Throwback to Timaru’s coastline before the Port was built! This old map shows just how different the coastline looked – can you spot where Ashbury Park and Caroline Bay are today?
Building a harbor in Timaru was a hot topic 1860 and 70s. Many thought it wasn’t needed because the railway was about to connect Timaru with Christchurch’s Lyttelton Port. But others could see the opportunity that would come from improving safety and efficiency and so locals pushed forward, believing a port was key to the town’s future. The port was only one of two independently owned ports in the country, a critical asset for the ratepayers of Timaru.
Construction started in 1878 with the 700m southern breakwater, designed by John Goodall. As the breakwaters were built, sand began to accumulate, transforming the Stoney shoreline into what we now know as Caroline Bay. The harbor continued to expand and change, with work continuing even to the present day.
Timaru Harbour, Province of Canterbury : general chart of Timaru and adjoining coast by Sir John Coode showing works recommended by Sir John Coode, August 1875. (from Patiti Point to Washdyke Lagoon). The proposed works are shown by red colour. Timaru Foreshore. NZ Heritage Maps Platform, accessed 10/09/2024, https://maps.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/404