Godley Head revisited
Date: 24 November 2008
The theme for Heritage Week (18 - 26 October) in Christchurch this year was RETROspective: Christchurch life, architecture and design 1940s - 1970s, and was the perfect opportunity for Mahaanui Area to showcase the recent restoration work undertaken on the Godley Head Coastal Defence Battery buildings.
Spectators await the aircraft flyover
And it rocked! Over 2000 people attended the event which included displays of WWII artefacts and memorabilia, a WWII aircraft flyover, marching demonstrations (courtesy of the Christchurch Sea Cadets), and a hands-on display of WWII anti-aircraft guns. Music and movie-time news footage from the war-years, black-out conditions and mood lighting inside the buildings produced just the right atmosphere to help roll back the years. Mahaanui Area staff put in a fantastic effort to set the scene; the display they created rivalling any seen at the Waiouru War Museum - complete with sandbags, sound-effects and a 1939 Ariel motorbike.
Many who came to the event were ex-service men and women, who shared their memories of Godley Head during the war years. For them, seeing the base come back to life, and having the history being told to new generations of New Zealanders, was just as important as the work being done to protect the site. For some it was a particularly emotional experience, with tears flowing freely from one elderly woman after she found, amongst the display items, a photo of her husband dressed in full artillery uniform taken during his time at the base. The family now have a copy of this photo to treasure.
Godley Head is always worth a visit, it has spectacular views over the Lyttelton Harbour entrance, the city of Christchurch and surrounding districts. Add in its history and you have a winner.
Sea Cadets learn about the area's history
Early Canterbury surveyors recognised its importance as a strategic defensive position; from its 120-metre-high cliffs there is a clear line-of-sight of up to 40 km.
Fearing foreign invasion, the Defence Force began work on the battery just six days after the outbreak of WWII. The site included a long-range coastal defence gunnery; with associated underground magazines and gun emplacements; observation posts, plotting room, searchlights and accommodation for over 400 staff.
After the war, and a period of being used for Compulsory Military Training in the 1950s, the buildings were handed over to the Department of Lands and Surveys to administer, and subsequently to DOC.
With only a few of the original coastal defence buildings still standing, the focus now is on restoring and maintaining them, as they form part of New Zealand's wartime history and Godley Head is one of the most complete coastal-defence battery sites left in the country. Open days are a great way to raise awareness of the head's history, gain support for its restoration and maintenance, and profile the department's historic site management at a key site.