(Social) Heritage KEY INDICATOR

Transcription

1 Heritage (Social) Waitakere City s heritage involves those aspects of both the natural and cultural environment, which have been inherited from the past, define the present and will be handed on to future generations. Waitakere City has a unique and distinctive physical setting and natural environment. Its rich resources have attracted human settlement for at least the last 1000 years. Few other areas of Auckland have experienced the ranges of industries and horticultural activities and variety of urban environments - from bush living and coastal bach settlements to the archetypal post-war suburbs. The result is a rich and varied place, much of which the community clearly values and wishes to pass on into the future. Few other areas of Auckland have experienced the ranges of industries and horticultural activities and variety of urban environments KEY INDICATOR Number of heritage sites and archaeological sites listed in the Proposed District Plan: 207 heritage sites and 28 archaeological sites at June 2001 The heritage and archaeological status of these sites has been determined through an appeal and settlement process as the Proposed District Plan becomes a final District Plan. 9 heritage sites that were previously listed at June 2000 were removed in the course of this process. The Waitakere City Council is working towards the Proposed District Plan becoming final in June This chapter highlights the following key heritage themes: 1. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR HERITAGE 2. PROTECTION OF HERITAGE SITES, HERITAGE TREES AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES UNDER THE PROPOSED DISTRICT PLAN PROVISIONS 3. INDUSTRIES WHICH HAVE SHAPED OUR HERITAGE (THE BRICK AND POTTERY INDUSTRY, TIMBER MILLING, GUMDIGGING, ORCHARDS, FARMING AND VITICULTURE, THE WATER INDUSTRY, AND THE RAIL INDUSTRY) CH.7 Heritage (Social) Page 1

2 1. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The New Zealand Historic Places Trust is the national body that is charged with promoting the identification, protection, preservation and conservation of the historical and cultural heritage of New Zealand. It has specific responsibilities regarding archaeological sites and it produces and maintains a national register of historical places and areas, waahi tapu and waahi tapu areas. Waitakere City Council, the Auckland Regional Council, Historic Places Trust and any Minister of the Crown are Heritage Protection Authorities under the Resource Management Act 1991( the Act ). Therefore, they are empowered and required by that Act to address heritage resources when promoting the sustainable management of natural and physical resources. Waitakere City Council s Proposed District Plan lists heritage items, trees and archaeological sites in the City. Some of the pressures on the City s heritage are: o Development pressures - value of land, impact of other uses o Lack of knowledge about cultural heritage o Social/economic conditions o Changing values Some responses taken in the past include: o Protection of listed sites o Conservation plans for some sites Waitakere City Council s Proposed District Plan lists heritage items, trees and archaeological sites in the City. Waahi tapu sites are not publicly listed because of their sensitivity. Iwi are responsible for the management of waahi tapu sites. A process is in place between iwi and the Council that enables iwi to identify an interest in resource consent applications of significance to them. o Guardianship of waahi tapu by iwi o Resource consent required to alter heritage buildings o Some restoration Te Kawerau a Maki and Ngati Whatua iwi hold manawhenua (customary authority) within Waitakere City. The history of these iwi is outlined in the Proposed District Plan. CH.7 Heritage (Social) Page 2

