Remote Anzac ceremony to honour WWII watchers

It isn't all work for the volunteer builders who restore historic buildings for the Department of Conservation in the Auckland Islands. Photo / Supplied

An Anzac remembrance service is planned at a once-secret coastwatchers' base in the remote Auckland Islands.

At Easter, HMNZS Wellington will take Department of Conservation staff and volunteer builders to the chilly archipelago, 360km south of Stewart Island.

The expedition is going to Ranui Cove, where it will complete urgent repairs to a deteriorating coastwatchers' base and lookout.

The planned service is weeks before official Anzac commemorations, but those involved want to honour the coastwatchers at a site where they served during World War II.

DoC staff, five volunteer builders and an adviser from Heritage New Zealand are determined to recall the contribution of men who "guarded the back door to New Zealand".

"The surviving structures on the Auckland Islands and their association with the coastwatchers are important examples of our wartime heritage," says Heritage New Zealand adviser Dave Margetts.

"This is a great opportunity to be part of efforts to help restore some of this built heritage, and to also take part in what is sure to be an unusual and significant Anzac Day parade."

Aucklander Jon Patrick and several fellow builders began voluntary work to repair Auckland Islands' heritage sites in 2011 and 2012.

"We've read up on the lives of the coastwatchers there and it opened our eyes," says the Auckland builder and avid ocean racer.

"They endured extreme weather and unusual isolation."