When the whalers arrived there was a Māori hut on the stony beach constructed of whale bone and tussock. The Weller brothers established whaling stations, one at Whalers Creek, later named Caroline Bay after a whaling supply ship.
The first European establishment at Timaru was a shore whaling station set up for the Weller Brothers of Sydney by Joseph Price in 1836. Patiti Point, south of the modern harbour, was the main station but there were try-out pots at the head of what is now Caroline Bay. Weller Brothers failed and the station was moved to Banks Peninsula, but a boatsteerer, Sam Williams, remained. South Canterbury was virtually neglected and when the Canterbury Pilgrims under John Robert Godley landed in Lyttelton (then Port Cooper) it was “beyond the pale.” However, arrivals from Australia wished to escape the restrictions on the acquisition of land in the Canterbury settlement, and South Canterbury, the region between Ashburton and the Waitaki river, was finally opened up by the Crown.
First into this rich new country were the Rhodes Brothers—William Barnard, George and Robert Heaton—whose link with the South Island goes back to 1834. It was in 1852 that they took up runs, known as The Levels, extending from the Opihi river to the Pareora and back to the foothills.
An area for the future town of Timaru was the only reservation in this block. In March of 1852 the first sheep were grazed in South Canterbury. The first building was a wattle slab whare (Sam Williams’ shanty) on the beach at the foot of what is now George Street. Thus was made the beginginning of the great industry which to-day is the foundation of South Canterbury’s economy.
Within 30 years of Captain Cook’s first arrival in New Zealand, whalers were hunting the seas to find fortunes from “whalebone” (baleen), for corsets and umbrella ribs, and from whale oil, for fueling lamps and lubricating the gears of industry. The bonanza was over by 1860, but small-scale whaling continued fitfully for another 100 years, until industrial whaling in Antarctic waters all but wiped out the big mammals. Whaling was a hard, often perilous business but exhilarating, too. The work of a nation’s pioneers.
The first whales to be exploited in New Zealand waters were sperm whales to the north of New Zealand, a “fishery” depicted by settler Joel Polack in a book of his travels published in 1838. Ships working this ground were responsible for the establishment of Kororareka (now Russell) as a port.
A whaling ship Caroline was recorded transporting flax, whale oil, and seal blubber from New Zealand to Sydney in 1830.
Timaru was a hub for whalers and traders in the 1830s, with the Weller Brothers setting up a whaling station here at Caroline Bay in 1839.
Caroline Bay could have been named after a whale supply ship, though there were a few ships with the same name at the time.
Ships were often named after royalty, and Caroline might refer to Queen Caroline of Brunswick (1768-1821), wife of King George IV. She became Queen of the United Kingdom and Hanover in 1820. She was popular with the British people because George insisted on a divorce, which she refused.
When the whalers arrived there was a Māori hut on the stony beach constructed of whale bone and tussock. The Weller brothers established whaling stations, one at Whalers Creek, later named Caroline Bay after a whaling supply ship. According to the Record of Settlement book, The Timaru whaling station, operated by the Weller Brothers, produced 70 tuns of oil (approximately 17,640 gallons or 66,780 liters) during the 1839 season, marking a highly successful start. In 1840, the station yielded 65 tuns of oil (around 16,380 gallons or 62,010 liters), bringing the total production over two seasons to 135 tuns (about 34,020 gallons or 128,790 liters), which was likely shipped to markets such as Sydney for sale. However, the station was abandoned in 1841 following the financial failure of the Weller Brothers, ending Timaru's brief but productive whaling era.
Old Whaling Trypot Has Had Strange Uses in Last 100 Years
The old trypot shown at right has seen some unusual uses since it was last employed to render down whale oil at the Bay. For many years, it served as a drinking trough for livestock, and more recently, before it was donated to Timaru Boys' High School, it was used as an oversized goldfish bowl.
The trypot found its way to a Pleasant Point farm after the whaling station was dismantled more than 100 years ago. It was put up for sale along with other equipment at a clearing sale held before the First World War. It was purchased by Mr. W. Saunders (now of Livingstone Street), who used it as a stock trough on his property in Clandeboye.
Years later, Mr. J. S. Hayhurst moved it to his Milford farm. When Mr. C. B. Andrew bought the Milford property around 1953, he discovered the trypot lying derelict.
Until just a few weeks ago, the pot was being used as a garden ornament at Mr. Andrew’s home in Orbell Street. There, it housed goldfish swimming among water lilies, safely out of reach of prowling cats.
Mr. Andrew’s generous gift to the school was warmly welcomed by the rector, Mr. Sealy. The trypot now stands alongside one of the school’s proudest possessions—an oak tree gifted by Adolf Hitler to Jack Lovelock after his victory in the 1500 metres at the Berlin Olympic Games in 1936.
- Old Whaling Trypot Has Had Strange Uses in Last 100 Years (Dec 1959). Aoraki Heritage Collection, accessed 19/04/2025, https://aorakiheritage.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/1350
"70 tun was ready to be collected at Timaru station". A tun of oil is by volume, 1 tun = 8 barrels. A wine tun is 252 gallons. Signwriting was incorporated to cargo of the shipwreck to intrigue visitors into learning more about the stories that inspired the playground. One barrel is a nod to the first known shipment of whale oil that was at Caroline Bay waiting to be collected. The other barrel is a nod to Timaru's first shipwreck the Prince Consort. William Williams, the first European born in Timaru, was the son of Samuel William, also known as "Yankie Sam," a whaler who had joined a whaling gang in the area in 1839. In 1886, Samuel Williams returned to Timaru to work for Rhodes, where he ran a small accommodation house and became the town's first publican. An interesting piece of local history is that his son's cradle was made from a gin crate. - Photo Roselyn Fauth
LEFT A try pot used at the Weller Bros Whaling Station near this place 1839-1840. The Wellers’ workers caught whales and rendered the blubber down into oil in try pots for two seasons Members of the whaling gang were the first white men to live even temporarily in South Canterbury. RIGHT Looking up towards the viaduct near the Evans St and Wai-iti Rd intersection where the stream runs underground. Photograph courtesy of Roselyn Fauth
Timaru's early history is deeply intertwined with the whaling industry, which played a significant role in the development of the town and its economy. The sheltered bays and coastline were ideal for whaling stations, where crews would process the whales they hunted. The town’s most iconic spot, Caroline Bay, some say, could be named after the Caroline whaling ship, one of the early vessels to operate in the region during the 19th century.
Whales Creek Railway Viaduct at the foot of Wai-iti Rd and Evans Street, Timaru, New Zealand, 1904-1915, Timaru, by Muir & Moodie. Purchased 1998 with New Zealand Lottery Grants Board funds. Te Papa (PS.001051)
Looking south over Caroline Bay from north of the Tennis Courts, c1933. Pohatu-koko stream can be seen to the left, running over the sandy bay. The cars are parked where the playground and tennis courts currently are today. Courtesy of South Canterbury Museum 0076.
The rustic bridge Caroline Bay Timaru circa 1915. Pictures several children on and around the bridge, part of the walkway leading to the Caretaker's Cottage and Tea Rooms on the Bay (in the background). - South Canterbury Museum 2015/150.02
1947 - View to the south Canterbury town of Timaru with Caroline Bay with Evans Street in foreground looking south over the CBD and outer suburbs. You can see the stream running to the sea. Aerial photograph taken by Whites Aviation. Tiaki IRN: 720135. Tiaki Reference Number:: WA-06402-F - PA-Group-00080: Whites Aviation Ltd: Photographs
Let's go on a whale hunt!
The name Caroline may derive from an early whaling ship used to drop off supplies and pick up whale oil. Most likely the Barque Caroline that was recorded at Lyttelton Harbour in September 1836. Can you point to a sign with “Caroline Bay”?
The Weller Brothers had their whaling station from 1839-1841. A whale pot stands at Pohatukoko Stream, known as Whale’s Creek. Can you stand above the pipe under ground?
Find the whale pot at Patiti Point
Visit Whale Bone Corner at Claremont
The Whaling Station at Timaru Timaru was home to one of the first whaling stations established in the 1830s. Whalers came from Sydney, Port Underwood, and other parts of New Zealand to hunt sperm whales. The process of whaling was a huge industry that brought European settlers and Māori together, each contributing to the success of the whaling station.
Caroline Bay
Named after the Caroline whaling ship, Caroline Bay holds historical significance in the whaling industry. The bay became a central point for whalers, where ships like the Caroline were moored while they processed their catches. It was also the location for many of the whaling station facilities, such as the casks and try-pots used to process whale oil.
Whalers and Their Legacy in Timaru The whalers in Timaru were brave men who risked their lives in dangerous conditions to hunt whales for their oil, which was used for lighting lamps, making soap, and many other purposes. Over time, as whaling declined and other industries took over, the whalers became part of the history and the local culture. They not only brought European customs to the region but also worked closely with Māori communities, whose knowledge of the land and sea was invaluable to the whaling efforts.
Shipwrecks and Challenges at Sea One of the most significant early maritime events in Timaru was the wreck of the Prince Consort in 1866. This 35-ton schooner, having arrived from Lyttelton, was struck by powerful waves during strong northeast winds, capsizing off the coast near the whaling station. While the crew was fortunate to survive, the wreck of the Prince Consort serves as a reminder of the perilous conditions faced by those who relied on the sea for their livelihood.
The Playground and Its Connection to Whaling History The playground at Caroline Bay, near the old whaling station, provides a unique opportunity to learn about the town's rich maritime history. The area where the playground sits was once central to the whaling industry, and the historic site still echoes the legacy of the whalers.
One of the special features of the playground is the barrel inside the ship structure, a nod to the tools used by whalers. The barrel represents the whale oil casks used to store the oil extracted from whales. The ship structure itself is a playful yet educational way for children to engage with Timaru's whaling past, giving them a hands-on understanding of how whalers used to live and work.
The ship barrel inside the playground also reminds us of the essential role that whaling played in shaping the region. By understanding the significance of the whaling industry, children can appreciate how the past impacts their present surroundings.
