D - Dam People

I spent my early years on the banks of the Waikato River. Not literally, but in the city that was built on both sides of it.

It is the longest river in New Zealand at 425 kilometres, flowing from its source on the eastern slopes of Mt Ruapehu through Lake Taupo then on to the sea at Port Waikato south of Auckland. Along the way, its energy has been harnessed, lakes created and great dams constructed.

Hydro electric power. New Zealand is lucky, there are several rivers such as the Waikato offering the opportunity to manipulate the flow and generate electricity in a sustainable, renewable way.

My maternal grandfather, a fitter and turner, worked most of his adult life in this industry and so did my father, an engineer. Grandad worked at Coleridge, near Christchurch for a short time before moving on to Waitaki. These were the first two hydro electric stations that the Government was involved with. The beginnings of the State Hydro Department and still going strong today producing energy to keep our homes and workplaces running smoothly.

Waitaki, Highbank, Mangahao, Maraetai, Whakamaru.

My father left school and became a draughting cadet then progressed to become an engineer. While in working in Hamilton many days were spent visiting the stations along the Waikato. Arapuni, Karapiro, Aratiatia, Atiamuri, Waipapa, Whakamaru, Maraetai, Rangipo, and Tokaanu some of which were still under construction.

As well as hydro power generation there was steam at Wairakei and coal fired at Meremere. More recently a new geothermal station Ohaaki and a larger coal fired station at Huntly, although Dad didn’t have much involvement with them.

After we moved to Wellington, the upper Waitaki became Dad’s area of responsibility. Aviemore and Benmore had recently been completed and yet to come were Ohau A, B & C and Tekapo A & B.

My grandfather’s brother left New Zealand and worked on the Snowy Hydro Scheme and in the coal fired stations at Yallourn and in the LaTrobe Valley.

What a cutting edge industry it must have been in those early years, bringing unimaginable change to our society. It seems to me that it was probably comparable to the change that rail brought to our great and great grandparents lives.

Railways provided new opportunities for employment, travel for all and a step into a different socio-economic group. Electricity generation for the masses improved living conditions, promoted the use of new transportation (electric trams as opposed to horse drawn) and lit the streets at night making it safer for those of our ancestors finding their way home in the evenings or later at night.

There are Dam people in my tree – and I’m pretty damned proud to say so.