3 2. PROPOSED DISTRICT PLAN PROVISIONS HERITAGE SITES There were 216 heritage sites or structures listed in the Proposed District Plan following the release of decision notices. The Council received six appeals to the Environment Court involving 14 listed heritage items. Nine items were deleted from the list through settlement of appeals to the Plan, leaving a total of 207 heritage items at June The items listed in the Heritage Appendix in the City Wide Rules Section of the Proposed District Plan are protected by specific Heritage Rules. Each of the listed heritage items is assigned a Category (I, II or III) that determines its level of protection under the Plan. Category I heritage status is assigned to items that are most susceptible to loss of their heritage values if modified. There are currently 16 Category I heritage items in the City, 111 Category II items, and 80 Category III items. These management categories are outlined below: Category I Structures of high value that should not be modified, or modified only minimally. For example Lopdell House and the Glen Eden Playhouse. Category II Structures of value, but where change could be considered if it is in keeping with the character. This category mostly includes dwellings. There are 28 archaeological sites listed in the Heritage Appendix of the Proposed District Plan. These are sites which have been identified as significant by the community. Category III Structures of value, but where change could be considered if it is in keeping with the character. These items are good examples of their kind. This category recognises the need for greater flexibility in terms of the management of the items. Demolition may be considered according to stipulated criteria. An application for a resource consent is required for any proposals to modify, alter or demolish heritage buildings/structures. These are processed free of charge. HERITAGE TREES In addition to heritage sites, there are 115 heritage trees listed in the Heritage Appendix of the District Plan. General tree protection controls offer a degree of protection to trees considered to have amenity value, so the trees protected in the District Plan Heritage Appendix are those having particular heritage value. PROTECTION OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES There are 28 archaeological sites listed in the Heritage Appendix of the Proposed District Plan. These are sites that, over time, have been identified as significant by the community. The Historic Places Act 1993 definition of archaeological site includes sites that have been modified by Maori and are of significance to iwi. The approach used in the Plan considers such sites as waahi tapu rather than as archaeological sites. Thus, in the context of heritage sites, waahi tapu refers to modified sites of significance to tangata whenua holding manawhenua status in Waitakere City, and archaeological sites refers to all other sites. Under the Historic Places Act 1993, all archaeological sites including waahi tapu are protected whether recorded or not. Any alteration of waahi tapu and known, recorded archaeological sites requires a resource consent from the Council and authority from the Historic Places Trust. CH.7 Heritage (Social) Page 3

4 3. INDUSTRIES THAT HAVE SHAPED OUR HERITAGE Heritage items associated with the brick and pottery industry include: THE BRICK AND POTTERY INDUSTRY The brick and pottery industry has made an important contribution to the history of Waitakere City. Dr Pollen established the first brickworks in Waitakere City in 1852 beside the Whau River. This enabled his products to be transported by water to the Auckland market. Brick and stone structures were few in number in Auckland given the profusion of kauri trees at the time. Bricks were virtually only in demand for chimneys and fireplaces. The brick and pottery industry has made an important contribution to the history of Waitakere City. o The Kiln at Ambrico Place, New Lynn is listed as a Category I item. o 5 workers dwellings at Hobsonville listed as Category II buildings. o Several art deco brick buildings constructed in New Lynn. o Clark House Category I (see picture below). o Hobsonville Cemetery Category II site includes the graves of early settlers from the brickworks including R O Clark Junior. Archaeological sites associated with brick and pottery includes the Brickworks Site Clark Road, Limeburners Bay, West Harbour, and the Brickworks site, Harbourview Estate. The banks of the tidal inlets in the Upper Waitemata Harbour were the most common sites during the next ninety years for manufacturing bricks- most of which were on the Whau River and around New Lynn. Initially the limited supply of fine clay in the deposits attracted experienced brickmakers who, with one or two assistants and a minimum of equipment, usually a pick, shovel, spade, wheel barrow and brick moulds, would make and fire bricks on the site from where they could be transported by water to Auckland on barges. The Chelsea Sugar Works on the North Shore were constructed with bricks made on site together with supplies of bricks made on the Whau River. During the 1860 s and 1870 s, a variety of machinery for processing clay was first imported and later manufactured in Auckland. To the north of the City, Hobsonville was a centre for the heavy clay industry with the first brickworks being started in Limeburners Bay by Joshua Carder and R.O Clark in the 1860 s. Later both works were to specialise in manufacturing a wide variety of glazed products including drainpipes, garden ornaments and household units. TIMBER INDUSTRY Timber milling in the City began with Thomas Mitchell at Cornwallis in 1836, where he built a house and employed pitsawers to cut Kauri growing along the shore of the Manukau Harbour. Others continued with timber milling on the Manukau for the next thirty years, and further north at Whatipu, Piha and Anawhata for another twenty years. There were isolated pitsawing stations in the Oratia Valley in the early 1840s followed by Henderson s Mill in the mid 1840 s and Swanson s Mill in the 1850 s continuing for about twenty years. Isolated pockets of trees were felled later throughout the whole area, with the Piha Mill and tramway being used until Pohutukawa and Northern Rata were cleared in the northern Waitakere Ranges until the early 1940s for firewood. There were isolated pitsawing stations in the Oratia Valley in the early 1840s followed by Henderson s Mill in the mid 1840s and Swanson s Mill in the 1850s continuing for about 20 years. CH.7 Heritage (Social) Page 4

