December 2004
HELLO EVERYONE
The last newsletter of the year, but better late than
never!
Christmas Get Together
Wednesday 15th of December
Marine Rescue Centre
Mechanics Bay @ 7.30pm
A chance to get together, no speakers or elections, just
a drink, a bite to eat and good conversation and memories
So come and celebrate with other members and visitors the
culmination of an extremely busy year.
Please bring something special to eat.
Tea, Coffee and juice provided.
Last working bee for the year and BBQ Allan and
his band of merry volunteers are invited to an end of working
bee BBQ on the 11th of December 2004. Of course there will
be a few final tidying up things to do - Quartermaster Allan
is never satisfied - but the intention is to have a BBQ
lunch. The weather has been ordered. Please contact Allan
by email or phone (he now has a cellphone 027 309 1766)
for further details on what to bring. If not enough people
are interested it may be cancelled.
Working Bee Schedule for 2005 - no dates have yet
been set.
This is because the majority of the working bees will be
held at Islington Bay where we are starting work on Bach
114. Dates will require co-ordination with ferry timetables,
on the island transport and the delivery of materials. Accommodation
overnight for volunteers is also being arranged.
Look for any updates on the website - www.rangitoto.org
Allan and Andy have started new pages on progress of Bach
38 and 114 and are
soon to include photos.
Maintenance Update Bach 38 is basically finished
and ready for use by the Trust and our sponsor. Many many
thanks must go to all our volunteers who have attended our
weekend working bees and particular thanks also to the 'grey
brigade' who go down on weekdays, and to the staff from
Nestle New Zealand who were down recently and finished most
of the exterior painting and gave the inside a final clean.
Visitor Facilities in the Hauraki Gulf - Recreation
Opportunities Review
The results of this review have been published. Highlights
for Rangitoto are the decision not to have the campground
at Islington Bay in favour of one at Wreck Bay and the possible
inclusion of mountain bikes (which was commented on in the
NZ
Herald). To see the full report on the submissions and
decisions go to www.doc.govt.nz/Explore/DOC
Recreation Opportunities Review/pdf/Auckland results.pdf
Ministry of Culture and Heritage www.cultureandheritage.govt.nz
brings you up to date with government announcements on programs
for the provision and management of cultural resources such
as the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, history awards and policy
statements. Click through to Publications for annual reports,
statistics and media releases.
www.historic.org.nz
is the NZ Historic Places Trust website. It includes the
register of historic places, new additions and what they
are planning for their 50th anniversary next year.
Ferry timetables and ticket prices Before deciding
to come to Rangitoto it is a good idea to check the ferry
timetable. Fullers (367 9111) have a summer and winter timetable.
Recently Kawau Kat cruises started a service to Rangitoto.
Ring 0800 888 006 for further information (it doesn't stop
at Devonport). Both service providers have made reductions
in ticket prices recently so it pays to check.
All volunteers who come to our working bees receive a return
ticket for their next visit courtesy of Fullers who provide
us with discounted tickets and our sponsor AMP.
Annual Fishing Competition
Friday 31st December
Start Time: 10am sharp.
Finish Time: 12 noon sharp.
Tide: 1131 hrs. 3.0m
Judging: 12.30pm.
Auction: All fish will be auctioned. Visitors to Rangitoto
got caught up in the excitement last year and bought the
lot!!!!!!!!!
Rules: Two lines per person.
Fishing between Iliomana Light and Target Point only. If
using a boat you must have appropriate lifejackets etc.
(ARC bylaws apply). No undersized fish allowed.
Who: Members and families, invited guests, friends and especially
children.
What to bring for afterwards: There will be a BBQ with meat
provided for lunch, so bring you own accompaniments and
drink.
Prizes: Best Story- Booby Prize; Largest Snapper- Buchanan
Trophy; Longest Fish-Pennant; Most Fish- RICHT Trophy.
There will be something for the children too.
Getting there: Check with Fullers in case they have changed
to their summer timetable or use the new Kawau Kat.
Aim: To have fun, do what we used to do, involve the children
and meet each other.
Contact Allan Godsall for any further information. Please
return all trophies.
Weather: The event will not be cancelled
Signs The Waiheke Community Board has given $500
towards the provision of signs on Rangitoto. The idea is
to provide a sign in the vicinity of Bach 38 which shows
the history of the baches with a track diagram of what visitors
will see.
 Post
Offices on Rangitoto
In the last Heritage page on Communications
I asked about the post offices on Rangitoto Island. I have
received a very detailed account about this from Mr Trevor
Bevan. Using research from Mr R Startups book on NZ Post
Offices and other correspondence he was able to tell us
the following:-
There were TWO post offices on Rangitoto, one at Islington
Bay and the other at the Wharf. In fact Rangitoto Wharf
started as a radiotelephone office in the island caretakers
store with Reg Noble as the operator, when the cable was
laid from Motutapu in 1937. This office closed on August
27 1939. Two date stamps were issued so it may have served
as a post office as well. No documents or envelopes exist
showing the first date stamp but the second is recorded
on 25th November 1938 and is "Telephone Office Rangitoto".
On December 7th 1938 a post office opened at Islington Bay.
It could not be called Islington Bay because that name was
used in Christchurch so it was also named Rangitoto but
the 2 added. It remained open until permanently closed on
21st August 1985. There were 4 date stamps issued with the
earliest use known 29th February 1948 and the last 29th
August 1982. There are no details about who ran the office.
The Rangitoto Wharf Post Office re-opened on 5th November
1952 and closed permanently on 19th May 1982 after the building
was demolished. There were three date stamps issued with
earliest found 26th April 1953 and the last 6th February
1980. There is a list of Postmaster appointments from late
1970 to closure but none before that time.
This is a shortened account of what Mr Bevan wrote. If you
would like a full copy please ring Elizabeth.
Prison Camp The prison camp area has been looked
at by DoC and it has been agreed that removal of weeds and
small plants can take place before these become trees and
start to break up the remaining walls and archaeological
remains. We will be organising a working bee to do this
in the near future.
YOUR COMMITTEE - Don't hesitate to ring any of them
if you have any questions.
Elizabeth Andrew - 634 1398 Newsletters,
Shirley Collins - 279 9819 Treasurer,
Membership and Wharf rep,
Susan Yoffe - 445 1894 Archives,
Hilary Noall - ph not available Islington Bay rep,
Lois Eagles - 443 5536 Beacon End rep,
Allan Godsall - 634 0161 Maintenance,
John Walsh - 811 8875 Chairman,
Jim Mason - 446 6228 Patron.
Website: www.rangitoto.org We
get a lot of very favourable comments about our website,
all due to the excellent work of Andy
Heyward. He is always looking for more photos
and stories. Send them
direct to Andy
for inclusion on the website.
Wishing all our Members a Very Merry Christmas and
Happy New Year.
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