Noah's Ark

In early Wellington one of the most curious structures on the waterfront was that known as 'Noah's Ark'. The ship Inconstant, entering the harbour on 3rd October 1849 missed her stays and drifted onto rocks at what is now known as Inconstant Point. The surveying steamer Acheron was in Wellington at the time and managed to tow the stranded ship into the harbour. However the damage was severe and the cost of repair was not worthwhile, so her owners sold her — as is, where is — on the mud flats at Te Aro.

Her first purchaser was a local shipwright. He failed to make anything of her, so he in turn sold her to a Mr John Plimmer, who beached her, had her shored up, and built a store shed on her deck. This shed was used as a stable for animals as they arrived in Wellington from far-off lands, and the odd structure naturally came to be locally famous as 'Noah's Ark'. Eventually the old Bank of New Zealand was built on her site, and a part of her hull apparently lies under the basement.