Story: Building materials

Felling kauri for timber

Felling kauri for timber

Most New Zealand houses were built from wood, and kauri was the most sought-after timber for this purpose. This Charles Heaphy painting depicts a logging camp on the Wairoa River, Northland, in 1839. The timber is being cut into beams and planks using the pit-sawing technique on a raised platform.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: C-025-014
Watercolour by Charles Heaphy

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Jeremy Salmond, 'Building materials - Early houses', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/artwork/25087/felling-kauri-for-timber (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Jeremy Salmond, published 11 Mar 2010