TOWN WILL BE ABLE TO EXPAND TOWARDS COAST

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 46, 3 October 1949, Page 5

TOWN WILL BE ABLE TO EXPAND TOWARDS COAST

The proposal of the deep sea port for Whakatane has been an idea of Mr C. H. Brebner for some time. His plan as it stands at present provides for the harbour to be built "facing Whale Island at Kohi Point, the farthest outcrop at the Heads. Behind the harbour 10 chains provides ample space for railway marshalling yards to the foot of the cliff, while the main line itself swings across the present mouth of the river to the northern bank and then swings west to link up at the board mills terminus.

Protected by three moles, the side ones 30 chains long and the seaward structure 25 chains, the harbour would have an entrance 500 feet wide to a depth of 40 feet. Inside the harbour the depth would be 30 feet, deeper than that provided in most harbours.

There are two wharves each 800 feet long joining straight back on to the railway yards at the rear. About the entrance of the harbour there are no snags or reefs and all round the water is deep and easily navigable. With the protective moles Mr Brebner considers that the harbour could be worked in all weather.

To construct such a harbour the river would have to be diverted. In the present plans the scheme is to cut straight through the sandhills to the sea from the bend below the board mills where the river begins its swing in towards the town. Retaining walls would have to be built to keep the river on its new course, while two further retaining walls would be needed at the mouth to stop the river moving east again with the sea currents.

These walls at the mouth would, according to Mr Brebner, build up a beach towards the harbour very similar to that now at Ohope.

By diverting the river 600 acres would be made available for reclamation for the town and the expansion then would be naturally towards the coast. There are immense possibilities here for a seaside waterfront.

The whole cost for the project is estimated to. be £1,000,000, probably much less.

DEEP SEA PORT WAS ENVISAGED 27 YEARS AGO

The idea of a deep water harbour at Whakatane, planne'd to export direct to overseas markets is not a new one. As far back as 1922 sketches had been drawn and preliminary plans prepared of a deep sea port. But the harbour envisaged at that time was very different from the present day plans. At that time it was possible to enter the river port at almost any time in calm weather.

In the old plan it was intended to divert the river but the harbour was to be where it is now. A huge basin was_.to be constructed and dredged, wharves and sheds being built inside. The entrance to the harbour was to be the present river mouth with retaining walls on either bank.

But there was another important addition. There were to be two breakwaters, one from Kohi Point facing out towards and a second built out from > the beach on the northern side of the harbour mouth. This wall was to be built parallel to the cliffs and when almost opposite the other breakwater, swing in to form the port entrance.

Estimated cost then £350,000. Subsequent experience, however, has proved that that scheme would not have been possible. For one thing the cost would have been very much more and the port would have required constant dredging. A further drawback was the fact that the port would have remained a bar hax-bour.