5 Through the years, the firm produced over 45 million feet of kauri and exported it to many ports of the world. Much of the kauri was also used locally to construct houses throughout the region. The favoured method for transporting timber out of the Waitakere Ranges was to construct dams upstream and gradually fill these with logs over a period of time, then break the dam and raft the timber down to the Waitemata. ORCHARDS, FARMING AND VITICULTURE The farms, orchards and vineyards of Waitakere began as the settlers followed the loggers and the gumdiggers. The land was found to be suitable for orchards and vineyards, so many Yugoslav families came to make a living in the area among the dairy farms while the Corban family from Lebanon started their vineyard, horticultural and mixed farming operation. Heritage sites associated with the timber industry include: o Henderson s Mill Cottage, Category II. o Oratia Folk Museum, Category II. o Various Timber dwellings and commercial buildings, for example the Falls Hotel, Category I. Archaeological sites associated with timber include: Dam Swanson Stream timber rafter dam, Sawpit, Piha Road, West Coast, Former Henderson s Mill Site, Opanuku stream, Henderson, Karekau Mill, Karekare, Stringer Dam Karekare, West Coast, Rafter Dam, Pararaha Stream, Foote s Pararaha Mill, Dam Whatipu Valley, Niagra Saw Mill Site, Karamatura, Huia. Gumdigging in Waitakere was never a large-scale operation but it was an occupation for many released prisoners and others who lived in Don Buck s Camp The Oratia Valley has been notable for its orchards. Oratia means the place where the sun shines brightly and is noted in Maori legends. When orchards were first established in Oratia there was little in the way of machinery to assist production. Originally fruit was graded by hand- they had four different bins made of sacks and got their box of fruit sorted and sized into each bin. In 1924 a co-operative packing shed was built on the site of the present Settlers Hall, although it was burnt down in Orcharding was very much a family concern although mostly seasonal workers were employed at picking time. Over the last thirty years, there has been a decline in the number of orchards in Oratia. Pressures have included increasing land prices, residential subdivisions in the area, low quality soils, and reduced viability of some orchards in the area. The number of vineyards operating in Waitakere City has significantly decreased in the last thirty years, although the remaining vineyards have become one of the City s main tourist attractions. The Council is in the process of developing a winery Special Area to support the wine industry. GUMDIGGING Gumdigging in Waitakere was never a large-scale operation but it was an occupation for many released prisoners and others who lived in Don Buck s Camp, situated near the Swanson end of Don Buck Road. The camp had an unsavoury reputation, with drunkenness being common. Heritage sites associated with the orchards, farming and viticulture industry include: o Corban's Wine Shop, Corban Estate, Category II. o Corban Homestead and various buildings, Corban Estate, Category II. o 527 West Coast Road Oratia, Category I also listed as a Category II building by the Historic Places Trust. o 680 Swanson Road, Swanson- former winemaking and storage shed built by MB Yozin, Category III. CH.7 Heritage (Social) Page 5

