Wellington Central in Wellington Council, New Zealand — Southwestern Pacific Ocean
Hikitia Floating Crane
Photographed By Erik Christeson
1. Hikitia Floating Crane Marker
This floating crane was built in Scotland in 1926 and sailed under its own power with crane erected, to New Zealand. This is believed to be the longest sea voyage of any such vessel.
It served the Wellington Harbour Board till mid 1980s and is indicative of the progressive engineering enterprise of the Wellington Harbour Board since 1884.
It is the oldest known operable steam powered floating crane in the world.
Erected 2010 by IPENZ - Engineers New Zealand, Maritime Heritage Trust of Wellington.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1926.
Location. 41° 17.352′ S, 174° 46.821′ E. Marker is in Wellington, in Wellington Council. It is in Wellington Central. Marker is at the intersection of Commonwealth Walkway and Great Harbour Way, on the right when traveling north on Commonwealth Walkway. The marker is actually on board the vessel, so the location may vary. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Wellington 6011, New Zealand. Touch for directions.
Also see . . . HIKITIA Wellington’s historic heavy lift floating crane.
"Hikitia is an important part of Wellington’s rich maritime history.(Submitted on May 13, 2023, by James King of San Miguel, California.)
Befittingsuch status, she resides in a pride-of-place location on Wellington’s waterfront at the Taranaki Street Wharf, near Te Papa.
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Launched in Glasgow, Scotland in 1926 she arrived in Wellington, to great fanfare, on 21 December 1926.
The ship remains almost unchanged from the day she was launched and is now unique in the world as the last working example of its kind – a steam powered heavy lift floating crane.
Hikitia was a workhorse from 1926 to 1990 in Wellington’s Port Nicolson, belonging to the Wellington Harbour Board, predecessor to the present CentrePort.
Wellington’s history is inextricably linked to the sea and the port and Hikitia is a rare and outstanding example of that history that is still very much alive. The machinery functions impeccably – albeit she is not currently self-propelled – and she still works as a floating crane, and for numerous other things such as an event venue and floating museum..."
Photographed By Erik Christeson
2. Hikitia Floating Crane
Marker can be seen through the gangplank, below the blue life preserver.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 5, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 13, 2023, by James King of San Miguel, California. This page has been viewed 71 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 13, 2023, by James King of San Miguel, California. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
