Story: Wellington region

Demolishing Plimmer’s Ark (2nd of 3)

Demolishing Plimmer’s Ark

Seen from Customhouse Quay, Plimmer’s Ark is demolished in 1885. By this time harbour reclamation work had landlocked the vessel, which had been turned into a warehouse. On the site the Australasian insurer National Mutual built their New Zealand head office. The new building sat on the remains of the ark, and for the first year office workers were bothered by the stench of stagnant water rising from the barque’s bowels.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: 1/1-002704; F
Photograph by William Williams

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page:

Chris Maclean, 'Wellington region - The struggle to survive: 1840–1865', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/13236/demolishing-plimmers-ark (accessed 8 May 2024)

Story by Chris Maclean, updated 1 Aug 2015