Ministry of Transport Files - Mercury Bay/Whitianga

These files from the Ministry of Transport deal mainly with the administrative aspects of structures, reclamations, power, telephone, and pipeline crossings of waterways around the marine foreshore and in navigable rivers and lakes. There is not a lot of environmental information in these files but occasionally there is a copy of a report that deals with the environmental aspects of a structure. In about 1964 the Ministry of Transport (MOT) took over the role of licensing structures on the foreshore from the Marine Department (MD) and employed the Ministry of Works and Development (MWD) as its environmental advisers. Reports from the MWD therefore contain much of the environmental information available in these files. Purpose: This dataset provides a brief discussion of coastal information contained within historical Ministry of Transport files, collected during a review commissioned by Environment Waikato as part of the Coastal Database project. The Ministry of Transport (MoT) was responsible for the administration of structures in the CMA and in navigable rivers and lakes from 1964 to 1997. These files are now held in Environment Waikato’s archives. These files contain useful information on the history and legal status of existing coastal structures.

54/19/35: Foreshore Bridges Whitianga Harbour 1969. Proposed bridge to link Ferry Landing to Whitianga. The details of the foreshore investigations are on MWD files. This file deals with the navigation aspects of the bridge. Bridge had to have adequate clearance for yachts and also be located where it would not be a hazard to amphibious aircraft using the harbour. Proposal eventually dropped. 54/17/22: Road, SH 25 Whitianga 1982. No environmental information. 54/17/12: Foreshore, Ski Lane Buffalo Beach 1963. No environmental information. 54/16/68: Reclamation Whitianga Coromandel County 1968. Reclaim the stream bed near White Street and SH 25 Whitianga. MWD file 72/25/2C/6/2. No environmental information. 54/17/8: Roads Coromandel Peninsula, Volume 1 1930. Proposal to claim two small sections of Whitianga Harbour as roads. 1938, Proclaimed a piece of the Whenuakite near Coroglen as road. 1960, High seas and the Chilean earthquake were claimed to be part of the cause of the damage to Buffalo Beach. Erosion occurred for 25 Chains (503 m) north of the wharf. MWD placed 950 yds3 of spalls along the beach fronting SH 25 and the County were applying to place a further 1000 yd3 from the wharf to SH 25.Volume 2. Mainly concerns the reclamation of an area of the harbour by Golf Course Road Whitianga (area 65 m2). 54/17/8:Ski Lane Simpson’s Beach 1965. This is the correct number which is a double up of the file number above. Correspondence starts 1965 and approved 1969. No environmental information. 54/16/364: Reclamation TCDC Whitianga Harbour 1983. Near the Whangamaroro River. This was one of two sites suggested for the Whitianga sewerage treatment plant to be located. There are two photographs of the proposed farm site. The harbour site seems to have been some form of illegal reclamation and was proposed by the farmer objecting to the taking of his land for the treatment site. The Resident Engineer did not favour the estuary site as too close to the estuary and therefore posed a threat of polluting the harbour. Additional files TCDC V4/8/11 and K3/40/053B. 54/24/86/31: Cables Whitianga Harbour. 1969, Submarine cable across harbour bed jetted into sediment 18 inches (approx 0.5 m). Crossing started at Campbell Street. 54/27/14: Cables. Replacing Submarine Cable Whitianga, 1969. By 1974 proposed replacing existing cable as the estuary bed had scoured and boat anchors were catching on the cable. 54/27/271: Cable crossing Whitianga Harbour 1986. Nothing new. 54/27/252: Proposed submarine telephone cable Whitianga 1985. MoT agreed to allow a cable from Trelease Point south to the farmlands. 54/27/249: Proposed submarine telephone cable 1985. Refer to file 54/27/252. Nothing of interest. 54/44/650: Marine Farms, Taylor Fisheries Ltd, Whitianga 1981. TCDC K8/5/21, V3/8, K8/8/- Lands and Survey 22/5209,3/2360 MAF 7/6/11. Applied for 18 ha for additional oyster farm in Whitianga estuary, 6 ha granted. Farm stated that much of the sand flat was unsuitable and therefore needed 18 ha, but outcome not on file. The environmental data coverage not very informative. 