Historic barge to be restored
A barge that provided settlers passage over the Rangit¯ıkei River 168 years ago is to get a makeover.
The flat-bottomed barge, used to ferry travellers, stock and freight across the river before bridges were constructed, lies rotting on the side of the road, less than 50 metres from where it first operated in 1850.
The service, started by Thomas Scott, operated between Tangimoana and Parewanui, now known as Scotts Ferry.
The ferry operated until 1987, when the port was destroyed in a flood.
The barge was left exposed to elements and its once impenetrable totara and matai deck is now rotted and crumbling. It’s so fragile an unsuspecting woman fell through its deck while walking along it a few years ago.
Now, the ferry’s guardians have come together to revive the decaying boat for future generations.
The community has funded the $7000 project and will provide free labour and equipment. Fletcher Easysteel, Bunnings and Mirage Signs are discounting or donating materials, and the Rangit¯ıkei District Council has contributed $2000.
The Rural Women’s Group will also replant and landscape the area around the barge.
The Heritage New Zealand category one structure is a reminder of the importance ferries had in New Zealand’s history when there were no bridges, Heritage New Zealand coordinator David Watt said.
The barge was a significant memorial to a form of transport that operated in New Zealand exclusively in the 19th century, Watt said.
Prior to the introduction of a coach service in the 1870s, the main route from Wellington to Whanganui, and beyond, was up the coastline.
When Scott established the service, he also set up a trading post and accommodation house at Parewanui. Naturally, the ferry took his name, as did the settlement.
‘‘It’s quite an important asset of national importance,’’ Bulls Museum member Tony Simms said. ‘‘It’s important for us to recognise how people travelled before bridges were around... when settlers were around.’’
Only two other barges in New Zealand have been restored, Simms said. He was working with the council to install signage in Bulls to lure motorists off State Highways 1 and 3.
Despite the barge’s deteriorated deck, it still floats, Simms said. In the 2004 flood, it floated around a paddock 200 metres down the road after water lifted it 2m over a nearby fence.
A local farmer used his tractor to drag it back, while the area was still flooded, otherwise it would have come to rest in the paddock forever.
Retired engineer Kevin Ellery is fronting the restoration project. His team of volunteers will replace the deck, side brackets and steel, and ensure the barge retains its original and authentic look.
The bottom frame will be all that remains from the day it was constructed.