The Significance of Place Names: Caroline Bay and Beyond
- Caroline Bay: Named after the Caroline whaling ship, which was a pivotal part of Timaru's whaling history.
- Patiti Point: This point, just near the playground, is another historical location where whalers worked and processed their catches.
- Pohatukoko: The northern reef at Timaru Harbor, known by Māori, was also crucial to the whaling activities in the region.
Activities for Students
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Historical Inquiry:
- Ask students to research the role of the Caroline whaling ship and its significance in Timaru's whaling history.
- Discuss the connection between whaling and the naming of Caroline Bay.
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Shipwreck Exploration:
- Have students look into the shipwreck of the Prince Consort and explore the dangers faced by early sailors.
- Create a timeline of significant maritime events in Timaru’s history.
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Creative Play:
- Have students create their own whaling ship designs or replicas, using materials such as cardboard or wood.
- Discuss the tools that whalers would have used and how they would have operated a whaling station.
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Mapping the Past:
- Use historical maps and modern maps to help students locate Caroline Bay, Patiti Point, and other significant places related to Timaru's whaling history.
The whaling industry played a vital role in shaping Timaru’s early economy and development. From the whaling ships that gave Caroline Bay its name, to the wreck of the Prince Consort, the history of the sea is still alive in the town. The playground near the whaling station and the ship barrel inside the ship structure are reminders of this fascinating past. By understanding these stories, students can better appreciate the local heritage and the ways in which history influences our surroundings.
References for Further Reading:
- The Whalers of Timaru by R. Campbell
- Shipwrecks of New Zealand by J. Smith
- Timaru Historical Journals (Online Archives)
Whaling History in Timaru
- Early Whaling Activity:
- Whaling in Timaru began in the 1830s, with the first recorded mention of a whaling station in March 1839 in the Harwood Journal.
- The Weller Brothers, a prominent whaling firm based in Otago, established a whaling station at Timaru as part of their network of shore stations.
- Whaling Stations:
- The main whaling station was located at Scarborough (Motumotu), about four miles south of Timaru Flat.
- Another station was situated between Queen and Mill Streets, near the present-day Timaru Harbour, which was used as a landing place for whalers.
- A third station was at Patti Point, though its exact operational status is less clear, as it may have been more residential than functional.
- Whaling Operations:
- The Dublin Packet, a schooner owned by the Weller Brothers, transported whaling gear and personnel to Timaru in March 1839.
- The station at Timaru was highly successful, producing 70 tuns of oil in the 1839 season and 65 tuns in 1840.
- Whalers used try-pots to boil whale blubber into oil, and the remains of these operations, including broken boilers and decayed oil barrels, were noted by visitors like Bishop Selwyn in 1844.
- Personnel:
- Thomas Brown was the overseer of the Timaru whaling station, leading a gang of about 16 men, including Samuel Williams, a boat-steerer.
- Other notable figures included Philip Ryan, the cooper, and Joseph Price, who was associated with the Harriet, a ship linked to the whaling operations.
- Land Purchases:
- In 1839, the Weller Brothers purchased land from Golok, a Maori chief, for a whaleboat, clothing, and other goods. This land extended from the Waitaki River to Banks Peninsula.
- They also bought Timaru Flat from Tuhawaiki (Bloody Jack), a prominent Maori chief, for £10 in 1840, though this land was later identified as being near Taumutu, not Timaru.
- Decline of Whaling:
- The Timaru whaling station was abandoned by 1841, following the financial failure of the Weller Brothers.
- The station was described as "deserted" by Bishop Selwyn in 1844, with dilapidated try-works, broken boilers, and decayed oil barrels scattered around.
- Maori Involvement:
- Maori chiefs like Golok and Tuhawaiki played a significant role in facilitating whaling operations by selling land to the Wellers.
- Maori workers were also employed at the stations, with names like Tomahawk and Rootie mentioned in the Harwood Journal.
- Legacy:
- The whaling industry left a lasting impact on Timaru, with place names like Caroline Bay (named after the whaling barque Caroline) and Whalers' Lookout reflecting this history.
- Remnants of whaling, such as try-pots and whalebones, were still visible in the mid-19th century, as noted by visitors like Edward Shortland and Walter Mantell.
- Historical Significance:
- Whaling was one of the earliest European economic activities in Timaru, predating agricultural settlement.
- The industry attracted a mix of European and Maori workers, creating a unique cultural and economic dynamic in the region.
This summary captures the key points about the whaling history in Timaru as detailed in the PDF: Hall-Jones, Frederick George., Early Timaru: some historical records of the pre-settlement period, annotated and analysed.. Aoraki Heritage Collection, accessed 01/03/2025, https://aorakiheritage.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/161
Hall-Jones, Frederick George., Early Timaru: some historical records of the pre-settlement period, annotated and analysed.. Aoraki Heritage Collection, accessed 01/03/2025, https://aorakiheritage.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/161
Section of Street Art by Koryu, Breath of Life, Kathmandu Carpark. Whale Eye. Mural was supported by Tiamru Civic Trust and Alive Vibrant Timaru.
Whale eyes may be small relative to their body size, but they have good vision even in dim light. These are on the sides of their head for a better view of their surroundings.
Section of Street art by artist Toothfish. Plankton.
Whales are the largest animals on Earth and they live in every ocean. Whales are classified into two types: baleen and toothed.
Baleen whales (also called toothless whales) are larger in size as compared to toothed whales. Baleen whales include the blue whale, humpback whale, bowhead whale, gray whale, sei whale, fin whale and others.
Toothed whales, have teeth, which are used to hunt and eat squid, fish, and seals. These whales include the killer whale, narwhal, beluga whale and sperm whale. The sperm whale is the largest toothed predator on earth. The sperm whale also has the ability to stay underwater for up to 90 minutes. Whales are closer to hippos than any other animal. They evolved from a common four-legged ancestor that lived around 50 million years ago. Giant fossils originally thought to be dinosaurs turned out to be ancient whales. The “Basilosaurus” is longer than modern whales, with small back legs and nostrils near the snout.
Whales don’t mind cold waters. Their thick fatty insulation called blubber keeps them warm. It also helps their heavy bodies float and gives them energy when fasting.
To know the age of a blue whale, check the earwax. A new layer forms every 6 months to protect the ear canal. Count these layers just like the rings of a tree.
Adult female whales are called cows, babies are calves, and adult males are bulls. Mothers give birth to a calf which they raise single-handedly for years, or even decades.
Toothed whales, such as orcas and sperm whales, may use their teeth to grab food like fish, squid, and seals. Narwhals use their long horn-tooth to taste the waters. Toothed whales may have front teeth, but they don’t have molars. That’s why they can’t chew food. They just swallow their prey whole or in big chunks, and let their stomach do the work.
Some whales have baleen instead of teeth. These are flexible overlapping plates made of keratin, the same substance in our hair and fingernails. Baleen strains out sea water while leaving prey in their mouths. Skimmers, such as the North Atlantic right whales, swim through plankton with open mouths to feed. Their baleen traps plankton as they move through the waters. Rorqual whales, like the blue whale and the humpback whale, have pleats running from their belly button to their lower jaw. They can fill this with sea water, clamp their upper jaw down, and force water out the baleen to keep the fish.
Gray whales are classified as suckers because they pull in amphipods, like shrimps and scuds, from the bottom of the ocean. They need to take in mouthfuls of mud and water before they can filter their precious food.
Baleen plates have a hairy fringe. This inspired the alternate scientific name for these animals: “Mystacoceti”, which means “mustached whale” in Greek.
Most whales have 3 to 4 stomachs in their belly. Some outliers have more, such as Baird’s whale with an astonishing 13 stomachs. These make it easier to digest high volumes of food.
Whales can swim fast despite their large size. Fin whales and sperm whales can both approach a top speed of 36kph. Seals can only swim up to 28kph, making them ideal prey.
Sperm whales have the heaviest brain on earth at 9 kilograms. That’s six times heavier than a human brain. However, it is only 0.02% of the creature’s body weight.
Blue whales are the largest animals to ever exist. They can grow up to 33.58 meters — much longer than a basketball court! At 199 metric tons, one blue whale weighs as much as 28 African bush elephants.
A native of the Arctic, bowhead whales develop a layer of fat just under the skin that is 40 to 50 cm thick, eclipsing that of any other whale. This blubber regulates their body temperature and stores energy.
The humpback whales can travel long distances between different breeding grounds. However, it has also been observed that it is the male humpback whale that travels distance in excess of 10,000 kms and not their female counterparts. One male humpback whale was spotted in both the Indian and South Atlantic ocean.
Its scientific name “Megaptera novaeangliae” means “giant wing of New England” – a reference to its 16ft long front fins and frequent sightings along the New England coast. Humpback whales often breach the water’s surface. They leap up high, then make a spectacular splash landing. Scientists aren’t quite sure if they are just playing or trying get rid of pests on their skin. Humpback heads are covered with knobs called tubercles. Each of these have at least one stiff hair — possibly functioning as a natural motion detector.
Its scientific name is Eubalaena glacialis, which means “good whale of ice”. These are gentle giants of the sea, growing up to 55ft long and weighing up to 70 tons. Right whales are the only whales with callosities, raised white patches of rough skin on the head. Every individual has a unique pattern. Scientists believe that they are caused by parasites called cyamids or whale lice. Since they live on cold waters, they need a lot of fat for insulation. About 40% of a right whale’s body weight is blubber for temperature regulation. Right whales help us breathe. They produce waste called plumes that fertilize the oceans and feed phytoplankton which, in turn, produces 50% of the world’s oxygen.
Sperm whales are named after the spermaceti organ on their heads. It contains up to 1,900L of oil, enabling the creatures to float with ease and helping them hear better. Early Spanish sailors called these whales “cachalot” which means “big head”. Sperm whales can hold their breath for more than 2hrs, allowing them to dive deeper than 3,000m. It’s enough to make them the third deepest-diving mammal. Scientists can identify sperm whale blows even from far away. After all, their blows can reach up to 16ft high, with a distinct lean to the left due to their uneven skull. Whaling began in the Stone Age with humans using their meat for food, blubber for oil, bones for tools, and baleen for roofs. Later, these were also used to make fuel, lubricant, perfumes, corsets, and alternative medicines. In 1986, whale depletion pushed the International Whaling Commission to ban commercial whaling. Only indigenous people were allowed to hunt for survival. Meanwhile, the whale-watching industry grew, helping locals do business while promoting conservation.
