The Police Stations

There was no permanent presence by the Police in the Upper Clutha until 1869 when Thomas Ryan of the Otago Provincial Police arrived in Cardrona.

The Cardrona constabulary were:
1869    Thomas Ryan
1870    John Cassells
1871     John McMahon
1872    George Comyn
1876    Thomas Cameron

Whilst Cardrona had a larger population than Pembroke (now Wānaka), the latter eventually became more the commercial centre of the Upper Clutha and was more centrally positioned. Things moved slowly, even though land had been reserved for a Police Station and gazetted.

In December 1881, it was still bare land (located on the corner of Dunmore and Helwick Streets, but extending along to approximately where the Kika Restaurant currently is and up to Brownston Street). These “streets” were in reality just tracks that sometimes followed the 1863 Connells plan for the town.

Plod’s Patch (Police & Courthouse Reserve)
John Adrian Connell’s 1863 Town Plan Map

Local residents started agitating for a police presence in the town. At a public meeting of Pembroke residents held in June 1882, a call was made for “Cemetery fencing; the Library opened, a lock-up, a place of worship erected – all at Pembroke.”[2] The key words are “lock-up” which is a description of a jail (or gaol) used at the time.

[2] “Lake Wanaka”,Cromwell Argus, 13 June 1882, Page 3

Eventually, on 22 July 1885, the District Engineer for the Public Works Department issued an advertisement seeking tenders for “Constable’s House, Lock-up, Stable and Fencing”.[3] Not surprisingly perhaps (somethings never change), it took a while for this Department to make a decision and announce in March 1886 (just 8 months later) that the tender of Henry Daulby of Dunedin, a builder, for £401 had been accepted.[4] It is probable that this tender was only for the construction of the Residence, the “lock-up” and the fencing. Mr Daulby moved things along much quicker, as in June 1886 it was announced that the gaol and the Constable’s residence were completed and awaiting inspection.[5] Note the change from a “Lock–up” to a “Gaol” and there is no mention of a stable or fencing.

In 1889 it was reported that the tender of J R McDonald for the construction of a stable and forage store for £133 had been accepted.[6] This suggests that either the original tender for the Residence, Lock-up, Stable and Fencing was not completed in full as intended originally, or the original stable was inadequate. All the original buildings were built of wood except for the second cellblock which was built of stone and mortar but was certainly not built in 1886. A stable building does appear in a later photo.

This photo is from around 1890 and shows the first Residence and Station, the single-cell block and the second cell block. In the background is the Commercial Hotel built by William Allan in 1885.

[3] Advertisements, Cromwell Argus, 1 August 1885, Column 1, Page 2
[4] Untitled, New Zealand Times, 29 March 1886, Page 2
[5] Cablegrams, Lake County Press, 17 June 1886, Page 2
[6] Untitled, Lake Wakatip Mail, 15 March 1889, Page 2

The Second Cell Block in 2023.

The original 1886 “Lockup” in 2023. The toilet (very small) is at the rear.

Popular Constable Nicholas Marsh who retired to Oamaru from Pembroke in December 1907.

A Constable was not responsible for just law and order – on his appointment in 1896, Constable Marsh was gazetted Clerk of the Warden’s and Magistrate’s Court, Receiver of Gold Revenue, Mining Registrar and Inspector under the Factories Act.[7]

Subsequent Police Buildings

In November 1940, tenders were called for the erection of a new Police Station Residence.[8] It was to be situated on Dunmore Street between the existing building and the cell and stone stable on Dunmore Street.

It was reported in June 1941 that building of the Police Station and Residence had commenced[9] and by 20 January 1942 it was reported as being occupied, the old Residence and Station had been sold and was to be demolished.[10]

It is evident from a 1946 aerial photograph taken of the area, that the original wooden cell building was moved back behind the stone building[11] to accommodate the new Residence and Police Station. A toilet facility had also been added to the Cell.[12]

The two Cell buildings still exist on the land occupied by the motels in Dunmore Street. The Cell building has been granted heritage protection by QLDC.

[7] Omnium Gatherum, Otago Daily Times, 8 July 1896, Page 4
[8] Tenders, Otago Daily Times, 22 November 1940, Page 12
[9] New Police Station, Otago Daily Times, 5 June 1941, Page 5
[10] Police Residence, Otago Daily Times, 20 January 1942, page 7
[11] Although not for certain, it is thought that the stone building was originally the stable building (as called for in the Tender document) and may have been converted to use as cells at later date
[12] UCHRS photograph “A74 EL6667,Shoreline aerial of Lake Wanaka 1946.tif”

Photo of the Police Station and Residence taken around 1998 when it was advertised for sale. It had been rented out from about 1993.

The building was apparently always known as “Peel House” (after Sir Robert Peel, the founder of the UK Police force). The land and building were sold, and the building was moved by transporter down Helwick Street to eventually end up near the roundabout on Aubrey Road (No. 867 but originally 161 or 129 Mt Iron Road – according to QLDC documents) in 2000. The current owners renovated it and added a bedroom in 2012.

Of interest, the Police Office at the right of the building in the photo, was just 3.7m square. That size became a problem as Wānaka grew, and of course, the mass “immigration” of holiday makers in the summer period also impacted on policing efforts. At one stage the Lodge Hall in Dunmore Street had to be hired out to accommodate the consequent temporary increase in officers brought in from other locations.

Plans were afoot in the late 1960s to build a new Police Station. It would not include accommodation (other than the cells) and would have been forecasted able to handle Wānaka’s growth for an extended period of time. 

In January 1972, it appears that a small celebration might have been held in the Station to announce to the staff that a new Station was to be built, and a month later it was announced that it was planned to be completed by December 1972.[13] When exactly the new Station was opened is not known, but it is expected that it was likely to have been January/February 1973.

The buildings included a separate cellblock and single car garage. In 1993 a major renovation project that included increasing the size of the Station and replacing the single garage with a double garage in a different position. The project cost a contracted amount of $75,000 and the renovated Station was re-opened on 9 Dec 1993.

The previous residence and Station at 2 Dunmore Street continued to be rented, presumably by staff, until it was sold in 1998.

[13] Confirmed by a letter from the Ministry of Works to QLDC in January 1973.

Note that this photo was taken before the renovations and shows the original layout. The 1886 original cell building can just be seen over the fence on the left of the photo.

Photograph taken in the snow after the 1993 Renovations

Wānaka’s growth started accelerating in the 1990’s, and by the turn of the century, it became apparent that even the Helwick Street Station was going to become unworkable. In 2011, work commenced on planning for a new Police Station that was to be erected on Reserve Land on Ballantyne Road. Eventually, all the consents were obtained, and the building was opened on 9 October 2013.

The Helwick Street Station was sold and the area on which it stood, has been re-developed into retail facilities and is known as ‘The Precinct’.

The latest Wānaka Police Station opened in 2013.