New Zealand Heritage Properties

22/10/2025

Sometimes our team get to take a boat to work, and that is always a good day. Team member Heath got to visit Quarantine Island a few weeks ago!

Prior to the establishment of a permanent quarantine facility in Dunedin, emigration vessels that required quarantining simply docked off the coast of Hamilton Bay. After the arrival of a few vessels laden with infectious and/or contagious diseases in the late 1850s and early 1860s, plans for a more permanent facility began to be undertaken. Kamau Taurua, later to be known as Quarantine Island, was the obvious choice.

While two buildings and a rock pier (which still exists today) were constructed in 1861, these remained unused and fell into disrepair by the following year. On 26 June 1863, the facilities on the neighbouring Rabbit Island were temporarily converted into a powder magazine – an unlucky decision given that the first smallpox-infected vessel arrived just two weeks later on 12 July! An estimated 358 passengers crammed into the accommodations barely designed to contain 200, and to make matters worse, a hospital had not yet been constructed on the island to date, so the passengers were required to build one themselves!

While these earlier buildings have since been demolished, various improvements were made in the 1870s that added a new Keeper’s Cottage, wooden jetty at the end of the causeway, and an additional accommodation quarters, all of which remain to this day. Quarantine Island/Kamau Taurua remained in use as a quarantine facility and later as a military hospital until 1924, when it was closed and transferred to the Crown.

15/10/2025

Quite a few notable examples of nineteenth century infrastructure can be encountered throughout many of Dunedin’s outer suburbs. This example, a bluestone bridge with timber decking, was encountered on three separate occasions in Sawyers Bay, just beneath the modern road surface. Historical research indicates that it was possibly constructed by the 1880s and has since been subject to various phases of repair and/or renewal, evident through the use of three sequences of nineteenth century hardwood (totara) and modern timber decking.

13/10/2025

Our director Hayden Cawte is excited to be judging a student debate TOMORROW NIGHT in Timaru, RSVP to the Timaru Civic Trust if this is your kind of thing!

We are really looking forward to hearing what our students have to say about our Heritage Buildings - we invite you to our Student Debate - Save our Heritage or Build New... Thank you to Roncalli College.

We are also excited to share the Dr Hayden Cawte, Managing Director from New Zealand Heritage Properties (who are also kindly sponsoring our event), will be with us on the night as one of our guest debating judges. He will share his views in the debates' closing remarks as well.

We hope you can make it along to be part of this conversation, to support the students, and to hear what Hayden has to say.

We will start with a short AGM, followed by the main event.
6pm 15 Oct 2025 at the Timaru Landing Services Building.

All welcome, free entry
Please RSVP info@timarucivictrust.co.nz

08/10/2025

Situated outside our Dunedin office are two alignments of bluestone setts on Police Street. While these setts would have initially been flush with the kerb – which has since been replaced with a modern concrete kerb and gutter – they provide a glimpse into the nineteenth century roading infrastructure which would have once been present throughout majority of the city centre.

Police Street is mentioned in newspaper articles from 1867, shortly after the first stages of reclamation of the Otago Harbour had been completed and in 1870, the street was built up through the use of prison labour to allow for easier access between Princes Street and Bond Street. It is unclear exactly when these setts were initially laid – in 1873 a transcribed speech from a city council candidate outlines his outrage over the expenditure of £1000 to kerb and channel Police Street, which seemingly fell on deaf ears as tenders were summoned again in 1876 to form a kerb and channel.

Bluestone setts such as these and other roading features are commonplace throughout Dunedin – once you start noticing them, you’ll see them everywhere you go!

02/09/2025

Last week our team lifted what looked like a fairly standard concrete porch entryway from a demolished pre-1900 house… and we were met with a surprise.

As the porch came up, a cascade of old machinery fell out from underneath. We're talking gears, parts, and tools that had clearly been hidden away for decades.

Can you guess what these pieces were used for? Drop your theories in the comments — we’d love to hear them!

28/08/2025

NZHP was able to visit two historic gold mining sites over the past week, and we’ve come across a few intriguing water races. Water races are man-made channels used primarily for irrigation, stock watering, and historically for gold mining. These larger water races were found to intersect with smaller races at several points across the site. These features offer a quiet reminder of the ingenuity and effort that shaped these landscapes. We’re continuing to document them with care, mindful of the stories they hold.