6 o Oratia Folk Museum, Category II. o Various heritage dwellings listed in the Oratia, Glen Eden and Henderson areas. o 522 West Coast Road, Oratia Oratia School, Category II. THE WATER INDUSTRY The substantial watershed of the Waitakere Ranges has provided a valuable water source for the Auckland region for most of the 20 th century. The three dams (or filter stations) at Waitakere Nihotupu, and Huia were all constructed between 1900 and They are of an era in terms of design, appearance and technology and represent the earliest response to the demand for a water supply which took advantage of the large neighbouring watersheds of the Waitakere Ranges. These three filter stations are listed in the Proposed District Plan as heritage items and, through negotiations; the interiors of the Huia and Waitakere filter stations were listed. Heritage sites associated with the water industry include: Rail in Waitakere City put Auckland within easy reach and solved many problems for the previously isolated community in the west. The advent of rail allowed loads of timber, produce and fruit crops of local orchards to be transported to their intended market as well as encouraging tourism. Heritage sites associated with rail include: o Glen Eden Railway Station- Category I o Henderson Railway Station, Railside Ave- Category I Archaeological sites associated with rail include: o West Coast Stream Locomotive, Karekare Beach - locomotive remains, Timber Tramway Remains - Karekare/Whatipu Beaches - Tramway remains, built 1881, Tram Boiler Pararaha, West Coast. o Huia Filter Station, External Category II (specific elements), Internal Category III (specific elements) o Nihotupu Filter Station External Category II (specific elements), Internal Category III (specific elements) o Waitakere Filter Station External Category II (specific elements), Internal, Category III (specific elements) RAIL INDUSTRY In 1877 the New Zealand Railways called for tenders for the construction of a railway line from Newmarket to Waikumete (Glen Eden), which was completed in By June 1880 trains were running almost as far as Swanson while on the Kumeu side of the Waitakere tunnel all formation and bridges had been completed and stations erected. The line was opened for business to Henderson in December 1880 and by 1881 the link to Kumeu was completed. (The West Auckland Historical Society Celebrates 100 Years of Tracks and Trains Through Henderson ) In 1877 the New Zealand Railways called for tenders for the construction of a railway line from Newmarket to Waikumete which was completed in 1880 and by 1881 the link to Kumeu was completed. CH.7 Heritage (Social) Page 6

7 Heritage (Social) C A S E S T U D Y For many years the Falls THE FALLS HOTEL Hotel has been a landmark building in Henderson. The Oratia Hotel was built in 1873 to provide accommodation for the travelling public. The hotel's name was changed in 1890 to Falls Hotel, after the Waitakere Falls, which were a major tourist attraction in the late nineteenth century. The first proprietor was "Shepherd" John McLeod, Thomas Henderson's farm manager. For many years the Falls Hotel has been a landmark building in Henderson. However, after the fire in 1953, the building went through a long period of decline. In 1996, the Norcross Companies and Norcross family gifted the building to the Falls Hotel Preservation Trust for relocation to Alderman Drive, Henderson. The building has been restored to its former glory, while retaining its historic décor and character. It operates as a café and restaurant. The Falls Hotel is located by the Oratia stream and is part of the Henderson heritage trail. (For further details about the heritage trail, go to Falls Hotel in its original state, CH.7 Heritage (Social) Page 7

8 WHAT THE COUNCIL IS DOING: WHAT YOU CAN DO: A number of initiatives have been undertaken by the Council and its predecessors in relation to heritage issues in the City. These include: o Protection of the City s built heritage through district plan rules. o Support and endorsement for a number of local histories. o Provision of financial support for the protection of a number of heritage buildings primarily Falls Hotel and Mill Cottage. o Waiving of fees for resource consents for heritage buildings etc and the provision of advice and assistance with design issues relating to heritage buildings. Waiving of fees for resource consents for heritage buildings etc and the provision of advice and assistance with design issues relating to heritage buildings o Get involved with local historical societies and community group projects. o Ensure that heritage issues are part of any community planning. o Maintain heritage buildings, sites, items and information of value to the community. Get involved with local historical societies and community group projects o Funding for the creation of a computerised system of heritage sites in conjunction with the Auckland Regional Council. o Conservation plans for the protection and maintenance of heritage sites such as Waikumete Cemetery. o Development of a heritage strategy. o Holding archives, databases and a collection of information and photographs for safekeeping and access to the public. CH.7 Heritage (Social) Page 8

9 T H E S T A T E O F W A I T A K E R E C I T Y HERITAGE (SOCIAL) U p d a t e d a s a t 1 S e p t e m b e r U p d a t e w w w. w a i t a k e r e. g o v t. n z C H. 7 H e r i t a g e ( S o c i a l ) P a g e 9