View source for Queens Wharf, Auckland

{{Short description|Concrete wharf in Auckland, New Zealand}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2024}}
{{Coord|-36.8412|174.7682|type:landmark_region:NZ|display=title}}
{{Update|inaccurate=y|date=January 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
'''Queens Wharf''' is a concrete wharf in [[Auckland]], New Zealand, that continues off [[Queen Street, Auckland|Queen Street]] (the main street in central Auckland). It opened in 1913, replacing the Queen Street Wharf, a succession of wooden wharves first built in 1852. Queens Wharf was owned and used by [[Ports of Auckland Limited|Ports of Auckland]] until 2010.
==Location and description==
[[Image:Queenswharf auckland nov 2007.jpg|600px|thumb|Queens Wharf in 2007. The two white sheds date back to 1911 and 1914.]]
The wharf runs [[north-northeast]] into [[Waitematā Harbour]] from the intersection of [[Quay Street, Auckland|Quay Street]] and [[Queen Street, Auckland|Queen Street]] on [[Auckland waterfront|Auckland's waterfront]]. It is near Auckland's historic [[Auckland Ferry Terminal|Ferry Building]], and lies parallel to the nearby [[Princes Wharf, Auckland|Princes Wharf]] (to the west) and Captain Cook Wharf (east).
The present wharf is constructed of concrete, and covers an area of 2.9 hectares.<ref name="designbrief2009">{{Citation
|title=Queens Wharf Design Competition Brief Stage One
|access-date=2009-08-23
|year=2009
|url=http://www.queenswharf.org.nz/
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090826122425/http://www.queenswharf.org.nz/
|archive-date=26 August 2009
}}</ref> It is 350 metres long by 85 metres wide, and is 3 metres above [[sea level]]. Up until 2010, two sheds (built in 1911 and 1914) stood on the wharf. Shed 11 at the far end of the wharf was dismantled in late 2010. This shed was replaced by ''[[The Cloud, Auckland|The Cloud]]'' which was used as a place of congregation for the [[Rugby World Cup 2011]]. Shed 10 remains but was heavily refurbished for the World Cup.<ref name="redfencewalk">{{Citation
| last = Ports of Auckland
| title = Red Fence Heritage Walk
| access-date = 2009-12-31
| url = http://www.poal.co.nz/news_media/publications/POAL_red_fence_heritage_walk_brochure.pdf
}}</ref>
==History==
[[Image:Queenswharf 1904 from NZETC cropped.png|right|thumb|Queen  Street Wharf with its projecting tees (from ''La Nouvelle-Zélande'', 1904)]]
Construction of the first Queen Street Wharf, a wooden wharf, began in 1852.<ref name="EvolvingAuckland3.1">{{Cite book| editor-first=John| editor-last=La Roche |editor-link=John La Roche |title=Evolving Auckland: The City's Engineering Heritage |year=2011 |publisher=Wily Publications |chapter=Development of Auckland Ports |first=Les |last=Jones |pages=87–104 |isbn=9781927167038}}</ref> It was the second public pier for the city of Auckland, after the Wynyard Pier in [[Mechanics Bay]] to the east.<ref name="EvolvingAuckland3.1"/> It was extended to a length of {{convert|1555|ft|m}}, with projecting berthing tees,<ref name=HNZ/> by 1864.<ref name="EvolvingAuckland3.1"/> By 1871 it was dilapidated and the surrounding harbour was too shallow, so a newer, longer and wider timber wharf was constructed.<ref name="EvolvingAuckland3.1"/>
The Queen Street Wharf was replaced by Queens Wharf, a ferro-concrete finger wharf built in stages (so as not to disrupt wharf operations) along with an adjacent ferry jetty, from 1907 to 1913.<ref name=HNZ>{{NZHPT|9500||1 March 2023}}</ref> It soon became the main overseas passenger wharf for Auckland.<ref name="EvolvingAuckland3.1"/> Soon after completion, the [[1913 Great Strike]] began. While the wharf labourers were on strike, young farmers from outside of the city, known as [[William Massey|Massey]]'s Cossacks, worked and protected the docks.<ref name="EvolvingAuckland3.1"/> In 1960, passenger services were transferred to the neighbouring [[Princes Wharf, Auckland|Princes Wharf]].<ref name="EvolvingAuckland3.1"/>
The wharf and its sheds were used for cargo by [[Ports of Auckland]] (POAL) until 2010. The deck of the wharf was often used for parking import vehicles. The northwestern shed was used as a [[cool store]], and the southeastern was used by POAL and [[Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (New Zealand)|MAF]] for storage and customs processing.<ref name="designbrief2009"/>
The wharf was sold to [[Auckland Regional Council]] and the [[New Zealand Government]],<ref>{{Cite news
| last = Orsman
| first = Bernard
| title = Historic-wharf buyback a done deal
| work = The New Zealand Herald
| access-date = 2010-01-01
| date = 2009-06-16
| url = http://www.nzherald.co.nz/ports/news/article.cfm?c_id=284&objectid=10578709&pnum=1
}}</ref> who each paid $20 million to Ports of Auckland,<ref>{{Cite news
| last = Vaughan
| first = Gareth
| title = Govt, ARC buying Queens Wharf
| work = Stuff.co.nz
| access-date = 2010-01-02
| date = 2009-06-15
| url = http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/infrastructure/2502432/Govt-ARC-buying-Queens-Wharf
}}</ref><ref>
{{Cite news
| last = Press Release: Ports of Auckland
| title = POAL to sell Queens Wharf for $40m
| work = Scoop
| access-date = 2010-01-02
| date = 2009-06-15
| url = http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0906/S00362.htm
}}</ref> in 2010. It was transformed to act as "Party Central" for the [[2011 Rugby World Cup]]. A competition to outline a plan for renewing of the wharf for the Rugby World Cup and beyond began on 24 August 2009. After strong criticism of the quality of the designs from many sources (including Auckland Mayor [[John Banks (New Zealand politician)|John Banks]]), the competition took a back foot and the winner never announced.<ref name="spruceup">{{Cite news
| last = Orsman
| first = Bernard
| title = From grand designs to $10m wharf spruce-up
| work = The New Zealand Herald
| access-date = 2010-01-02
| date = 2009-12-08
| url = http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10614079
}}</ref><ref name="flop">{{Cite news
| last = Rudman
| first = Brian
| title = ARC chief savages Queens Wharf contest 'flop'
| work = The New Zealand Herald
| access-date = 2010-01-02
| date = 2009-10-30
| url = http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10606264
}}</ref> After the failure of the design competition, a temporary multifunction building was created. At a cost of about $10 million, [[The Cloud, Auckland|The Cloud]] was built, which is a long wave-shaped structure.
==Port Future==
The area is currently managed by [[Panuku Development Auckland]]<ref>[http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11556085 "Whatever happened to the people's wharf?"], 5 Dec 2015, Geoff Cumming, NZ Herald</ref> and further changes depend upon the results of a "Port Future" report expected to take until mid 2016.<ref>[http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11448701 "Study on Auckland's port future could take a year"]</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* [http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/auckland-region/8/2 Te Ara] - painting of the wharf by Edward Gifford in 1887.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090826122425/http://www.queenswharf.org.nz/ Queens Wharf - 'Opening the Red Gates' Design Competition] - official website of the 2009 wharf design competition.
* [https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/photos/search/searchterm/queens%20wharf Photographs of Queens Wharf] held in [[Auckland Libraries|Auckland Libraries']] heritage collections.
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Auckland]]
[[Category:Wharves]]
[[Category:Auckland CBD]]
[[Category:Auckland waterfront]]
[[Category:Waitematā Harbour]]