1820-1895 :Tauamotu. Timaru. Camp of natives windbound. 17 October 1848 - Looking south along the beach line near Timaru towards a figure on the beach at a small campsite with a boat drawn up on shore. Mantell's three Maori porters are walking above the beach on flat land studded with cabbage trees towards a low hill - natlib.govt.nz/134166
Some of the earliest Europeans to arrive in the area were also whalers. Their existence was rough and their work extremely dangerous, a far cry from what we could imagine living in the city today.
The dutch explorer Abel Tasman is officially recognised as the first European to 'discover' New Zealand in 1642.
The French were among the earlier European settlers in New Zealand, and established a colony at Akaroa in the South Island in 1830s.
Sealers were some of the first Europeans to visit the coastal regions around Timaru in the late 18th century. They were attracted to the area by the abundance of fur seals which they hunted for their valuable pelts. The exact dates of their visits are not well documented.
Europeans of all descriptions came to New Zealand during this time — Dutch, French, Russian, German, Spanish, Portuguese and British, as well as North Americans.
"They encountered a Maori world. Contact was regional in its nature; many Maori had no contact with Europeans. Where contact did occur, Europeans had to work out a satisfactory arrangement with Maori, who were often needed to provide local knowledge, food, resources, companionship, labour and, most important of all, guarantee the newcomers' safety. Maori were quick to recognise the economic benefits to be gained in developing a relationship with these newcomers... . Some Maori joined whaling vessels as crew and Sydney became the most visited overseas destination for Maori." - nzhistory.govt.nz/sealers-and-whalers
In 1839 The Weller Brothers established a whaling station at what is now the corner of Evans St and Wai-iti Rd. Samuel Williams was the leader of this party, and boat steerer and harpooner at the new station. The layout of the land was different from what we could imagine then too.
The whalers described the area of gently undulating, tussock-covered downs cut by watercourse on their way down to a boulder-strewn beach. Between the valleys rose clay loess cliffs, and reefs that extended into the sea providing safe openings for ship protection. North and South lagoons extended far inland, and the only trees were cabbage trees.
They set up camp near Pohatu-koko stream, which they nicknamed ‘Whaler’s Creek’ (see ‘South Canterbury: A Record of Settlement’ by Oliver A. Gillespie, 1958, p39). Pohatu-koko shows up on some of the earliest maps of the area, but isn’t as well known today now that it runs underground.
The whalers are also rumoured to have given Caroline Bay its name too. The name first appears in descriptions of the sale by Māori to the Weller brothers of more than one million acres of land on 4 Dec 1839. Some say it was named ‘Caroline’ after the ship that came to pick up the whale oil. The ship "Caroline" regularly dropped anchor after the Weller Brothers of Sydney established a whaling station at Timaru in 1839. According to a newspaper article from the time, the Caroline arrived in Timaru carrying a cargo of whale oil and whalebone. The article also notes that the Caroline had recently returned from a whaling expedition to the southern seas.
"The ship "Caroline" regularly dropped anchor after the Weller Brothers of Sydney established a whaling station at Timaru in 1839. According to a newspaper article from the time, the Caroline arrived in Timaru carrying a cargo of whale oil and whalebone."
"Mr Jahannes C. Anderson, in his “Jubilee History of South Canterbury” says: ‘‘Joseph Price, chief officer of the Harriet, left the boat in December, 1839, and started whaling on his own account at Ikorai, Banks Peninsula. Price shipped in September, 1931, on board the Caroline for a whaling cruise; but whether Caroline Bay was named after this ship, or after another Caroline, a whaler that frequented the coast up till the year 1835, is not known.” Timaru Herald - 12 APRIL 1934, PAGE 6
There is some debate about how the Bay got it's name, as there were other ships named Caroline that frequented the New Zealand coast in the 1800s.
At shore stations, as on whaleships, Maori were soon included in boat crews and were adept boatmen and harpooners. The shore stations' boats pursued right whales, which would enter bays on the high tide and leave them on the ebb. Sperm whaling continued but as the demand for bone increased, more and more British, Sydney, and French vessels turned to right whaling. In 1834, they were joined by the first American right whalers in New Zealand waters.
The whaling industry was short-lived, and the station was abandoned when they were preparing for a third season because the company failed. The men who lived there moved on from their temporary home, and it would be a few more years before Europeans settled permanently in the area.
"The French Ship Gustave, Declare, from Have fifteen months out, 1800 barrels black oil; 400 barrels this season at Pegansi Bay and the Tcmaroo Beach." New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 13, 13 September 1842, Page 2 - New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 13, 13 September 1842, Page 2
"Weller Brothers purchased the 214 ton colonial barque Lucy Ann in August 1831. Captain Owen was enlisted as master and they sailed from Sydney on 21 September. On board was Joseph and Edward Weller, a whaling gang, and the necessities of living and working in an untamed land which included muskets, gun powder, rum, gin, casks of beef, whaling gear and line, and barrels for holding oil.
Lucy Ann arrived at Otakau (Otago) in October 1831. When the Weller Bros stepped off their boat and onto a black rock jutting out into the harbour, they hoisted the British Flag and claimed the territory in the name of their King. 100 Years later a bronze tablet was set in that rock, now known as Weller’s Rock, to commemorate the centenary of their arrival.
In the early days of European settlement in New Zealand, anyone wanting to establish themselves a base, or even build a hut, needed the approval of the area’s ruling Maori chief. At this time it was likely the feared cannibal chief Taiaroa who would have given his consent, in return for some form of payment, be it gunpowder or money.
A party of shipbuilders who had been left at Stewart Island in 1826 was enlisted to help the Weller Bros build their station. George remained in Sydney to oversee business operations in the colony. The construction of the station was an ambitious project, with try works, jetties, housing, and storage rooms making up eighty buildings. In a heart breaking twist of fate, no sooner was it completed than the entire station was burned to the ground by a fire which probably started in a neighbouring Maori raupo whare. The calamity of the disaster was matched only in its timing - the very beginning of the whaling season, and that too was a total loss for the hard working entrepreneurial brothers.
When Lucy Ann was next in Sydney Cove she suffered an attempted arson attack, and although a reward was offered, the culprit was never caught. The first shipment of 180 tuns of whale oil from the Weller Bros station reached Sydney on Lucy Ann in November 1833.
During this time several ships crisscrossed the Tasman Sea for the Weller Bros:
Albion - 479 tons, purchased in 1826 by George Weller.
Lucy Ann - 214 tons, purchased from the New South Wales government in 1831 and sold in Australia in 1836.
Joseph Weller - 49 tons, purchased from William Cook’s shipbuilding gang which had helped build the original Weller Bros station. Joseph Weller was the first ship built at Stewart Island and the first to be registered by the New South Wales government as New Zealand built. She was launched in 1833.
Henry Freeling - Purchased about the beginning of 1837, wrecked at Tautuku on the southern coast, September 1839.
Nimrod - Sent to Otago 18 September 1836, returned to Sydney in November with 31 men who had not had a successful season.
Harriett - Purchased on March 16 1836 for 1500 pounds, having just arrived in the colony from China.
Dublin Packet - Wrecked at Tairei river mouth on 9 June 1839 with the loss of three lives.
Mediterranean Packet - Sent 2 March 1836 to Otago with a cargo of stores.
Dart - Chartered in Sydney, August 1837 to collect balance of oil from Otago that Henry Freeling had been forced to leave behind.
City of Edinburgh - October 1837 chartered to collect oil from Otago and take to London for sale. As New Zealand was not yet a colony, a large tariff was imposed on the oil as coming from a foreign country, making it unprofitable for the Wellers to sell to the London market direct.Speculator - Purchased in 1840, totally wrecked and its cargo lost thirty miles south of Akaroa, in August the following year. While in Otago, the Weller Brother’s establishment was entwined with the area’s native settlements. Maori men made good whalers, and those on land were kept busy cultivating potatoes. Many European men took Maori wives, including Edward Weller, who married Paparu in 1835 and they had a daughter Fanny, or “Hana” in 1836. Paparu died in 1838, and Edward married Chief Taiaroa’s daughter Nikuru in 1839. Nikuru died during the birth of their daughter Nani in 1840. However, relations between Europeans and Maori were not always harmonious, and on one occasion, Edward was kidnapped and ransomed. In 1834 the whalers feared for their lives when 500 warriors returned from a fruitless journey north and took their frustration out on the settlement. Harassed and assaulted and constantly under threat of attack or plunder, it was a harrowing time for the Weller Bros and their men which fortunately passed without loss of life or ship.
In 1835 Joseph Weller succumbed to the same ailment that had prompted his father to seek a new life in the colony five years earlier. Taken by consumption at just 33 years old, Joseph’s body was preserved in a puncheon of rum and taken back to Sydney for burial. This left Edward, only 20 years old, as the Manager of the station. After some time Edward’s health began to falter too, under the stress of running the business alone, and he asked his brother George to enlist some assistance. That help came in the form of C.W. Shultze, the Scottish-born son of a merchant, who later married Edward’s sister Ann. The nature of the whaling business meant that the Weller Brothers had several small whaling 'bases' set up along the southern coast.
There were three in Otago Harbour, and at least five more between Purakanui in the south and Go-Ashore on Banks Peninsula.
With word of the Weller Bros successes, other would-be whaling entrepreneurs began to set up competing stations. The indiscriminate slaughter of their resource and shipwrecks that insurers refused to pay out on, meant profits began to decline. On 18 December 1840 Edward sailed to Sydney and never returned to New Zealand. George was also facing financial hardship and following a costly and futile battle to legalise their property rights, he filed for bankruptcy in February 1841. After sovereignty was claimed in New Zealand in 1840, settlers and land speculators were obliged to defend their land titles. The Weller Brothers filed thirteen claims for land acquired in New Zealand but all were thrown out." - https://myancestorsstory.com/weller-brothers.html
New Zealand was opened up to the world by the 35 of whaleship captains. Over four hundred islands in the Pacific were "discovered" and named by American whalemen, and the history of New Zealand is closely connected with the visits of New England whalers.
