Port Ahuriri
Development of Port Ahuriri
Ahuriri was one of the earliest settled areas of Napier, and its sheltered waters offered safe mooring sites for sailing ships in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
As Europeans settled in the district the port became a community and maritime industrial centre, and was used to import and export supplies and produce.
Transportation links between the Ahuriri area and Napier were improved reflecting the importance of Port Ahuriri to the rest of the country.
In 1855 the Government named Napier a 'Customs House Point of Entry'.
To meet the increasing demand for land for industrial and transportation purposes in the Ahuriri area land reclamation of the inner harbour was an on-going activity.
Breakwaters, jetties, quays, wharves and embankments gradually reduced the area of water in the inner harbour.
Adjacent to the wharves, large warehouses and administrative buildings were built alongside hotels and small cottages for working men. The buildings were mainly built from timber, often with simple pitched roofs and false frontages facing commercial streets and lean to roofs behind. These unique designs continue to be a feature of Ahuriri today.
The Relocation of Port Activities
While Port Ahuriri provided many benefits for the region, from an early stage its life was considered limited.
Several factors lead to the downgrading of Port Ahuriri, including the shallowness of the harbour, uncertainty created by tidal movement and migrating shingle banks, and the increasing demand for coastal trade.
In 1931 Napier was hit by a 7.9 magnitude earthquake which wiped out most of the city's infrastructure and buildings.
The earthquake also created major changes on the natural environment, with the bed of the inner harbour of West Quay rising more than two metres, effectively removing its ability to act as a port.
Work had already begun on an artificial harbour at Bluff Hill in 1887, and after the Napier earthquake it became home to the Port of Napier.
Changing Times
The development of the new Port of Napier, meant Port Ahuriri’s focus moved to fishing and recreation. It continues to be well utilised today by the Hawke's Bay fishing fleet and a range of recreational users.
The buildings once occupied by industrial activities related to Port Ahuriri now house a variety of commercial, industrial and recreational users.
The historical design features of those buildings have been preserved and help give Ahuriri its special character. The distinctive saw-tooth roof lines, buildings located right on the street boundary, the subdued colour scheme, and large scale are setting Ahuriri apart from other parts of Napier.
The wool-store and warehouse buildings are vital components of West Quay's heritage. The Nissho-Roberts Building on West Quay highlights the detailed decorations of the Late Victorian Era, in particular the highly decorative windows.
What were vacant industrial sheds are now popular cafes, bars and recreational centres. Retaining the history of West Quay is a vital part of the redevelopment of West Quay today. | 
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