Situated on the Petone foreshore along the northern side of Wellington Harbour (Port Nicholson) is a small yacht club with its proud traditions going back into New Zealand's History.
The year 1906 has been considered the foundation year of Heretaunga Boating Club. This date has been somewhat hard to verify, however photographic records clearly establish that the club existed in 1906.
Around 1904, Mr. J Bates planted in the minds of seven other men the idea of forming a boating club in Petone. The date this first took shape has not been established, however sometime between 1904 - 1906 a club was formed called the "Petone Boating Club". Because the initials PBC could be confused with the local borough council or lawn bowling club, the name was changed to "Heretaunga Boating Club". The name Heretaunga comes from the Maori name for the Hutt River, which flows down the Hutt Valley and into Wellington Harbour at the eastern end of Petone beach.
In those days, meetings were held in various boatsheds along the foreshore. In 1907, plans and estimates for a clubhouse were drawn up. The club held its first regatta in 1907. On February 6th 1908 the building of the clubhouse had proceeded far enough to hold a meeting in it. From this date meetings were held regularly, leading to phenomenal growth in membership, with the club considering extensions in June 1909.
Sometime in 1913 a Wellington District Yachting Association was formed with Heretaunga taking part in its formation.
A boat harbour, such as it was, was built in Petone during 1914. This boat harbour never performed satisfactorily, eventually falling into disuse, and was finally dismantled.
The first clubrooms
(click on image for an enlargement)
