Takamatua Jetty anchors community spirit

A 107-year-old jetty is primed for another century of service in Takamatua Bay on Banks Peninsula.

Supported by the Christchurch City Council, local residents have driven the major repair project, saving one of the region’s oldest jetties for future generations.

The rebuilt Takamatua Jetty on Banks Peninsula.

The Takamatua Ratepayers’ Association have pooled member resources to rebuild the earthquake-damaged structure, aided by Christchurch City Council Head Ranger, Banks Peninsula and Port Hills, Paul Devlin and Council engineer Paul Ferguson.

Takamatua Ratepayers’ Association chairperson Kevin Simcock says the restoration of the jetty has been a community-focused project.

He says local residents have put in many long hours, volunteering their time and expertise to save the jetty.

“This project has proven that Council-community partnerships are an excellent way of enhancing community assets while building community spirit,” Mr Simcock says.

Christchurch City Council Head Ranger, Ports Hills and Banks Peninsula, Paul Devlin says the Council “simply empowered the local community to work on the jetty themselves, supporting the project with materials and oversight of health and safety and design”.

“We established a memorandum of understanding with the community, outlining the roles of volunteers and the Council, along with sign-off requirements,” Mr Devlin says.

“It has been a brilliant outcome, both for the Takamatua community and the Council.”

The jetty was built in 1910 to ferry cheese from the German Bay (Takamatua) Cheese Co-op to Akaroa and further afield. Initially called German Bay to reflect the origins of the early settlers, the name of the area was changed to Takamatua during World War I.

George Armstrong, top centre, addresses the crowd at the opening of the jetty in 1910 as the Deveron prepares to sail.

For Akaroa resident Jan Shuttleworth, the recent reopening also marks a special day in his family’s history. His grandfather, George Armstrong, delivered a speech at the opening of the jetty on 20 December 1910.

“My grandfather was Mayor of Akaroa for 23 years, and also on the cheese co-operative’s board,” Mr Shuttleworth says.

“The jetty was built by a local builder, Mr Walker, to provide a shipping service from the bay to Akaroa and beyond as the co-op had about 15 suppliers, and quite a big volume of cheese was being produced.

“The wharf cost £175.

“A cutter, the Deveron, left with the first cargo, consisting of 187 cases of cheese, 136 loose cheese and 18 bales of wool.”