Residents fear for heritage feature

By Angela Gregory

OPONONI - Some residents of Opononi are worried that an historic stone wall along part of the Hokianga foreshore may be damaged by Transit New Zealand's planned work to strengthen the road.

A section of the wall is made of blocks of Sydney sandstone brought as ballast in the sailing ships that came to the harbour for timber early this century.

A local member of the Historic Places Trust, John Klaricich, has written to Transit's contractor for the repairs, Opus International Consultants, about the community's concern.

Mr Klaricich said the wall was of heritage value. He recommended that it not be touched until advice had been sought from the trust's Auckland regional office.

He also suggested that the contractors hold an on-site meeting with the community before work started.

Genuine concern was felt over the extent of the work and the methods and materials that would be used, said Mr Klaricich.

Opononi resident Rob Hall said it was important to keep the large slabs as a point of historic interest.

The sandstone was offloaded on to the beach when the ships arrived to pick up logs, he said.

Some of the slabs were also used at the local school.

Transit spokeswoman Susan Chamberlain said the stone wall along State Highway 12 had eroded over the past six months to the point where work had to be done.

She expected the repair would be a "fairly standard exercise," and understood the contractors planned to consult the community.