Cameron Blockhouse Expedition

On the 12th of February 2015 Whangaehu School went to the Cameron Blockhouse. It is a historic place just south of Whanganui on the Marangai Straights between Kaitoke and Whangaehu on State Highway 3.
The Cameron Blockhouse is 147 years old. It was built by John Cameron in 1868, to protect his family household in times of danger. At the time, Maori Chief Titokowaru was threatening Whanganui.
It is bullet-proof because the walls have three layers; boards, clay and boards. The walls were about 15cm thick; 2.5cm board, 10cm clay and 2.5cm board. The blockhouse consists of three rooms and an attic. The room to the left looks to have been used for animals, because it has what appears to be a feeding trough. The middle room was perhaps the living area because it was the biggest of the three. In this room is a ladder to the attic, which was probably used for storage, as it had a door which led outside. The third room was possibly the families sleeping room. The floors of the Blockhouse are made of dirt and are likely to be in their original state.
The Cameron Block House was restored in 1990 by the Regional Committee of the historic places trust in Whanganui and has since been open to the public because it is the last of the blockhouses anywhere in the area. The other houses were in Turakina and Bonny Glen. The Cameron Blockhouse is an amazing structure and well worth a visit.