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Nelson Historical Society Journal, Volume 6, Issue 5, 2002

In Conclusion

In Conclusion

The more I have found out about the wall's origins, design, development and purposes, the more convinced I have become that, as I also said in 1977, 'It is a truly great wall, as grand as any seawall in New Zealand. It is as important to Nelson as any six historic buildings'. I must confess I have two ulterior motives in contributing this article for publication in the Society's Journal.

The first, and more immediate, is to make the qualities and significance of the whole of the Rocks Road seawall, both early and late, much more widely known. This is in order to prevent it being disfigured in an attempt to change the wave regime and beach profile at the eastern end of Tahunanui Beach. The second motive will ultimately be more effective in preserving its forms and effectiveness as a road-protecting structure. It is to set in train the process by which the whole wall, in both its 19th and 20th century vintages, including the short granite section now isolated on Wakefield Quay, becomes recognised as a heritage structure in both the New Zealand Historic Places Trust and City Council lists.

Despite my urgings in 1977, the Rocks Road seawall still has no heritage recognition, though its post and chain fence has an NZHPT Classification I and an NCC Group A ranking.