Windmills of New Zealand

Oturehua, Otago (#)

The engineering firm of E Hayes, in 1909-10 built a large wind engine to power its works. The 6.5 metre diameter wind engine was placed atop a substantial 18 metre high tower. This engine was the prototype for a series of wind engines that the firm later produced.

The firm still exists today, as does a modified part of the mill tower, converted to water power!

Foxton, North Island (#nz1)

Foxton windmill, an authentic working Dutch style smock mill opened on 13th April 2003, and in its first year of operation attracted 64,000 visitors (which is very high numbers for NZ with a population of 4 million).

The windmill was largely built locally by a team of volunteers, led by Cor Slobbe. The main gearing and sails came from Vaags Molenwerken in Aalten, Holland. The architect was Mr Jan Heydra. The chairman of the Foxton Windmill Trust Inc is Mr John Langen. The mill has two pairs of stones and sells high grade wholemeal flour.

Mock Mills

Dannevirke (#nzmock3)

Founders Heritage Park, Nelson (#nzmock1)

Although a mock mill, with the exception of the sails, this is a fairly accurate external repesentation of the working windmill that once stood in the centre of Nelson.

Founders Heritage Park, Nelson (#nzmock2)

A small mock mill used as a ticket or information booth by the car park.

Historical locations

Auckland (#)

Originally built in 1851, the tower of Partington's mill was increased in height in 1915, leading to an unusual appearance of a conical tower, with a cylindrical extension. The mill continued to work commercially (with the help of electricity) till 1941, and was demolished in 1950. The site is now occupied by The Sheraton Hotel.

Heathcote, South Island (#)

1853

Riccarton, Christchurch, South Island (#)

William Wood founded a milling company, that over its history operated first by wind, then water, then steam. The seven storey smock mill, erected in 1856, was in Windmill Road, now Antigua Street, a site now occupied by the Canterbury Brewery. In around 1861 it was moved to Leithfield, where it had a further life of about 17 years, before being dismantled.

There were plans to construct a replica of this mill in Ferrymead Park - using the signal tower as a base.

Links

• European type windmills in New Zealand - a very comprehensive listing drawing on the research by Ian Jonson
• TIMS mills in New Zealand
• Water, horse and other mills in New Zealand
• New Zealand windmill manufacturers - wind engines
• Tio Kinke - Australia and New Zealand