Wanganui When A. Hatrick & Co first launched the Wairere, it did not have a permanent mooring. It was allocated Betts wharf, which later became known as Hatricks wharf. Hatrick began leasing a small piece of land around the wharf to build a Cargo office & crew quarters. After the liquidation of the competition, (the Settlers Steamship Co) and the purchase of its assets, Hatrick gained another wharf 50 metres upstream of his original. The wharves are still there today, the original much in need of restoration, the second was restored before the Waimarie was salvaged in 1993. |
Hatricks Riverboat Landings |
Taumarunui In 1903 Hatrick extended the service from Pipiriki to Taumarunui, adding a vessel and creating a landing in Taumarunui. It was a flat piece of land carved out of the small cliff on the river edge. It was used for many years until the up river terminus was moved form Taumarunui to Kirikau in 1927 when the road from Taumarunui to Kirikau opened. This landing was abandoned in 1939 when the service above Retaruke ceased. |
The Houseboat The Houseboat was basically a Hotel and landing all in one, the riverboats mooring to it. The Houseboat was built in 1904 and positioned at the mouth of the Ohura river in Maraekowhai. It was moved to the mouth of the Retaruke river in 1927 after the up river terminus was moved down to Kirikau. The houseboat was destroyed by fire in 1933 and replaced by a small open shelter known as the Ponga Tearooms which hardly got used and were later removed. |
Pipiriki Hatrick had a wharf constructed in Pipiriki a year after the service started and a few years later added another. During the years of competition Hatrick staff always made sure the Pipiriki wharves were in use when PS Aotea was due to arrive in Pipiriki, much to the annoyance of the Settlers Steamship Co. The Pipiriki wharves remain intact, the original still being used by Jetboats and canoeists and the second is over grown with scrub. |
Introduction: A Hatrick & Co had landings in 4 locations on the river, Wanganui, Pipiriki, The Houseboat and Taumarunui. There was also landings at most of the villages and farms which the riverboats stopped at if there was mail, cargo or passengers to drop off or pick up. |
Lower Pipiriki landing 1920s. |
Pipiriki Wharves around 1915. |
Pipiriki Wharves & boats mid 1910s. |
Wanganui Wharves around 1920. |
Taumarunui Landing around 1910. |
Upper Pipiriki Landing, 2004. |
Click on the images below to see the full size version. |
Taumarunui Landing in the early days. |
Lower Pipiriki Landing, 2004. |
