University of Otago anthropology student Maria Butcher (24)
sketches the early Dunedin causeway discovered at the
Dunedin City Council's Wall St development. Photo by
Stephen Jaquiery.
The fate of one of Dunedin's oldest streets, discovered
in the central city last month, will be known tomorrow.
The pedestrian causeway, made of manuka logs and buried in
mud, was discovered at the Dunedin City Council's Wall Street
development.
The 14m by 4m causeway was a "significant site" not just for
the city, but also New Zealand, Historic Places Trust (HPT)
regional archaeologist Dr Matthew Schmidt said.
"There hasn't been a find like this in New Zealand."
Dating back as early as 1850, the causeway would have been
built by early settlers not long after "stepping off the
boats".
The preferred option, based on archaeological finds overseas,
was to leave the causeway where it was, he said.
A report on the future of the causeway will be presented to
the council tomorrow by Wall St project manager Dave
McKenzie, the author of the report.
Mr McKenzie would not comment on possible options, but said
the causeway was "creating some challenges".
The findings of the report would also be discussed with the
Historic Places Trust, Mr McKenzie said.
"At this stage, we are unsure what the next step is," he
said.
Trust Otago Southland area manager Owen Graham said two
experts from Wellington would analyse the site.
"They will will give specialist advice in terms of managing
the resource."
Their findings would be presented to the council in
conjunction with the report, he said.
Southern Archaeology archaeologist Peter Petchey said a
decision on the future of the site would be welcome, as some
of the wood had deteriorated since the discovery.
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