The Railway Wharf, Mount Maunganui

Looking at Railway Wharf from Mt. Drury. Showing Tauranga & Railway Bridge in Distance
Undated Postcard by Welsh Photo. Image courtesy of Justine Neal

A temporary wharf and railway line to Te Maunga was built at Mount Maunganui in 1910 by the Public Works Department. The wharf was to service the East Coast railway construction. The intention was to dismantle both the wharf and line after construction had finished. The wharf was known as the Railway Wharf, the D wharf (because of its shape) and the Public Works wharf.

Aeroplane View of Mt. Maunganui Wharf & Workshops. June 1922. Protected 2/5/23
Postcard by Welsh Photo. Image courtesy of Justine Neal

The Bay of Plenty Times reported on 25 November 1910 that the first consignment of stringers, piles, walings etc. for the railway wharf at Maunganui was punted across from Tauranga and on 23 December 1910 that Mr. C A Turner of Paengaroa had in hand the haulage of piles for the Maunganui wharf from the bush at Mangorewa to the Kaituna Landing. Joseph Brain was in charge of the construction. On completion it served as a wharf for large ships, launches and scows discharging material for the Tauranga - Te Puke railway.

In 1924 it was decided to build a new railway wharf at Tauranga opposite the Monmouth Redoubt and by the following year the old wharf at Mount Maunganui had fallen in to disrepair. By 1926 it was in a state of decay and was finally demolished in 1932.