Oh well, sinkhole really just septic
A small but hazardous sinkhole that emerged near Russell’s Tamati Waka Nene Reserve recently may not be archaeological but it still represents part of the town’s rich history.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Northland manager Bill Edwards put on his archaeologist’s hat recently and investigated the unusual phenomenon after receiving notification that a hole in the ground had emerged near the entrance to the reserve.
‘‘Initially, I thought the sinkhole might relate to recent heavy rain from Cyclone Gabrielle disturbing the soil structure beneath the surface,’’ he says.
‘‘Given that this is an archaeologically sensitive part of Russell, I wondered whether archaeological material buried there decades ago might have become disturbed as a result of the heavy rainfall, causing the depression in the ground. I also wanted to check whether an old well had suddenly opened up.’’
In the end, the cause of the 1.2m-deep cavity was far more prosaic – an old septic tank that had collasped causing the hole to open up, creating a hazard for the unwary pedestrian.
‘‘After taking a closer look, I could see that the septic tank was quite old and had been constructed from local beach gravel,’’ Edwards says. ‘‘There were also old bolts and other metal odds and ends that had been thrown into the mix in order to provide a bit of simple reinforcing for the tank. It’s likely that the tank had been built by a landowner for a seaside bach – possibly in the early 20th century.’’
Although not the most impressive piece of DIY he has seen – nor the most scintillating of archaeological features – according to Edwards says, if you draw a long-ish bow, the cracked septic tank could be regarded as an under-appreciated example of Kiwiana.
‘‘The septic tank harks back to the days when Russell had declined from being a bustling port in the early 19th century to becoming a small seaside community and where people used their skills to build their own little slices of paradise from fibrolite, corrugated iron and other inexpensive materials,’’ he says.
‘‘Today, of course, nobody would be able to get away with throwing together their own septic tank and burying it in such an environmentally and heritage sensitive area. It does tell a story, though, of how people reused locally sourced materials like beach gravel and any other available materials close to hand to create their own bach paradise.
‘‘Our knowledge of heritage and environmental factors has increased a lot since those post
War days and today sustainability is at the forefront of our thinking.
‘‘The septic tank is a relic of our past – though I would probably stop short of describing it as an artefact.’’
Heritage NZ Pouhere Taonga has recommended that the concrete tank be broken up and used, along with beach gravel, to fill the hole.