54/1470/1: Foreshores, Bridge and Causeway, Whitianga 1976. D. Hanson. This application for a bridge is detailed in another file 54/2/722. Application to cross the Waipapa Creek. Application declined. 54/1/32: Wharf at Whitianga Vol. 2: Gives structural details only. 54/1/703: Ngarahutunoa Stream Culvert. Stream that flows into the Whitianga Harbour near the canal development. Nothing useful. 54/1/698:Experimental groyne Whitianga harbour. TCDC file V3/8, V5/8. Should be read together with 54/1/692, Buffalo Beach. Whitianga harbour study produced by TCDC and published 1979. Outlined the basis for future development in the harbour. Two photographs of wharf and adjacent surrounds taken 1981. File indicates MWD had made a suggestion to build a groyne on the south end of Buffalo Beach in 1974. This idea again surfaced in this report and that of Raudkivi. Need to check MWD report should be on 96/115000 (river file). 54/1/692: Buffalo Beach Groynes (1981). TCDC file V5/8.There is a comment indicating there were float tests done in the bay to test current speed and direction, but report not on file. Comment says there had been six studies on Buffalo Beach to 1981 but they are not listed. TCDC applied to raise the level of the existing groynes in front of the rock wall to trap more sand. MWD opposed this as no further data had been collected since the Gibb (1973) report so no further ahead. Noted that the Pipi bank had disappeared in the 1960s and the beach eroded by means of a secondary channel parallel to the beach extending to the estuary entrance. Photographs of groynes taken 1981. Groyne upgrade approved but no record of it taking place. To find this out will need TCDC, Hauraki CB or MWD files. 54/1/872: Pontoon wharf, Ferry Landing Whitianga. No environmental data YCDC file V5/91, MWD 13/108. 54/2/201: Whitianga Wharfside Pump 1963. Fuel pump at Ferry Landing. No environmental information. 54/2/324: Boat Ramp Whitianga. No environmental information. 54/2/462: Boat shed slipway Whitianga 1969. MD 54/9/322. No environmental information. 54/2/722: Causeway Whitianga Harbour. Lands and Survey file 3/1995 TCDC 5.2.1a. MWD Paeroa 7/17. No environmental information. 54/2/621: Boatshed slipway Whitianga harbour 1973. Site in Robinson Road turned down as residential area. No environmental information. 54/3/871: Whitianga Wharf Volume 1 1969–1981. Associated files 54/14/70, 43/78/3, 43/78/8, 54/48/13 and 54/3/151. The wharf needed extensions because the Navy used Whitianga as a base for fisheries patrols and took up the majority of wharf space. Fishing boats, fertiliser barges and recreational boats found it difficult to refuel and load or unload. Original wharf built in 1930’s at this site. Demonstrates the importance of the coastal trade at this time. TCDC file 5.2.2 and V5/8/1. MWD file 7/17 and 6/141. There is reference to a 21 plus page report called the “Whitianga Harbour Study” undertaken by TCDC planning division. The file contains a copy of Raudkivi’s coastal stability and sediment movement report. 54/3/421: Fawcett’s Wharf Coromandel County. Commences 1966. File 5.2.2. Wharf was deemed unsafe and a danger to users. Black and white photographs show structure but nothing of the adjacent foreshore. No environmental information. 54/3/151: Wharves Coromandel County Council, Vol. 2. Related file 54/3/395. Whitianga wharf Coromandel County file 5.10.1. A report details the problems with Whitianga Wharf 1976, authored by the local Fisherman’s Association. MWD Paeroa File 71/7. No environmental information. 54/2/907: Marina proposed for Whitianga, March 1985. Wilkinson Davies to design marina. Contains the local observations of the effects of the Chilean earthquake of 1960. 54/4/93: Reclamation Whitianga 1965. MWD Hamilton File 6/141. TCDC file V4/8/11. No environmental information. 54/10/28: Slipway Mercury Bay Boat Club, Whitianga 1946. Request to rebuild/replace the existing boat ramp. Coromandel County file 547. By 1957 the ramp under the control of the county. 54/8/98: Boat ramp Robinson Road, Whitianga 1972. No environmental information.