Further info
Combined Retrolens Historic Image by Geoff Cloeke. Sourced from http://retrolens.nz and licensed by LINZ CC-BY 3.0
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In this map you can see the Waimataitai Lagoon before it was drained and turned into a park. The stream was piped underground and can be seen at the golf course. Miscellaneous Plans - Borough of Timaru, South Canterbury, 1911 - T.N. Brodrick, Chief Surveyor Canterbury ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/IE31423732
1852 The Sperm Whale in a Flurry. No known copyright.
Nathaniel Currier (American, 1813-1888). The Sperm Whale in a Flurry, 1852. Lithograph, hand colored on heavy wove paper, 8 3/8 x 12 13/16 in. (21.2 x 32.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Mary van Kleeck, 51.153 Dimensions 8 3/8 x 12 13/16 in. (21.2 x 32.5 cm). Identifier brooklynmuseum-o65311-the-sperm-whale-in-a-flurry. Medium Lithograph, hand colored on heavy wove paper
Whalebone Corner: Corner of Taiko, Claremont and Fairview Roads, west of Timaru. This intersection is known as 'Whalebones Corner'. Ever thought, if I stuck some whale bones near my house, it would make it easier to find? Worn by weather for over 100 years, you can see the remnants of four whale bones which were brought out from the whaling station on Caroline Bay about 1870. Mr John Machintoch, who built the house on the farm Kingsborough about the tome instructed John Webster to collect the bones on a dray and to place them a the intersection so the visitors could be easily directed to Kingsborough. Since then, this intersection has always been known as The Whalebones Corner. (Take care is stopping here and park well away from the intersection).
Medinella Fauth with a piece of whale bone found at Patiti Point - Photo Roselyn Fauth
Standed whale at Patiti Point Timaru - Geoff Cloake
Saving a whale at Caroline Bay - Geoff Cloake
Whale stranded at Caroline Bay - Geoff Cloake
Humpback Whale-Geoff Cloake
Grave of Timaru Whaler, Samuel Willams (Yankie Sam). He died at Timaru onHe died at Timaru onJune 29, 1883, at the age of 64- A bluestone monument, apparentlyerected by his fellow citizens, describes him as the oldestresident of Timaru.
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Samuel Williams was a boat-steerer at the Timaru whaling station during the early 19th century, as recorded in the Harwood Journal.
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He was part of Thomas Brown's gang, which operated at the Timaru whaling station in the late 1830s and early 1840s.
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Williams was one of the 16 men listed in Thomas Brown's gang, which included other notable figures such as Peter Johnson, Charles Watkins, and William Mozzaroni.
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He was among the early European settlers in Timaru, arriving during the whaling period before the formal settlement of the area.
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Williams later became associated with the Timaru Hotel, indicating his transition from whaling to other occupations as the settlement grew.
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He was described as the oldest resident of Timaru at the time of his death, having lived through the early whaling days and the subsequent development of the town.
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Williams died on June 29, 1883, at the age of 64, and was commemorated with a bluestone monument erected by his fellow citizens.
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His connection to Timaru is significant as he was one of the few individuals who bridged the gap between the pre-settlement whaling era and the later agricultural and urban development of the town.
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Williams' presence in Timaru is documented in both the Harwood Journal and the Jubilee History of South Canterbury, highlighting his role in the early history of the region.
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His experiences as a whaler and later as a hotelier provide a glimpse into the transitional period of Timaru from a whaling station to a settled community.
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Williams' life and contributions are emblematic of the early European influence in Timaru, marking him as a key figure in the town's historical narrative.
- Hall-Jones, Frederick George., Early Timaru: some historical records of the pre-settlement period, annotated and analysed.. Aoraki Heritage Collection, accessed 01/03/2025, https://aorakiheritage.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/161
Black Map. Timaru (ca 1860). refrencing whaling station - https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE45411772
Caroline Bay naming
Yes, the PDF provides some information about the whaling ship Caroline, which is connected to the history of Timaru and the broader whaling industry in New Zealand. Here are the key details:
Caroline Bay:
- The name Caroline Bay in Timaru is believed to have been derived from the whaling barque Caroline, which was owned by the Sydney firm R. Campbell and Company.
- The Caroline was one of the earliest whaling ships to operate in the region, engaging in bay whaling along the New Zealand coast.
Early Operations:
- In the early 1830s, the Caroline was captained by Blenkinsopp, who was based at Port Underwood in Cloudy Bay, New Zealand.
- In 1834, Blenkinsopp used the Caroline to transport several escaped convicts from Sydney to his shore station in New Zealand.
Later Captains and Ownership:
- After Blenkinsopp, the Caroline was captained by Cherry, who was later killed by Maori near Mana Island.
- The ship was subsequently commanded by James Bruce.
- In 1837, the Caroline was purchased by John Jones, a prominent figure in the New Zealand whaling industry, who operated several shore stations from Waikouaiti to Preservation Inlet.
Possible Wreck:
- The Caroline may have been the same 400-ton barque that was wrecked at New River Heads on April 1, 1860.
- This ship had been purchased by Jones, Cargill, and Company, who intended to convert it into a store ship at Invercargill.
Legacy in Timaru:
- The name Caroline Bay in Timaru is a lasting reminder of the ship's influence on the region's whaling history.
- A try-pot from the whaling era, found near Patti Point, is now displayed at Caroline Bay, further connecting the area to its whaling past.
The Caroline was a significant whaling ship that operated in New Zealand waters during the 1830s, contributing to the early whaling industry in Timaru and other regions. Its legacy is preserved in the name Caroline Bay, and its history reflects the broader impact of whaling on New Zealand's coastal communities.
- Nomenclature section (pages 60-61) for the details about the whaling ship Caroline and its connection to Timaru.
Early Timaru: Some Historical Records of the Pre-Settlement Period, Annotated and Analysed"
By F.G. Hall-Jones
Published in 1956 by the Southland Historical Committee
Early Timaru Book by F. G.. Hall-Jones. Cover and inside page: North Street to Maori Reserve. After A. Wills, 1848 (re-worded). An old map gives Pohatukoko, the same name as the northernAn old map gives Pohatukoko, the same name as the northernreef at the harbour, at the head of the bay on the site ofthe old native huts shown on Wills's map.
A black-and-white photograph of the Caroline, a steel 4-masted barque weighing 2,357 tons. Built in 1891 by Richardson, Duck and Co. of Stockton, the ship measures 300.5 feet in length, 42 feet in breadth, and 24.7 feet in depth. Originally registered in Windsor, Nova Scotia, Caroline was owned by FC Mahon before being sold in 1908 to Antoine Dom Bordes of Dunkirk and renamed. Known for its fast passages in its early career, the vessel tragically caught fire and was beached at Antofagasta in July 1920. This image is part of the A.D. Edwardes Collection, which includes photographs of sailing ships taken between 1865 and 1920. It was digitized on October 1, 2019, and is held by the State Library.
Part of the A.D. Edwardes Collection, specifically from a volume titled 'French Owned Shipping Lines'.
No known copyright restrictions. Please refer to the State Library's Conditions of use for more details.
https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/PRG+1373/48/17
Some of the earliest Europeans to arrive in the area were also whalers. Their existence was rough and their work extremely dangerous, a far cry from what we could imagine living in the city today.
The dutch explorer Abel Tasman is officially recognised as the first European to 'discover' New Zealand in 1642.
The French were among the earlier European settlers in New Zealand, and established a colony at Akaroa in the South Island in 1830s.
Sealers were some of the first Europeans to visit the coastal regions around Timaru in the late 18th century. They were attracted to the area by the abundance of fur seals which they hunted for their valuable pelts. The exact dates of their visits are not well documented.
Europeans of all descriptions came to New Zealand during this time — Dutch, French, Russian, German, Spanish, Portuguese and British, as well as North Americans.
"They encountered a Maori world. Contact was regional in its nature; many Maori had no contact with Europeans. Where contact did occur, Europeans had to work out a satisfactory arrangement with Maori, who were often needed to provide local knowledge, food, resources, companionship, labour and, most important of all, guarantee the newcomers' safety. Maori were quick to recognise the economic benefits to be gained in developing a relationship with these newcomers... . Some Maori joined whaling vessels as crew and Sydney became the most visited overseas destination for Maori." - nzhistory.govt.nz/sealers-and-whalers
In 1839 The Weller Brothers established a whaling station at what is now the corner of Evans St and Wai-iti Rd. Samuel Williams was the leader of this party, and boat steerer and harpooner at the new station. The layout of the land was different from what we could imagine then too.
The whalers described the area of gently undulating, tussock-covered downs cut by watercourse on their way down to a boulder-strewn beach. Between the valleys rose clay loess cliffs, and reefs that extended into the sea providing safe openings for ship protection. North and South lagoons extended far inland, and the only trees were cabbage trees.
They set up camp near Pohatu-koko stream, which they nicknamed ‘Whaler’s Creek’ (see ‘South Canterbury: A Record of Settlement’ by Oliver A. Gillespie, 1958, p39). Pohatu-koko shows up on some of the earliest maps of the area, but isn’t as well known today now that it runs underground.
The whalers are also rumoured to have given Caroline Bay its name too. The name first appears in descriptions of the sale by Māori to the Weller brothers of more than one million acres of land on 4 Dec 1839. Some say it was named ‘Caroline’ after the ship that came to pick up the whale oil. The ship "Caroline" regularly dropped anchor after the Weller Brothers of Sydney established a whaling station at Timaru in 1839. According to a newspaper article from the time, the Caroline arrived in Timaru carrying a cargo of whale oil and whalebone. The article also notes that the Caroline had recently returned from a whaling expedition to the southern seas.
