Winter-Spring 2022

InSitu Heritage have had a busy winter fieldwork season, including archaeological survey and assessment for the proposed Te Araroa Barging Port project. The project is subject to a section 56 exploratory investigation which will take place during September.

We had a few days excavating a pit and terrace site near Te Teko (V15/1697), a single-phase occupation containing several infilled pits. Archaeological investigation has also been carried out near Ōpōtiki as part of the harbour and marina development works.

Most recently the InSitu team undertook a geophysical survey in selected parts of the Mauao Historic Reserve at Mount Maunganui, with support from kaitiaki as well as Professor Kate Welham from Bournemouth University. Tauranga City Council and the Mauao Trust have committed to a five-year archaeological research programme at Mauao, and the geophysical survey will provide guidance for future targeted investigation within the reserve.

Image left: the geophysics team at Mauao

Hinemaia Dewes, who was introduced to the joy of archaeological fieldwork by Pam Bain and Danielle Trilford via the Heritage New Zealand Mātauranga Māori cultural mapping project at Te Araroa; has recently joined the InSitu team on several fieldwork projects. Hinemaia is considering undertaking graduate study in Archaeology and is building up her fieldwork experience. We look forward to hosting Hinemaia through our studentship programme over the summer fieldwork season.