Coromandel Life Magazine 2018 Winter

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During Thames later years
as a mining town, the
Queen of Beauty Mine
boasted the largest water pumping
facility in NZ, the Thames Hauraki
pumphouse (now called the Bella
Street Pumphouse). It opened in
1898 and its iconic turret tower,
called a “poppet head”, was built
about a year later atop its 305m
deep mine shaft. The wooden
structure supported heavy
cables and support pullies used
to lower and raise cages which
transported miners and the mined
quartz ore.
The pumps were powerful
enough to remove water from
a shaft depth of almost twice
its 305m. However, in 1914 the
Inspector of Mines ordered the
pumps to cease, due to the risks
posed by the influx of gas. The
imposing poppet head, towering
some 20m, was dismantled
and the valuable kauri lumber
reclaimed for other uses.
The Bella Street Pumphouse
Society now owns and
manages the site. It is located at 212 Bella
Street in Thames. “The museum houses not
only exhibit displays but well-engineered
recreations of some of its massive machinery”,
notes the Society’s secretary Bain Cross.
“These include replicas of parts of the steam-
powered pumping equipment. Visitors enjoy a
far better impression of what the site was like
in its heyday.”
And thanks to now deceased Tairua resident
Des Morgan, the star exhibit is a working 1/40
scale model of the Cameron pump, a labour of
love that took him over 5000 hours to complete
(see photo). No detail was left out by the
retired engineer – the sand cast metal model is
complete with the kauri poppet head.
THEIR SIGHTS ON HEIGHTS
For many years, the Society has been building
the largest replica yet, on-site at the Bella St
Pumphouse – the massive kauri poppet head.
“Resource consent has been granted”, says
Bain, “and the Pumphouse
Society will need to raise a
significant amount of money to
fund the reconstruction of the
20m high poppet head.” He
notes that $90,000 must first be
raised by local efforts, before
the Society can apply for further
This working 1:40 scale model of the Cameron Pump made by Des
Morgan, took 5000 hours to make.
– Photo courtesy of historian Althea Barker
The tall scaffolding, called a poppet, may well once again dominate the skyline of Thames.
Help the Society to rebuild this Poppet Head on its original site at the Bella Street Pump House.
Left: Merv Grafton
from the Bella Street
Pumphouse Society
oils the bearings of
the replica flywheel
the Society built to
demonstrate the scale of
the heavy engineering.
funding and larger outside grants.
The Pumphouse Museum is now a key tourist
attraction and event venue in Thames. “As
well as being a museum, the building is used
as an event venue for corporate dinners, car
club meetings, live theatre (there is an indoor
stage), wedding receptions, and of course,
the Steampunk Festival. Now, we are asking
for real community support to raise the funds
necessary to build this lasting monument to
the Thames goldfields. Quite the project to
commemorate its 150th anniversary.”
To help rebuild the poppet head on its original
site, contact Bain at or call
on 027 273 7572 or 07 868 9917.
See their website:
for
more information about the project and how
to make a monetary
donation. Donations
of $1,000 or more will
get your name on one
of the poppet legs!
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