The brothers built a steamer, the Pioneer, in 1869, which delivered bricks to Whanganui, towed sailing ships in and out of the Whanganui River and took groups to Upokongaro in the summer months. “While the structure is no longer used for its original fire protection purpose, the music of the bells is valued by the Whanganui community, and the upkeep of this component has been a focus of fundraising and restoration.” The building was listed as a Historic Place Category 1 in 2023, the first from Heritage NZ’s Rainbow List Project, and this year, the council upgraded it from a Class B scheduled building to Class A.
Author: Mike Tweed
Published at: 2025-12-31 23:00:00
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