"The ship "Caroline" regularly dropped anchor after the Weller Brothers of Sydney established a whaling station at Timaru in 1839. According to a newspaper article from the time, the Caroline arrived in Timaru carrying a cargo of whale oil and whalebone."
"Mr Jahannes C. Anderson, in his “Jubilee History cf South Canterbury” says: ‘‘Joseph Price chief officer of the Harriet, left the boat in December, 1839, and started whaling on his own account at Ikorai, Banks Peninsula. Price shipped in September, 1931, on board the Caroline for a whaling cruise; but whether Caroline Bay was named after this ship, or after another Caroline, a whaler that frequented the coast up till the year 1835, is not known.” Timaru Herald - 12 APRIL 1934, PAGE 6
There is some debate about how the Bay got it's name, as there were other ships named Caroline that frequented the New Zealand coast in the 1800s.
At shore stations, as on whaleships, Maori were soon included in boat crews and were adept boatmen and harpooners. The shore stations' boats pursued right whales, which would enter bays on the high tide and leave them on the ebb. Sperm whaling continued but, as the demand for bone increased, more and more British, Sydney and French vessels turned to right whaling. In 1834 they were joined by the first American right whalers in New Zealand waters.
The whaling industry was short-lived, and the station was abandoned when they were preparing for a third season because the company failed. The men who lived there moved on from their temporary home, and it would be a few more years before Europeans settled permanently in the area.
"The French Ship Gustave, Declare, from Have fifteen months out, 1800 barrels black oil; 400 barrels this season at Pegansi Bay and the Tcmaroo Beach." New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 13, 13 September 1842, Page 2 - New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 13, 13 September 1842, Page 2
New Zealand was opened up to the world by the 35 of whaleship captains. Over four hundred islands in the Pacific were "discovered" and named by American whalemen, and the history of New Zealand is closely connected with the visits of New England whalers.
Further info
The Sheltering Place: Yankee Sam of Timaru - whaler, settler, publican (26 Jul 1975). Aoraki Heritage Collection, accessed 23/06/2023, https://aorakiheritage.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/1096
Edinburgh: Edmonston & Douglas, 1878. Very good overall. Color lithograph from 'The Instructive Picture Book' depicting two sperm whales, a whaling long boat between the whales, a waterspout in the middle ground and a whaling ship in the distance. This color lithograph made using a complicated printing method involving wood engraved detail, hand color and color lithography for the sky portion of the print; this is a multi-block color stone lithograph. With 'Antarctic Regions' below the image, and 'Sperm Whale' to the right; Plate LX in the upper right . - antarctic-regions-sperm-whale-antarctic
Map showing the distribution of whales across different seasons in the mid-19th century. Whaling connected Ngāi Tahu to the global economy in the early 19th century, providing new and sometimes mana-enhancing opportunities for trade, employment, and travel. As the whaling industry declined from the 1840s, some whalers (like Edward Weller) proved transient visitors. Many others, like Howell, remained with their families, though most were not as wealthy. Former whalers turned to fisheries, agriculture and trade. Their mixed communities formed the basis for settlements around the southern region such as Timaur's first perminant European resident Samuel Williams (Yankie Sam). Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Center, Boston Public Library, CC BY-SA
Distribution of northern and southern right whales based on logbook records dating from 1785 to 1913. - From Townsend CH (1935) The distribution of certain whales as shown by logbook records of American whaleships. 19. Zoologica (NY): : 1–50+6 Charts.
Sam Williams (1817–1883) arrived at Timaru in 1839 with one of the Weller Brothers whaling gangs that worked from what is now the viaduct area of Caroline Bay. A Samuel Williams is on a crew list for the "Charles and Henry", a whaler that left Edgartown in 1836 bound for the Pacific. Later, after he moved on from Whaling he worked for the Rhodes family on Banks Peninsula. There he told the Rhodes brothers that the area was suitable for grazing sheep. Encouraged by this the Rhodes sought the lease that became Levels, run by George Rhodes.
Farming wasn’t for Sam though. He went to the gold fields of Victoria in 1851. While not successful prospecting, he did marry. Sam, his wife Ann and daughter Rebecca returned to Timaru in 1856. George Rhodes gave him his original cottage at the foot of George Street on the foreshore of Timaru. It was there in 1857 that Sam and Ann’s (Ann Mahoney b 1823 in Cork, Ireland) son William Williams was born - the first European child born in Timaru. A gin case was used as his makeshift cradle.
Moby-Dick Moby-Dick, Herman Melville’s greatest work, was published in. Melville had risen to prominence as a writer of adventure tales based on his own experiences at sea. In January he left Fairhaven, Mass., on the maiden voyage of the whaleship Acushnet. He deserted at Nuka Hiva in the Marquesas Islands, then joined the Australian whaleship Lucy Ann. After a bloodless mutiny the vessel returned to Tahiti. Melville made his way to the neighboring island of Eimeo (present-day Moorea), where he joined his third whaler, the Charles and Henry of Nantucket, Mass. - weekendamerica.publicradio.org
In March 2021 Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua gifted us the priviledge of using the name Pohatu-koko for the new playground, named after the stream running below it.
LEFT An early map of Timaru in 1860. RIGHT zoomed in area showing the labeled area "Pohatu Koko" next to the "old whaling station". This is where the traffic lights are at the end of Wai-iti Rd, and Evans St. The stream running through the area can be seen above. This stream is now piped under the viaduct at the bottom of Wai-iti Rd, under the playground and out sea at the Benvenue end of the boardwalk.
Courtesy of the National Library. Archives New Zealand/Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga. Christchurch Office. Archives reference: CH1031, BM 245 pt 2, R22668176
The whalers used to draw their water from Whales Creek, but because the tide used to flow into this creek, they would have'to go as far as Nelson Terrace to obtain fresh water from the creek. ... The Whaler Caroline “Supplies to this station were brought by the whaling ship Caroline, and so they bay came to be known as Caroline Bay. This ship had an eventful history. At one tlme it was commanded by Captain Blenkinsopp, who brought the Waiau plains from the Maoris for a cannon. The cannon is mounted on an obelisk in the sware at Blenheim. The Caroline was later bought by John Jones who started a whaling station in Waikouaiti in 1840. The ship was subsequently wrecked at the mouth of the New River, Southland.
Because of bankruptcy, the whaling station was abandoned, and Dr Edward Shortland, the first man to record his journey on foot from Moeraki to Banks Peninsula in 1844, tells of the sorry sight this whaling station made. He wrote: ‘Many forlorn looking huts were still standing there; which, with casks, rusty iron hoops, and decaying ropes, lying about in all directions, told a tale of the waste and destruction that so often fall on a bankrupt’s property.‘
After the Timaru whaling station closed down," said Mr Vance. “the steersman, Sam Williams, went to work at the Rhodes' whaling station at Red House Bay. Banks Peninsula. Here Sam Williams told George Rhodes of the good sheep country lying to the south and the outcome of this was that the Rhodes Biothers took up all the land between the Pareora and Opihi Rivers and back to the Snowy Ranges. They also bought, the business area of Tirnaru. between North Street and Wai-iti Road and back to Grey Road—806 acres for £800.
Mr William Vance Traces History of Caroline Bay (12 Mar 1957). Aoraki Heritage Collection, accessed 07/06/2023, https://aorakiheritage.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/358 - aorakiheritage.recollect.co.nz/358
Captain Blenkinsopp married a Maori woman, the. daughter of a local ; chieftain, and purchased from Te Rauparaha the whole of Wairau Plain. Te Rauparaha repudiated the bargain and the incident had a direct bearing on the Wairau massacre m 1843 which was the beginning of the wars between Maori and pakeha. - paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/Captain+Blenkinsopp
Joseph, George and Edward Weller are immortalised in the folk song “Soon May the Wellerman Come” - circa 1850-1860.
“The song’s lyrics describe a whaling ship called the “Billy o’ Tea” and its hunt for a right whale. The song describes how the ship’s crew hope for a “wellerman” (an employee of the Weller brothers, who owned ships that brought provisions to New Zealand whalers) to arrive and bring them supplies of luxuries, with the chorus stating “soon may the wellerman come, to bring us sugar and tea and rum.” According to the song’s listing on the website New Zealand Folk Song, “the workers at these bay-whaling stations (shore whalers) were not paid wages, they were paid in slops (ready-made clothing), spirits and tobacco.” In the whaling industry in 19th-century New Zealand, the Weller brothers owned ships that would sell provisions to whaling boats. The chorus continues with the crew singing of their hope that “one day when the tonguin’ is done we’ll take our leave and go.” “Tonguing” in this context refers to the practice of cutting strips of whale blubber to render into oil. Subsequent verses detail the captain’s determination to bring in the whale in question, even as time passes and multiple whaling boats are lost in the struggle. In the last verse, the narrator describes how the Billy o’ Tea is still locked in an ongoing struggle with the whale, with the wellerman making a “regular call” to encourage the captain and crew. - denelecampbell.com/more-than-meets-the-ear/
Section on the map showing the Pohatu-koko stream.
Refernce to the "old native huts" at the foot of Wai-iti Rd intersection See map here
It is interesting to see the changes to the coastline. This rapidly changed when the new harbour was built.
1856 Map of the Province of Canterbury, Archives New Zealand. When you zoom in over Timaru, you can see the reserve for the township and Caroline Bay. Item reference: AGCO 8368 IA36 4/12 (R22420403)
https://theconversation.com/the-viral-wellerman-sea-shanty-is-also-a-window-into-the-remarkable-cross-cultural-whaling-history-of-aotearoa-new-zealand-153634
The lyrics speak of men’s collective labour at sea. But behind the story of the whale hunt is one of cross-cultural interaction central to the success of the whaling industry, and critical in shaping the settlement of early 19th century New Zealand
Whaling in the 19th century world
Whaling brought newcomers to Aotearoa New Zealand in significant numbers from the early 1800s. Once predominantly American-based crews had exploited Atlantic whale populations, they moved into the Pacific to seek new hunting grounds.
These men sought profit in the form of oil and bone. Whale oil provided industrial lubrication and lighting for growing cities in Europe and the US. Baleen from whale jaws was used in much the way plastic is now.