Whitianga estuary and adjacent coast north to Simpson’s Beach (Wharekaho).

1960 to 1984 with references to earlier information.

Frequency of collection: Infrequent/irregular

Gaps in collection: Many files and pieces of information from the files are missing. Many engineer's reports are missing from the files held by Environment Waikato. Completeness: Only includes information available on specific files. Important to note that Ministry of Works files contain further environmental information relating to these files.

Physical files Digital Format: n/a

Historical background to the development of the area.

Freely available in EW archives Sensitivity/Confidentiality: No confidentiality, public information

Files closed. Include a note where this record continues after end date of file where possible – e.g. Dept of Conservation files. These files have been continued where appropriate but have been amalgamated and given a new file number by DOC making sourcing more recent information difficult.

Additional comments: By-law Development and the County Councils Control of the foreshore, lakeshore and riverbeds was vested in the Marine Department (MD) and then later in the Ministry of Transport (MOT). As roads improved access to the coast and lakes increased and the MOT vested its powers in the local County Councils to enable them to create by laws to control the use of these areas while the MOT retained overall control and was responsible for vetting any proposed by law. Jetties and Wharves There were two types of jetties and wharves; those built for catching Whitebait, and the fishing boat jetty. As the local fishing industry developed, there was a steady increase in requests for licenses for jetties to load and unload fishing boats. Records in the files indicate that there was either a shortage of hardwood for jetty piles or the locals preferred to rely on piles made from Manuka or Kanuka. This is especially noticeable of the piles used for fishing boat jetties. As the fishing fleet grew so did the demand for fish processing facilities on shore. The increased number of requests for jetties for commercial fishing probably reflects the increased government investment in the fishing industry in the 1960s and 1970s. Boat sheds Boat sheds that housed a launch or dinghy between uses were common up to the 1960s. In the 1970s and onwards there are few requests to license a boatshed. This is probably because of the increased use of light materials for boat construction such as fibreglass and aluminium and the development of the boat and trailer combination. Thus boaties did not have a boat at one location but were mobile and could go to a variety of destinations both fresh and salt water. This added mobility probably also reflects better roading and better vehicles. Boat ramps These appear associated with two activities. Commercial fishing or the storage of a boat used occasionally. As roads improved and boat-building materials became lighter the trailed boat became more popular. This in turn put pressure on local County Councils to either build boat ramps or license boat ramps to be built by for fishing or Boat clubs to access the water. After a burst of activity in the 1960s and 1970s many clubs were wound up leaving the structure the responsibility of the local Council. Slipways Slipway installation commenced from the earliest of settlements because most of the early communities were serviced by boat and needed repair and maintenance facilities locally. There were also some slipways constructed by local boating and sailing clubs. Boat Clubs. There seems to have been an upsurge of boat clubs in the late 1960s early 1970s but by the end of the decade wanted to transfer their ramp assets to the local county. Falling membership could not sustain the costs of licenses and maintenance for buildings and ramps. Bridge Construction The notification of many new bridges built on the roads of the Coromandel indicates the slow but steady improvement of roading on the Coromandel Peninsula. There are a series of files that examine bridges as they might affect a waterway for navigation. This demonstrates the importance placed on sea compared to road transport. The second aspect of the bridge construction is the development of better roads and therefore the less importance of the coastal trade to the development of the country. Note that up to the 1970s, fertiliser was barged to Whitianga but after that time it was more common to truck the material in. Sand and Shingle Mining. The winning of aggregate from the foreshore is noticeable as an early occupation of coastal freighters, particularly scows. Beach sediments did not need crushing for the most part and were therefore in high demand as cheap roading material, especially for the growing Auckland market. Where shingle was not readily available, shell material was used for a road surfacing material. Most of the files stored at Environment Waikato start in the 1960s or later and refer to earlier files about the same beaches. Therefore in Archives in either Auckland or Wellington there are probably earlier files outlining activities prior to 1960. There is also a reference to a previous ban on sand mining along the west coast of the Coromandel prior to 1960. This may refer to changes that were enacted after the Rabone Report of 1950. The sand mining applications also highlight the importance of coastal traffic right up to the 1960s and 1970s. Fertiliser was shipped to Whitianga wharf from Auckland and Tauranga and scows took a back load of sand from Whangapoua Harbour entrance to Auckland to lower their costs. Mining licences were also pursued at other beaches such as Otama so that scows could load under differing wind and wave conditions. The 1960 Chilean Earthquake and Tsunami This event seems to have had considerable effect in the northern Coromandel. There is a detailed account of the effects of the tsunami on shipping and on the removal of Snapper Rock from near the entrance of Whitianga Harbour. There is also a reference to the damage to Buffalo Beach, suggesting the erosion that led to the construction of the rock wall and later the groynes built by the MWD commenced as part of the effects of the tsunami. In Kennedy Bay the spit that separated the Harataunga Stream from the sea was breached and the river took a direct route to the ocean in a more southerly position. As a result, the old entrance and estuary became stagnant and polluted with septic tank discharges, cowshed effluent and the odd dead animal washed down from the hills. Marine Farming The Marine Farming Act was passed in 1971 but it was only towards the end of the 1970s that marine farming began to be developed in the area around Coromandel Harbour. Early applications were met with strong resistance by Auckland boat users who thought that marine farms would interfere with their recreation along the Coromandel west coast, especially within Coromandel Harbour. As the development of marine farms became accepted there were fewer objections and the industry became well established. The Thames Coromandel District Council (TCDC) commissioned a study to determine sites suitable for marine farming. This report also indicated where marine farming should not take place and became the main planning document for further coastal development. Related information: All these files are related to Ministry of Works and Development files as the MWD was the adviser to MOT.