An expert panel reviewing the future of the Edwin Fox maritime museum in Picton says its dry dock needs urgent repairs, and recommends a new purpose-built dry dock be built in the long term.
By Kira Carrington for Local Democracy Reporting
A recent inspection of the Edwin Fox Museum found numerous issues including corroding walls, cracked beams and deterioration of the 172-year-old ship itself.
Built in 1853, the Edwin Fox was the last convict ship to take criminals from England to Australia and was the last wooden ship to bring immigrants to New Zealand.
The panel’s report on the Edwin Fox Preservation Project and an update on the museum’s strategic plan and rebrand were presented to the Marlborough District Council strategy and community partnerships committee on Thursday.
The four-person panel, made up of naval architect Harry Stronach, marine and coastal structural engineer Grant Pearce, and maritime heritage experts Sara Gainsford and Kurt Bennett spent two days inspecting the ship in August.
Heritage Marlborough manager Liz Ward told councillors that the report found the walls of the ship’s dry dock, which had been its home since 1999, had not been fit for purpose in decades.
“The dry dock walls are corroding. This was a known issue and had actually been identified as a problem from quite early on in the dry dock's life,” Ward said.
“They were only ever designed to be temporary.”
Ward said the panel found both the concrete keel blocks and the wood used to prop up the ship were showing cracks and other signs of stress, and the sheet metal piling was actively corroding.
“The ship is open to the elements on one side and is showing greater deterioration on that side, than the covered side,” she said.
The report estimates that a significant amount of the sheet piles have less than 50% of their original strength.
Without substantial intervention, the dry dock would partially or completely fail within five to 10 years, the inspection report said.
Enhancements to the dry dock, designed by Stronach, were already under way by Abel Ships.
Works would be completed by autumn, making the ship safe enough to allow public tours to resume.
The report laid out three option for the Edwin Fox’s long-term preservation including keeping the existing dry dock with a new structural support system, building a new more shallow dry dock, or relocate the ship to an above ground purpose-built support facility.
Each option is technically challenging and would require a budget of at least $20 million to $35m, excluding building and exhibition fit-out, the report said.
While the panel recommended relocating the ship above ground, each option had its own advantages and risks, especially those that involved moving the ship.
Councillors unanimously voted to refer the options to the Long Term Plan working group for further consideration.
Museum metamorphosis
The Edwin Fox maritime museum has completed the first year of its strategic plan, with council’s cultural and heritage manager Nicola Neilson telling councillors the museum had completed 80% of their first year goals.
This included washing and repainting the building’s façade, installing heat pumps, and upgrading the museum’s IT and point of sale systems, Neilson said.
“These changes, they’ re modest and small, but they've made a big difference to the general visitor experience and how we run the facility,” Neilson said.
The museum also undertook a rebrand with a new website launched, she said.
“We've established our public facing identity ... and that now includes online ticket sales and donations, and we've found that to be a success and rising.
“We've now done things such as a big banner in the Interislander ferry terminal advising passengers [we’re] just across the road while they're waiting.
“That's also led to an increase in visitor traffic, especially on rainy days.”
Neilson said that, despite fewer cruise ships, by December the museum’s revenue was up 66% on the previous December.
November’s revenue, which had been particularly strong, was up 112% on the previous November.
The second year included improvements to museum displays and exhibitions, and improved visitor access and infrastructure, Neilson said.
Councillor Allanah Burgess praised Neilson and Ward for their work at preserving Marlborough’s taonga.
“This is an amazing example of the incredible work that you do ... your marking within this project, it's good kaitiakitanga in action,” Burgess said.
“It's showing that heritage investment delivers economic and social returns, not just with the Edwin Fox, but I think it's nice to note on a wider scale throughout all of our heritage in our taonga within the whole district.”
– LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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