New Zealand was one of their destinations. The Wellerman shanty refers to the heyday of whaling in the South Island. The Sydney-based Weller brothers established their first whaling station at Ōtākou (Otago) in 1831.
They and others such as Johnny Jones oversaw stations ranging from a few households to nearly 100 residents. These new settlements were dotted around the southern coasts from the late 1820s, often located near the paths of migrating right whales.
Read more: ShantyTok: is the sugar and rum line in Wellerman a reference to slavery?
Unlike deep-sea whaling in the Atlantic and northern Pacific, these newcomers practised shore-based whaling which required land to process the whales caught. The “tonguing” in the Wellerman lyrics refers to cutting strips of blubber to render into oil in large “try pots” — a challenging process aboard ship. The crew also required land on which to live and cultivate food.
Whalers in the Ngāi Tahu world
These shore whalers entered a Māori world. The success of a station was dependent on their relationships with local iwi as tangata whenua — in this case, Ngāi Tahu.
Newcomers had to negotiate access to coastal land and resources, and stayed for months, years, sometimes even decades. Because the industry was based on settlement rather than short refuelling stops, shore whaling fostered more intensive cross-cultural interactions in southern New Zealand than elsewhere in New Zealand or abroad.
Differing cultural expectations and miscommunication occasionally led to violence. More often, however, Ngāi Tahu and newcomers negotiated a relationship of mutual benefit. Whaling connected Ngāi Tahu to the global economy in the early 19th century, providing new and sometimes mana-enhancing opportunities for trade, employment, and travel.
Read more: Rock art shows early contact with US whalers on Australia's remote northwest coast
At the same time, Ngāi Tahu communities sought to incorporate whaling men into the rights and responsibilities of whanaungatanga (relations, connectedness). Intimate relationships and marriage were key features of this process, as historian Angela Wanhalla has shown.
Over 140 men had married Māori women in southern New Zealand by 1840, with these couples producing over 500 children. Edward Weller himself married Paparu, daughter of Tahatu and Matua. After her early death, Weller remarried Nikuru, daughter of rangatira (chief) Taiaroa, but left New Zealand without his wife and daughters after the Otākou station’s closure in 1841.
Ngāi Tahu in the whaling world
Many whaling stations became kin-based economies, with mixed families central to the labour and prosperity of both ship and station. As wives and partners, Ngāi Tahu women produced the food that sustained the station and supplemented the business of whaling.
While the Wellerman shanty’s “sugar and tea and rum” were imported as rations, potatoes, flax and pigs were locally produced, consumed, and exported for profit alongside whale oil and bone. Male relations also frequently worked in the industry, either on shore or as whaling crew.
Marriage also provided newcomers with access and ties to the land through their Ngāi Tahu whānau. Whaling captain John Howell’s first marriage to Kohikohi, the daughter of rangatira Horomona Patu, gave him access to 50,000 acres near Riverton.
This right to land for stations and settlement was based on principles of kaitiakitanga (guardianship). But in later decades the colonial government caused land dispossession through conversion to individual titles and Crown purchases.
Read more: Why it's time for New Zealanders to learn more about their own country's history
As the whaling industry declined from the 1840s, some whalers (like Edward Weller) proved transient visitors. Many others, like Howell, remained with their families, though most were not as wealthy.
Former whalers turned to fisheries, agriculture and trade. Their mixed communities formed the basis for settlements around the southern region: Bluff, Riverton, Moeraki, Taieri, Waikouaiti.
These early and intense interactions had a lasting legacy in Ngāi Tahu’s whakapapa (genealogy) and collective identity. The sustained contact between Ngāi Tahu and whalers also complicates the myth of whaling as simply a transient and masculine pursuit.
Whaling was indeed a gendered industry; crew were almost exclusively male. But they were also diverse. Native American, Aboriginal Australian and Pacific Islanders all found opportunities aboard ship and in New Zealand alongside Māori and Europeans.
Many of them, we must assume, would have sung or heard shanties like Soon May the Wellerman Come — though none might have expected their descendents in the 21st century to be humming them too.
William Vance, What would Sam Williams think?: Whale Creek on Bay Being Imprisoned, Water from Stream Attracted Early Whalers to Timaru (Nov 1959). Aoraki Heritage Collection, accessed 04/03/2025, https://aorakiheritage.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/6197
From the booklet: Timaru and South Canterbury, New Zealand 1950: the City and the Province to-day with some interesting glances at the past - 1950
The Caroline Bay Whalers – Key Points
From "First Settlers in South Canterbury" by William Vance
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Early Whaling Activities (1835)
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Whaling activity at Caroline Bay started when the ship Harriet brought men and equipment from the Blueskin whaling station in Otago.
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30 shore-whaling stations operated along the New Zealand coast at the time, employing ~700 men and 90 boats.
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These produced ~1,000 tons of whale oil annually, valued at £25,000.
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Over-harvesting led to the decline: within 15 years, only 5 stations remained, producing 100 tons of oil per year.
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Whaling Process and Dangers
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Boats launched upon spotting whales; rowed four miles out to sea.
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Precision seamanship was required to get close enough for a hand-thrown harpoon.
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Harpooned whales would dive, dragging boats with them via 200-fathom ropes.
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Rope entanglements were deadly – could capsize boats or maim/kill men.
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Whales eventually surfaced and tired; boatmen would then finish the kill with a spade.
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Dead whales were towed ashore and beached at full tide for blubber removal.
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Processing the Whale
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Blubber was quickly sliced and boiled in try-pots set in clay banks (location of modern Caroline Bay tennis courts).
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Rendered oil was poured into casks stored at the base of the cliffs.
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The smell attracted wild pigs from Timaru gullies, who fed on leftover blubber.
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Life at the Whaling Station
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Each station employed ~30 men, with the season running from May to October.
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Profits averaged £1,000 per season; ordinary boatmen earned about 1% share.
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Deductions for gear, food, and drink often left them in debt.
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Despite risks and hard work, the men often complained.
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Quote from the Piraki log:
“With the whalers and whaling, there’s always complaining…”
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Social Life and Supplies
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The whaling ship Caroline may have given Caroline Bay its name.
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Supply ships brought varied cargo: tobacco, soap, clothes, tools, food, and even Jew’s harps.
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Supply arrivals sparked parties with rum and revelry.
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Huts were located in Beverley Road gully, near Māori whares.
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Māori and whalers traded pigs and potatoes for tools and clothing.
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Campfires, stories, songs, and camaraderie were common.
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Water Sources and Environmental Changes
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Water was sourced from Whale’s Creek (ran through Nelson Terrace and Hewlings Street to Caroline Bay).
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High tide caused saltwater backflow into the creek.
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In dry weather, a waterhole (later Ferry’s Pond) was used.
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A major storm in 1882 washed away part of the cliff and an old whaling fireplace.
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Decline of the Whaling Station
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Whales became scarcer; station moved to Patiti Point.
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Owners Weller Brothers (Sydney) faced bankruptcy.
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Station abandoned by ~1840.
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Piraki log (July 1, 1840): Timaru crew joined Price’s fishery after leaving their own.
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Log (July 2, 1840): Crew signed new agreements.
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Later Mentions and Legacy
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1844: Edward Shortland noted the ruined state of the Timaru station.
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1842: A French whaling ship wrecked on the Timaru beach with oil on board.
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1846: New Zealand Spectator reported the station operating again under Mr. Chesland.
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Notable Figure: Sam Williams
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Former boat steerer and harpooner; American runaway sailor.
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Employed by George Rhodes at Island Bay, Akaroa.
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Despite his drinking, Rhodes trusted him and became a loyal friend.
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Williams likely explored inland, reporting promising sheep country.
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Rhodes and Williams became the first runholders of South Canterbury after driving sheep from Banks Peninsula.
Timaru's first European House with whaling roots
The sea was colonial New Zealand’s highway which is why Timaru’s architecture and heritage goes hand in hand with our port. The story begins when George Rhodes used our headland to land stores and materials. He built Timaru’s first house in 1851, it only had three walls! This 20 foot hut stood by the beach (centre of these photos) to service his boat landing for his sheep farm at Levels. George Rhodes married Elizabeth Wood in 1854 at Lyttelton. She had come from England in 1850, on one of the first four ships. Later George and Elizabeth travelled across the plains from Lyttelton to Timaru with Sarah McQueen, a family friend, also from England. Elizabeth’s first child, died 1859 August 9, at Timaru, George William Wood, son of George Rhodes, Esqs, aged 4 years.
1890, Mrs Arthur Perry, mother by her first marriage of Mr. Rhodes, M.H R., and three brothers and a sister. Mrs. Geo. Rhodes came to Timaru in 1854 and was the second white woman in the district. She leaves also five children by her second marriage. The cause of Death was heart complaint. Learn more
He employed the Whaler Samuel Williams who came back to Timaru with his wife Anne and daughter Rebecca and just like that Timaru had it’s first permanent immigrant residents. Their child was the first European baby (William Williams) and was born in this house in 1856 and slept in a gin crate. A small lean-to was added to accommodate two bunks as Timaru’s first hotel. 1860, Nov. 16, at Timaru, Ann, the wife of Mr. Samuel Williams, of the Timaru Hotel died aged 35 years. The first Timaru Herald was published in his kitchen. Sam had the first publican’s license, and he was even the first to have his pub burn down because someone didn’t like the price charged for beer... bad call as the arsonist was sentenced to death! George and Elizabeth Rhodes moved to Levels, where their next house had four timber slab walls, a clay floor and a thatched roof. In 1855 some sheep were stolen from the Levels station, by James Mackenzie.
