Steam vessel's move a shortlived one

Port Otago's dredge, New Era, tows historic dredge Te Whaka to a new birth in the upper harbour...
Port Otago's dredge, New Era, tows historic dredge Te Whaka to a new birth in the upper harbour this week. Photo by Stephen Jaquiery.
Te Whaka, the near derelict resident of Otago Harbour's wharves, was moved to a new home at Fryatt wharf this week, but the move was short-lived.

A problem with the 98-year-old steam vessel riding up under the wharf meant it had to be returned to its former home at Birch St wharf when the tide came in, former Te Whaka Heritage Trust member Alasdair Morrison said.

Once the wharf had been altered, Te Whaka would be returned to Fryatt wharf, probably in the next couple of days.

The vessel, which had been a resident of Dunedin wharves for about 13 years and was now Auckland-owned, was waiting for an opportunity to go on to the Kitchener St slipway for repair work.

However, the slipway was fully booked until September or October as commercial vessels took priority.

The move across the upper harbour was to enable the Otago Regional Council to begin its refurbishment of the wharf, he said.

Otago Regional Council chief executive Graeme Martin said work to restore the wharf was dependent on the outcome of Ferrum Engineering's appeal of the decision to allow the council's new office block to be built alongside the wharf.

"Clearly, the investment in the site depends on the ability to use the site."

Council policy was that standard berthage charge structures be applied, the same commercial policy of former wharf owner Port Otago, Mr Martin said.

"Given the nature of the vessel, it is very prudent of its owner to relocate."

Talks between Ferrum and the regional council about the appeal were continuing and, in the meantime, demolition and reclamation of the former Sealord's site was under way, he said.

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