleading and therefore recommended the use of aerial photographs to determine the position of the dune toe on each beach. No further information.
Study Types
  • Literature Review
Categories
  • Social and Economic
  • Coastal Development and Public Spaces
  • Shoreline Change
  • Bathymetry
  • Consents and Structures

2. Contact information

Commissioning Agencies
  • Ministry of Works
Contact Organisations
  • Environment Waikato

3. Spatial information

Geographic Coverage
Whangamata Beach, Whangamata Estuary and Otahu Estuary.
Grid Coordinates
Locations
  • Name
    Whangamata Harbour
    NZMG Easting
    0
    NZMG Northing
    0
    Location
    Whangamata Harbour
    East Coast
  • Name
    Whangamata Beach
    NZMG Easting
    0
    NZMG Northing
    0
    Location
    Whangamata Beach
    East Coast
  • Name
    Otahu Estuary
    NZMG Easting
    0
    NZMG Northing
    0
    Location
    Otahu Estuary
    East Coast
  • Name
    Whangamata Coast North
    NZMG Easting
    NZMG Northing
    Location
    Wharekawa to Whangamata
    East Coast
  • Name
    Wharekawa Harbour
    NZMG Easting
    NZMG Northing
    Location
    Wharekawa Harbour
    East Coast
  • Name
    Opoutere Beach
    NZMG Easting
    NZMG Northing
    Location
    Tairua to Wharekawa
    East Coast

4. Data acquisition information

Collection Date
1924-1981
Methodology
This summary gathered from physical archive files in 2012/13. Frequency of collection: Irregular

5. Data quality information

Known Limitations
Gaps in collection: n/a Data quality: Varied

6. Distribution information

Format
Physical files held by NZ Archives Digital Format: Some images and reports have been scanned and are stored electronically at Waikato Regional Council.
Applications
Availability
None Sensitivity/Confidentiality: None

7. Status information

Data Status
Complete - historical.

9. Related files

No files have been attached to this dataset

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