Learn more about their geniology here
About 1857 they say, George Rhodes gave the cottage to Sam Williams, an adventurous young American whaler, who had been given the good-natured nickname ‘Yankee Sam’. Sam was born around1817, his birthplace unknown. As an infant, he lived in Canada and later as a boy travelled to the United States. He is thought to have drifted to Australia with a number of other enterprising youths. By 1840 he left Australia to lead a whaling party out of the port of Sydney. Later Sam turned up at Island Bay, Banks Peninsula, New Zealand, where he began whaling for the Rhodes brothers in 1848. In 1851, Sam left New Zealand, heading back to Australia again this time to the gold fields of Ballarat, where they say he married Anne Manry sometime around 1854. The goldfields didn’t hold much luck for Sam and he returned to New Zealand in 1856. Once more he took up employment with the Rhodes Brothers. This time he worked on Levels Station. Finally, he moved his family into the cottage on the beach in 1857. It was in this same year Archdeacon Henry William Harper remembered riding through South Canterbury on his first journey south from Christchurch. He recalled Sam and his family in a cottage near the beach. Archdeacon Harper could remember the old whaler showing him some of the remaining try-pots left abandoned on the beach. He wrote in his diary. “I spent a pleasant hour with Sam, listening to many colourful yarns of the old days”. Permanent settlers, aside from the large runholders, were slowly getting established in South Canterbury, exposing a need for accommodation in Timaru. Sam and his wife converted the little daub cottage into a general store and offered shelter to travellers. After the addition of a lean-to, the Provincial Government, in 1858 presented Sam with the first publican’s licence ever held in Timaru. Learn more
Henry Sewell on his journey south early in 1856, was one of many travellers to camp in this vacant cottage after the Rhodes family had moved out to Levels, a sheep station north-west of the Bay.
By 1873 the cottage had been demolished and 1876 two further bays had been added to the Timaru Landing Services building.
In 1839 the Sydney-based Weller brothers established a short-lived whaling station at Timaru. By the time Walter Mantell made this sketch, in 1848, the station was deserted. Mantell, Walter Baldock Durrant, 1820-1895 :MotuMotu, Timaru. Oct 20 Friday 1848.. Mantell, Walter Baldock Durrant 1820-1895 :[Sketchbook, no. 2] 1848. Ref: E-333-006. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.
/records/22810746
FDM-0690-G-TimaruFromTheAir-Caroline Bay harbour and town-DougMill-air transport and survey business from a hangar at Hobsonville Point between 1927-1937- Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections FDM-0690-G
A cased coloured ambrotype portrait of Rebecca & William Williams, children of Samuel Williams, whaler, circa 1860 and Anne. William Williams was born in Timaru in 1856, after his father returned to New Zealand following a few years in Australia where he married and had their daughter, Rebecca. William is often credited as the first white child in the district, and a gin case was used as his cradle. South Canterbury Museum 3488
1868 Photograph of the foot of George Street, Timaru, circa 1868. The building is pictured in the centre is a landing service building (either the Timaru Landing and Shipping Company or the George Street Landing Service), while Rhodes' original cottage is to the left. South Canterbury Museum 2000/210.095
Here you can see the boat launch at the foot of George Street, the Landings Service Building and beside, in the center the Rhodes cottage. Section from Hocken Snapshop hocken.recollect.co.nz/24023
First edition of the Timaru Herald from June II 1864 - Vol 1 No 1
Title: Sketch map to illustrate The early Canterbury runs.
Date: 1930
Physical Description: 1 map : black and white ; 49 x 77 cm, on sheet 57 x 84 cm.
Scale etc: Scale [ca. 1:380,160]. 1 in. to 6 miles.
Notes: Copied from: The early Canterbury runs. First series / by L.G.D. Acland. Auckland, N.Z. : Whitcombe and Tombs, 1930.
File Reference: CCLMaps 490414
First edition of the Timaru Herald. It was printed in a small room, a detached kitchen in the George Street cottage on a hand press. It was printed once a week. At the time there was a "rough and ready" settlement of about 150 houses and 1000 people paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/THD19140611.2.64.10
-Timaru 1859-2009, Celebrating 150 years. Aoraki Heritage Collection, accessed 12/09/2024, https://aorakiheritage.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/3330
"In the kitchen of a cottage in lower George Street, on June 11, 1864, The Timaru Herald was born. A respectable eight pages that cost sixpence (£1.1s for an annual subscription, payable in advance), the newspaper was to be produced every Saturday. In the first edition, the proprietor wrote of his hopes for the newspaper and what benefits he believed it would bring to the fledgling district. "The local newspaper," he wrote, "is the great agent for writing the history of the age and disseminating it amongst the people. It educates people by making education necessary to them. It is the guardian of liberty and of law, because both liberty and law can exist only where the acts of public functionaries are subject to publicity. Of the part which the newspaper press takes in guiding the public mind in its political and social movements, we say nothing; for that is rather accidental to the newspaper than an essential to it, especially to the local papers of remote districts. But as the organ and voice of the people, expressing their wants and urging their claims, the local journal is of the greatest use to the public. In starting The Timaru Herald, it is the intention of the proprietors to keep this mainly in view."
Situated in the midst of an immense district almost wholly unsettled, and with resources very partially developed, our primary task will be to keep the wants and claims of the district perpetually before the public and the Government. But it is not only in the leading articles of a newspaper that the public mind is reflected. The editor may mistake or misstate public feelings. As a corrective to such error, our columns shall be freely open to correspondents of all opinions, provided only that the language in which their opinions are couched is such as to cast no discredit on the journal which is the medium of publication."
When it was two years old, The Herald became a bi-weekly paper of four pages, and its price was reduced from sixpence to threepence. There were some further enlargements of sheet size and changes of format in the next few years, until The Herald attained the stature and prestige of daily production on New Year's Day, 1878. It was then priced at twopence, and there was a weekly supplement.
While the first edition was created in Sam Williams' kitchen, it is likely it was no more than a makeshift arrangement, for the press and the few cases of type were soon transferred to a building in another part of George St. The office then moved to Stafford St, next to the present site of Bar Xcel. There, plant and premises were wiped out in the Great Fire of December 7, 1868. Some cases of type were removed before the gale-driven flames took the printing shop, but little of value was salvaged. The hand press was damaged, yet an edition carrying a full report of the fire was printed after a break in publication of only two days. The Herald office was rebuilt in brick and stone.
The Sophia St office was built in 1884-85, but was transformed by subsequent changes, and The Herald moved to its present Bank Street offices in 1984."
- https://aorakiheritage.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/3330?keywords=Friends+of+Aigantighe+Art+Gallery&type=all&highlights=eyIwIjoiYXJ0IiwiMSI6ImdhbGxlcnkiLCIyIjoiYWlnYW50aWdoZSIsIjMiOiJmcmllbmRzIiwiNSI6InZhbGxleSIsIjYiOiJmaW5kcyIsIjciOiJmcmllbmRseSIsIjkiOiJ0cmVuZHMiLCIxMCI6ImFjdCIsIjExIjoiYXQiLCIxMiI6InBhcnQifQ%3D%3D&lsk=679cfbb91d48065d954f1350137a8c54
In 1851 George Rhodes and his brothers William and Robert established the Levels, South Canterbury’s first pastoral run. George and his wife Elizabeth (seen here) built and lived in this two-roomed, 9- by 3-metre cottage. It had slab walls, a thatched roof, and a clay floor. The cottage was restored in 1951 and now stands on a private historic reserve. George and Elizabeth Rhodes with one of their children outside the Levels cottage, circa 1860. The couple moved into the cottage after living in another cottage in Timaru for a few months after the Rhodes brothers secured the lease of the Levels. The Levels cottage had a clay floor, timber slab walls and a thatched roof, but the couple only lived in the cottage for a short time before newer homes were built in 1856 and 1862. South Canterbury Museum 1923
- 1843: George Rhodes arrived from England to manage a cattle station and operated a whaling station.
- 1851: George and Robert Rhodes, with some shepherds, set out to establish their Banks Peninsula runs, crossing the Rakaia River.
- 1851: They wrote to the Colonial Secretary, announcing they had taken possession of a run near Timaru, between the Rivers Opihi and Waihi.
- Homestead: Built a cob house in South Canterbury, the only dwelling between the Waitaki River and Lake Ellesmere, becoming a central station.
- Alfred Hornbrook: In 1853, Alfred Hornbrook arrived in Timaru to manage a station at Horauana, inland by the hills.
- 1854: Alfred Cox bought two licences for runs, shipping sheep and cattle to Lyttelton, then camping at Mount Four Peaks.
- 1854: Studholme arrived at Te Waimate Station, seeking an agreement with Chief Uru Uru, marking the establishment of a run from the sea to the Hook.
- Otain Station: Established by Annie Collier and others, stretching from the Hack to the Otaio rivers and from the sea to Hakeforamea Valley.
- Pareora Station: Developed by Warris and Innes, running from the Hunter Hills to the Pareora and Otaio rivers.
- Raincliff Station: Located between the Onihi and Opua rivers, spanning 30,000 acres.
- Charles G. Tripp: In 1855, Tripp moved to the Mackenzie country, discovering new areas for sheep and cattle runs, including the shores of Lake Pukaki and Lake Tekapo.
- Mt. Peel Station: Tripp and his friend started Mt. Peel station, seen from Christchurch by their fires.
- Mesopotamia Station: Samuel Butler consolidated holdings into this station, becoming a notable literary figure while living there.
- Mackenzie Country: In 1864, Andrew Burnett and others founded stations in the Mackenzie Plains.
- Mount Cook: In a spur of the moment decision, McRae named a station "Mount Cook" after applying for it in Christchurch.
- William Vance, Centennial Article: South Canterbury Was Paradise For Squatters One Hundred Years Ago (06 Jan 1951). Aoraki Heritage Collection, accessed 05/03/2025, https://aorakiheritage.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/5198
Williams, Sam Date of birth 1817 Date of death 1883
An American whaler, he told the Rhodes of the good country behind Timaru, and he kept an accommodation house. Baptised in 1818 in Taunton, MA, mother Lucy. There is also a Samuel Williams on a crew list for the "Charles and Henry", a whaler that left Edgartown in 1836 bound for the Pacific. This date would match perfectly with when he got to Sydney, Australia.
