In Memoriam Ngaire Hart
McCallum's Island Red Chert Aggregate Quarry Hauraki Gulf North Island New Zealand
Started by William Fraser McCallum and his three brothers as a partnership in 1904, McCallum Bros Ltd has continued to be a family-run operation with all ownership remaining in New Zealand.
The partnership began with a small 40 tonne wooden scow "Pahiki" used for coastal trading.
More scows were bought for the increased trade in red shingle which was delivered from Pakihi Island to customers within the Auckland Region and Hauraki Plains.
At first the shingle was loaded onto the scows by shovelling it into wheel barrows and then pushing these up planks to the hold.
This labour intensive method was eventually replaced as quarries were established.
Quarrying of red chert started on Pakihi Island in 1906 and continued until 1927 after a quarry which had been established on adjacent Karamuramu Island in 1908 took over production. A lone wharf pile off the south-western side of Pakihi Island was the only remnant of the Pakihi quarry still visible from the sea in 2006 (subsequently claimed by the sea).
McCallum's Island Red Chert Aggregate Quarry Hauraki Gulf North Island New Zealand
Started by William Fraser McCallum and his three brothers as a partnership in 1904, McCallum Bros Ltd has continued to be a family-run operation with all ownership remaining in New Zealand.
The partnership began with a small 40 tonne wooden scow "Pahiki" used for coastal trading.
More scows were bought for the increased trade in red shingle which was delivered from Pakihi Island to customers within the Auckland Region and Hauraki Plains.
At first the shingle was loaded onto the scows by shovelling it into wheel barrows and then pushing these up planks to the hold.
This labour intensive method was eventually replaced as quarries were established.
Quarrying of red chert started on Pakihi Island in 1906 and continued until 1927 after a quarry which had been established on adjacent Karamuramu Island in 1908 took over production. A lone wharf pile off the south-western side of Pakihi Island was the only remnant of the Pakihi quarry still visible from the sea in 2006 (subsequently claimed by the sea).