Co-written by Mags Delaney-Moffatt & Meg Andrews

The PumpHouse has a rich and colorful history that fascinates many of our visitors. In this blog we have collated ten interesting facts about the vibrant past that makes The PumpHouse and its surroundings a unique landmark.

• The building of the pump house was completed in 1905 as a result of a competition to take fresh water down to Devonport and served the community as a water pumping station for about 30 years when it was left to deteriorate.
• In 1968 two hundred people attended a public meeting in support of preserving the building and turning it into an arts venue. This meant the Rowing Club who used the building as a store for kayaks had to move out.

Meeting overflow

• The ‘formal official opening’ on Friday 29th April was to be performed by the Mayor of Takapuna, Mr A.F. Thomas with guest speakers Hon. Alan Highet, Minister for the Arts, and Hamish Keith, chair of the QE ll Arts Council.

Mayor of Takapuna, Fred Thomas opens The PumpHouse

• In October 1976 the road from Manurere Ave was sealed, toilet facilities opened in the ‘green shed’ (now the French Rendez-vous), the chimney strengthening progressing and windows were installed and the first goal of the completion of phase one was nearing completion. But the solid Kauri entrance doors still needed to be hung as well as some outstanding structural jobs to be completed.

Manurere Ave tar-sealed

The unsealed drive down to theatre

• A pen and ink drawing of The PumpHouse by local artist Ron Kirkham was donated to the board. This image was used on notelets that were sold in packs of 5 for $1 at various outlets.

Ron Kirkham’s picture

• North Shore Theatre & Arts Trust (formed in 1971) took over. Money was raised including $1500 from a PumpHouse Gala Day – a fundraising picnic with donkey rides and a Punch & Judy show. Trust members were busy every weekend with working bees – chipping the old concrete off the brickwork and slowly transforming the building into something that could be used as a theatre.
• The very first stage production held at The PumpHouse was Euripides Electra in 1977. According to a local theatre stalwart, the show was
  long and patrons had difficulty holding onto their bladders between intervals!

Fundraising Picnic Gala Day

• The PumpHouse sits on what’s known as the ‘tuff ring’ or crater edge. Pupukemoana is 57m deep and home to some very large and clever eels.
• The aptly named Mrs. Shakespear, related to the Shakespears of Wendlholm near Waiwera, owned the land we are currently on during the 1800s. She sold the land to the Devonport Waterworks, who built pump houses to supply water from Lake Pupuke to Devonport. Our pump house is the last of the three constructed.

A more recent aeriel photo of The PumpHouse on the shores of Pupukemoana by Navy Photographer Chris Weissenborn

• A Māori myth surrounding the lake tells of a tupua couple, children of the fire gods. After quarreling and cursing Mahuika, the fire-goddess, their home on the mainland was destroyed by Matahoe, the god of earthquakes and eruptions, on Mahuika’s behalf. Lake Pupuke resulted from the destruction, while Rangitoto Island rose from the sea as their exile. The mists surrounding Rangitoto at certain times are considered the tears of the tupua couple for their former home.