More than 40 people took part in Pukenui Wharf's official opening on Friday afternoon. Photo / supplied
More than 40 people took part in Pukenui Wharf's official opening on Friday afternoon. Photo / supplied
A $2.4 million upgrade of New Zealand's northernmost commercial wharf has been officially opened.
Pukenui Wharf, in Houhora Harbour, serves a fishing fleet as well as charter boats and recreational vessels. It also has the country's northernmost marine refuelling station.
The upgrade of the 50-year-old wharf cost $2.4 million, with the Far North District Council contributing $1.4m and the Provincial Growth Fund $1m.
Project manager Aimee Page, of Far North Holdings, said work started in June 2021 but was badly affected by the Covid-19 lockdown in Auckland, which made some skilled labour and equipment unavailable.
However, contractors managed to get the wharf open just before Christmas 2021.
Aerial view of the new Pukenui wharf with Tohoraha/Mt Camel in the distance. Photo / supplied
Improvements included a new floating concrete pontoon on the northern side, which can be used for recreational boats to fuel up and berth while loading or unloading.
The new wharf was protected by a modern fendering system, was safer and required less maintenance. It was designed to take heavy truck loading fish from berthed vessels.
A detail likely to be appreciated by recreational fishers was the installation of fishing rod holders on the timber service deck.
More recently a new concrete parking area had been completed and the existing boat ramp had been renewed, Page said.
The old Pukenui Wharf, seen here in 2020, was well past its heyday. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Work on the car park was continuing with more trailer parks and a new concrete surface to come. The car park upgrade was a separate project fully funded by the council.
More than 40 people took part in the opening ceremony at 4pm last Friday, including Far North Mayor John Carter, councillors, iwi, contractors and members of the Houhora community.
The work was carried out by Northland firms Total Marine Services, Pukenui Excavators, Stonecraft and Laser Electrical Kaitaia.
Work underway to upgrade Pukenui Wharf in October 2021. Photo / Peter de Graaf
The Pukenui project joins a long list of wharf upgrades around the Far North in the past three years, including Russell, Ōpua, Paihia, Te Karaka, Mangungu, Motuti, Rangi Pt and Unahi. All were at least partly funded by the Provincial Growth Fund.
At 160m long the new concrete wharf at isolated Rangi Pt, in North Hokianga, is one of the longest in the Far North.
Pukenui's new wharf isn't only being used by boaties and fishers. It also provided the venue for the Far Far North's first bombing contest in mid-January. Organisers hope to make it an annual event.