Birthdate: circa 1817
Birthplace: Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States
Death: June 29, 1883 (61-70) June 29, 1883 Age 66 Death of Samuel Williams Timaru, Timaru District, Canterbury, New Zealand
Timaru, Timaru District, Canterbury, New Zealand
Immediate Family:
Son of Thomas Williams and Lucy Williams
Husband of Ann Williams (Mahoney) (1823 – died 37 1860) Cork, County Cork, Ireland
and Mary Ann Williams
Father of Rebecca Hobbs; 1854 Birth of Rebecca Hobbs Ballarat, City of Ballarat, Victoria, Australia Died 1856
William Williams September 22, 1856 Birth of William Williams Timaru, Timaru District, Canterbury, New Zealand. William was married to Husband of Sarah Ann Williams. May 31, 1862 Birth of Sarah Ann Williams Tasmania, Australia
June 23, 1939 Age 77 Death of Sarah Ann Williams Greymouth, Grey District, West Coast, New Zealand
William Williams was father to Arthur Henry Williams April 18, 1885 Birth of Arthur Henry Williams Kumara, Westland District, West Coast, New Zealand
and Emily Gibbs October 7, 1862 Birth of Emily Gibbs Timaru, Timaru District, Canterbury, New Zealand. Died July 23, 1942 (79) Gore, Gore District, Southland, New Zealand
Brother of Maridiana Williams; Thomas Williams and Lucy Williams Macdonald Dictionary Record: Sam Williams
Arrived in NZ 1839 as a whaler for the Weller Bros, Sydney. Called Yankee Sam in NZ.
Maker
George Ranald Macdonald
Production date
1952-1964
Description
One record, handwritten in ink on rectangular card, with biographical information for Sam Williams. Written by George Ranald Macdonald for the Macdonald Dictionary of Canterbury Biography project, 1952-1964.
Sam Williams was born in America in 1817 and became a whaler by occupation. He worked under Hempleman and later for the Rhodes Brothers at their whale station in Island Bay. He also worked at the Weller Brothers' whaling station in Timaru. F.G. Hall-Jones mentions Sam among the early Timaru whalers in his book Early Timaru.
Williams informed the Rhodes brothers of the fertile land available for settlement in the south. In 1850, he guided George Rhodes to the area, and as a result, the Rhodes brothers acquired a pastoral license for over 10,000 acres.
By 1857, Sam was established as the keeper of an accommodation house on the beach, located at what became the original Rhodes homestead. In March 1860, he opened a new hotel built for him by the Rhodes family. Tragically, the hotel was destroyed by fire on March 7, 1862.
Sam was one of three men who rowed out to greet the first immigrant ship to anchor off Caroline Bay. The others were Mr. Woollcombe and Captain Cain. Sam owned the hotel’s furniture and lost everything in the fire. He made significant efforts to evacuate everyone, successfully saving all 15 people staying there. The adjacent Beswick’s store was saved.
Various sources, including Woodhouse: Canterbury Old & New, James Hay: Tales of Banks Peninsula, and Andersen: Early Canterbury, as well as Lyttleton Times entries dated 8 February and 28 November 1860, provide supporting details.
Arson and Trial
One Sam Williams (possibly the same man, or mistaken identity) was suspected of arson in relation to the hotel fire. He was tried and found guilty of arson by Judge Gresson in June 1862, and was initially sentenced to death. However, the sentence was later commuted to six years of penal servitude. It took a month for the reprieve to reach him from the Governor (possibly Sir George Grey), and he had to wait that entire time not knowing his fate.
Later Life
In May 1863, Williams opened a new hotel. He later moved from Timaru to the Beach Arms at Lake Ellesmere, and then to the Wellington Hotel on Thames Street.
Later in life, his marriage broke down, leading to a period of reckless living and destitution. Despite receiving several fresh starts from the Rhodes family, he was unable to recover stability and died impoverished.
Personal Life
He married Mary Ann Gardiner—a widow—on 2 March 1861 at St. Mary’s Church, Timaru. The ceremony was officiated by Rev. George Foster.
Sam Williams died in Timaru on 29 June 1883 at the age of 66. He is buried in the Timaru Cemetery.
- https://collection.canterburymuseum.com/objects/718766/macdonald-dictionary-record-sam-williams
Samuel Williams, whaler/publican: first permanent resident of Timaru, New Zealand: history and descendants.
A WHALER’S VISION. Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10652, 31 July 1928, Page 6
A Whaler’s Vision
The Picturesque Era
Coming of the Pastoralist
Timaru’s history, as far as Europeans are concerned, began in that most picturesque era in New Zealand when the European population consisted mostly of whalers.
Weller Brothers, of Sydney, established a whaling station at Timaru. Patiti Point, jutting into the sea, served as a lookout for passing whales. There, whalers stood and swept the sea with their telescopes, watching for the migrating leviathans. American firms also took part in this off-shore whaling industry until, due to the scarcity of whales, the industry began to languish.
Many whalers then turned their attention to other pursuits. Some, through necessity, had picked up a knowledge of agriculture and pastoral work suited to New Zealand and became good judges of land and its capabilities.
One of these was Samuel Williams. He left the whaling station at Timaru to work for the Rhodes Brothers on their sheep station at Kaituna, Banks Peninsula. He spoke to the Rhodes Brothers of the splendid sheep country near Timaru, and one of them went with him to see it. He was greatly impressed with the possibilities, for “a finer stretch of pastoral country could hardly be found anywhere” than that seen from any elevation near the old whaling station.
There was a block about ten miles square, gently sloping upward from the sea to a moderate inland elevation, with a few apparently perennial creeks affording sufficient water for pastoral purposes. The whole surface consisted of gently undulating downs, offering security against losses by flood, while the nature of the soil and its varied aspects suggested fewer risks from drought than the nearby shingly plains.
Mr. W. R. Rhodes, Mr. R. H. Rhodes, and Mr. G. H. Rhodes each applied for 50,000 acres of this land, stretching from the Opihi River in the north to the Pareora in the south, and from the sea to Te Ngawai in the west.
Williams was placed in charge of the sheep taken to the new sheep station, and a hut was built for him on the beach near the old whaling station.
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GIST19280731.2.43#text-tab
Timeline of Early Timaru and South Canterbury History
1834
1836
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Shore Whaling Station Established:
Joseph Price sets up a whaling station at Patiti Point for the Weller Brothers of Sydney.
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Caroline Bay Activity: Try-out pots also established at the head of what is now Caroline Bay.
Post-1836
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Weller Brothers' Decline: Their business fails and the station is relocated to Banks Peninsula.
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Sam Williams Remains: Despite the station's closure, boatsteerer Sam Williams stays at the site.
1850
Early 1850s
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Land Pressure: Settlers from Australia, frustrated by land acquisition restrictions in Canterbury, begin looking further south.
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South Canterbury Opens Up: The Crown opens the region between Ashburton and the Waitaki River to settlement.
1852
https://archive.org/details/timaru-south-canterbury-new-zealand-1940/page/n55/mode/2up?view=theater
Timaru's recorded European history began during one of New Zealand's most picturesque periods—the whaling era. At that time, the European population was largely made up of whalers. The Weller Brothers, based in Sydney, established a whaling station at Timaru. Patiti Point, which juts into the sea, served as a lookout. From there, whalers scanned the ocean with telescopes, watching for migrating whales.
American whaling firms also participated in the offshore industry, but over time, the number of whales declined, and the industry faded. Many whalers, out of necessity, turned to other pursuits. Some had already acquired useful skills in agriculture and pastoral work, well-suited to New Zealand’s landscape. They became knowledgeable judges of land and its potential.
One such individual was Samuel Williams. He left the Timaru whaling station to work for the Rhodes Brothers on their sheep station at Kaituna, on Banks Peninsula. Williams spoke highly of the excellent sheep country near Timaru. Curious, one of the Rhodes Brothers accompanied him to see the land for himself. He was greatly impressed, declaring that a finer stretch of pastoral land would be hard to find. From any rise near the old whaling station, one could see a broad, ten-mile-square block of gently rising land stretching inland from the sea.
This area featured perennial creeks, which provided ample water for pastoral use. Its gently undulating downs offered protection from flooding, while the diverse soil types and natural drainage suggested fewer drought risks compared to the nearby shingle plains.
As a result, W. B. Rhodes, R. H. Rhodes, and G. H. Rhodes each applied for 50,000 acres of this promising land. Their claims extended from the Opihi River in the north to the Pareora River in the south, and inland from the sea to Te Ngawai.
Samuel Williams was appointed to manage the sheep at this new station. A hut was built for him on the beach, near the site of the former whaling station.
- https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GIST19280731.2.43#text-tab
Patiti Point pot relives our early whaling days
- The Timaru Herald
- 27 Jul 2019
Our clay cliffs seem to be under siege these days. We’ve all seen the pictures and read the articles showing how quickly the coastal erosion along these fragile cliffs is occurring.
This coastal walk has been one of my favourites since arriving in Timaru some 24 years ago and I’ve been saddened to see sections of it rapidly slipping into the relentless ocean below.
It has been a place of shelter for many hundreds of years. Moa bones and a moa hunter’s necklace, thought to be more than 800 years old, were found in the area in the 1940s and these finds predated the site of a Maori habitation and encampment by 250 years.
It is interesting to note that a ‘‘patiti’’ is a hatchet with a harpoon head attached, fashioned and spliced of wood and cast iron.
Patiti Point has historical significance as the first European settlement in Timaru known as Peeress Town. The beach was originally used as a sheltered landing area by seafarers and in 1839 the Sydney-based Weller brothers established a short-lived whaling station there but it was relocated to Banks Peninsula within a few years.
A town was set up at Patiti Point in 1874 to house newly-arrived immigrants. It developed a reputation as a place of squalor and hardship and was quarantined off for some time due to the outbreak of disease.
Less than 10 years later this township was razed by fire and it was never rebuilt as facilities improved in the developing settlement of Timaru.
The carpark area before the eroding cliffs contain some maritime monuments from our past including a whale try pot, used to render whale blubber, which was recovered from the Patiti Point site around 1890 by A J Sutherland.
It enjoyed a less grim existence as a water storage vessel then a stock trough till it was presented back to the site by descendants of the Sutherland family in 1990. – Karen Rolleston