22/08/2025

Have you been marveling at the new ACC building on Dowling Street? Then boy do we have a treat for you - our wonderful team member Megan Lawrence is presenting a talk on the archaeological investigations we undertook at the Dowling Street site as part of this development on Wednesday 27th August! See the attached flyer for more details and be there or be square/uninformed about the FIRST first church etc etc

11/08/2025

Have you wandered through Dunedin’s iconic city centre, The Octagon, and wondered what stories its buildings could tell?

Take a look at this fascinating comparison: a photograph from circa 1900 alongside a modern view of one side of The Octagon. While the facades may have changed, the history is still very much alive.

From left to right in the historic photo:

The Dunedin Starr-Bowkett Building Society once offered financial services to locals (Cyclopedia Company Limited, 2021). Today, it’s home to Bacchus Wine Bar and Restaurant, serving fine food and wine in a heritage setting.

F. Howell & Co., renowned pianoforte manufacturers, occupied the next spot (Otago Daily Times, 2009). Now, you’ll find the lively Stuart Street Brew Bar.

Smith & Smith Ltd. operated a diverse business—from sign writing and decorating to stained glass and tailoring. Their enterprise spanned two buildings, which today house the elegant 1928 Regent Theatre (The History of the Regent, n.d.) and the vibrant Vault 21 Asian-Fusion restaurant.

The Dunedin Athenaeum was a hub of culture and commerce, hosting a library, photographers, hairdressers, and tailors. The Athenaeum Library still operates here, alongside Thistle Café and Bar and The Craic Irish Tavern.

Finally, the corner building once held Holden Piano and Organ Co. and F.J. Townsend, Jeweller. While the facade has been drastically altered, today, it’s the spirited Dunedin Social Club.

Next time you’re in The Octagon, take a moment to look beyond the modern storefronts. You might just uncover a piece of Dunedin’s rich history hidden in plain sight.

29/07/2025

A few months ago, our NZHP team had the privilege of touring the Dunedin City Council Archives — and what a fascinating journey it was! Although, we might have lost a few people along the way… they were so captivated by the historic treasure trove, they might just be a permanent part of the archives now!

We got a behind-the-scenes look at stunning historic city plans and beautifully preserved documents, along with how Dunedin’s rich history is carefully stored and protected.

It was a great opportunity to connect as a team, learn more about the city’s heritage, and reflect on the importance of preserving our collective stories. Huge thanks to the DCC Archives team for hosting us and sharing their incredible knowledge!

17/07/2025

Here are the answers to last week's challenge!

1. Building (name or nickname, decade built): University registry building / a.k.a. The Clocktower building – 1879 (photo: https://structurae.net/en/structures/university-of-otago-registry-building/media)
2. What street intersection is this?: Elder and Pitt Street
3. Building (name, decade built): North Dunedin Post office – 1879 (photo: https://www.heritage.org.nz/list-details/2154/Listing)
4. What’s this body of water called? Pelichet Bay surrounding Lake Logan (filled in for 1925-1926 New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition, photo: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F0ZTzabaQAA-Z76.jpg)
5. Building (name, decade built): Knox Church – 1876 (photo: https://www.southernpresbyterians.nz/church/Knox-Church-Dunedin)
6. Building (name, decade built): Old Knox Church – 1860 (photo: https://www.knoxchurch.org.nz/thechurch)
7. What shop is here today? What decade is the building from?: CJ Asian Supermarket - 1900-1901 (photo: https://cj-asian-supermarket-dunedin.wheree.com/)
8. Building (name, decade built): Exhibition Building at Dunedin / Hospital - 1865 (photo: Illustrated London News, 13 May 1865, p.457. https://teara.govt.nz/en/zoomify/45427/the-new-zealand-exhibition-dunedin-1865 #:~:text=These%20drawings%20from%20the%20Illustrated,reflecting%20lenses%20from%20a%20lighthouse)
9. Building (name, decade built): Dandie Dinmont Hotel – 1880 (photo: https://www.heritage.org.nz/list-details/7728/Dandie%20Dinmont%20Hotel%20(Former))

Bonus: name the decade this photo was taken in: 1900-1910 (it was taken in 1901 – which is actually on the photo itself!) (photo: https://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/object/764753?page=1&rtp=1&ros=1&asr=1&assoc=all&mb=c)