Blythe Smart Publications

New Zealand Historic Sites

Volume I: North Island - Auckland

 

ISBN: To be allocated     size 260 x 200    

Amazon Kindle (Revised Edition)     $6.99    (2016)

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1. Northland and the Bay of Islands

2. Auckland and its Environs

3. The Waikato and King Country

4. Rotorua Thermal Region

5. Coromandel and the Bay of Plenty

6. East Cape and Gisborne     (also see pictures below)

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The love affair with New Zealand began in 1998, and travelling to a culture on the other side of the world brought a change in perception that was of a permanent nature. The country with its unique wildlife and stunning scenery had its origins in the British colonisation of the 19th century, and cities like Christchurch were said to be more English than England. However, there was in fact a unique Kiwi culture that was continually diverging, even more so due to the strength of the Maori population and its political activism.

  Having travelled the country to visit the natural wonders, the fine cities with their colonial heritage, and buildings of distinct vernacular design, worked  as an apple picker at Nelson, and tramped the bush over the Alpine divide, a new idea for a book soon became apparent. After moving to Hoon Hay in Christchurch in 2010 the work was started and was an attempt to visit every historic site of importance in the country. This included homesteads, grand English houses, Maori wharenui, sites of historic events, natural wonders, railway heritage, industrial innovations and wayside plaques.

  The work was often undertaken from a tent whilst staying at Department of Conservation campsites including tramping into the bush, whilst no stone was left unturned and the screech of tyres announced another plaque had just been seen beside the road. Other research was undertaken in the cities and in this regard we must thank friends and relatives in Auckland, Napier, New Plymouth and Dunedin who helped us by providing a bed.

  There were many English style churches including by architects who lived at home such as Loughborough Pearson, ones that trained in England and moved there such as Benjamin Mountfort, and others born in the country such as Francis Petre. This was fascinating work and New Zealand edifices had a distinctive style using native woods such as rimu and totara. There was a unique and rugged landscape to traverse and a four wheel drive was essential to reach the heights of Nevis Crossing, whilst the oil seal went on the Danvers Pass, and the car stuck in a ford just below Church Hill Road in the Esk Valley with the church our target just in sight above us.

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Christchurch Earthquake

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The Canterbury Earthquake occurred prior to our arrival in September 2010, and the Christchurch Earthquake struck the land with great devastation and loss of life in February 2011. We wept when we learnt its regal cathedral by George Gilbert Scott now lay in pieces on the ground. It was possible for visitors to climb the stone tower, and it was a miracle of Biblical proportions that all were evacuated safely before it came crashing down.

  The pioneers made a critical misjudgment since the city was built upon a swamp, thus the brick buildings fell on those inside and only wooden ones remained standing. We had intended to go to the city that day but stayed at home to write instead, and during the quake we tried to save our valuables as the chimney came crashing down. We saw a grey liquid filling up the street, and thought a water main had burst, but learnt this was liquefaction which became a major feature of life there. It made most of the east suburbs by the river uninhabitable and they remained like a bombsite in the war, and it was no surprise to see cars swallowed up into the roadside.

  There were many tragic tales such as the workers lost when removing an organ from a church in Durham Street (from the other quake), and the entire residents were on edge as aftershocks continued there for years. During a birthday trip to Sumner Beach in June 2011, we met a scared lady who had lost both parents on a bus in the centre. On walking along the seafront a large aftershock hit, and we witnessed the entire cliffs above the road come crashing down with clouds of dust like in a controlled explosion. Only the line of containers below the cliffs prevented loss of life, and we met a man running about who declared, "This is the end, the city will never recover."

  It was indeed a most traumatic event and there was a desperate lack of housing, an atmosphere of fear or dread, and the prospect of twenty years before it would truly recover. The entire South Island was affected since this was the capital, and after continuing the research and with our visa expiring we decided to return to England. On further visits to complete the research and to see family in 2013 and 2016, we found the entire central business district was flattened like a ghost town and new suburbs to the west. The first two volumes of New Zealand Historic sites were finally ready in Kindle format in 2017, while the paperback editions require further work (mainly the picture layout and indexing) before they will be published.