Fort Taiaroa (Including six-inch Armstrong Hydropneumatic Gun and Underground Chambers)
Harrington Point Road (End), Taiaroa Head
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Fort Taiaroa (Including six-inch Armstrong Hydropneumatic Gun and Underground Chambers), Taiaroa Head. CC BY-NC 2.0 Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Copyright: Ben Hill - Wikimedia Commons. Taken By: Ben Hill. Date: 8/05/2006.
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Fort Taiaroa (Including six-inch Armstrong Hydropneumatic Gun and Underground Chambers), Taiaroa Head. CC BY-NC 2.0 Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Copyright: Ben Hill - Wikimedia Commons. Taken By: Ben Hill. Date: 8/05/2006.
List Entry Information
List Entry Status
Listed
List Entry Type
Historic Place Category 1
Public Access
Private/No Public Access
List Number
369
Date Entered
25th November 1982
Date of Effect
25th November 1982
Locationopen/close
City/District Council
Dunedin City
Region
Otago Region
Legal description
Secs 71,72,73 Blk II Portobello SD
Summaryopen/close
This historic place was registered under the Historic Places Act 1980. The following text is the original citation considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration.
The Russian war scares of the 1880s caused the New Zealand Government to erect batteries overlooking the harbours of the four main centres. The strategic position at Taiaroa Head gave excellent control over ships approaching Otago Harbour. Local stone was used by prison labour with outstanding skill to form the underground galleries and storage for the gun emplacement. The six-inch Armstrong hydro-pneumatic disappearing gun is still in sound condition except for incomplete breech mechanism. Fort Taiaroa is an excellent example for a military fortification of a bygone era and in its dramatic siting is most worthy of preservation.
Linksopen/close
Additional informationopen/close
Notable Features
Six-inch Armstrong Hydropneumatic Gun & Underground Chambers
Construction Dates
Original Construction
1880 -
Other Information
In 2013 the restored six-inch Armstrong Hydropneumatic Gun won a rare international award from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, in the United Kingdom
Please note that entry on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rarangi Korero identifies only the heritage values of the property concerned, and should not be construed as advice on the state of the property, or as a comment of its soundness or safety, including in regard to earthquake risk, safety in the event of fire, or insanitary conditions.