Story: Wellington region

Seen from Customhouse Quay, Plimmer’s Ark is demolished in 1885. By this time harbour reclamation work had landlocked the vessel, which had been turned into a warehouse. On the site the Australasian insurer National Mutual built their New Zealand head office. The new building sat on the remains of the ark, and for the first year office workers were bothered by the stench of stagnant water rising from the barque’s bowels.