48. The Platypus
A Submarine in Middlemarch, New Zealand
There’s a submarine in Middlemarch
There’s a submarine in Middlemarch, in the middle of the valley, in the middle of Otago, in the middle of a drought.
It was the brainchild of Australian gold miner R.W. Nuttall, who arrived in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1872 with the patent for a submersible vessel. He found some investors and it was built in 1873 by ironworkers Joseph Sparrow and William Thomas.
The Platypus, as it was called, was 10 meters long and made of iron plates. It was designed to dig and sluice for gold in the riverbeds of Otago. There was a gold rush at the time.
After failing two of three trials in Otago Harbour, investors lost interest. They had sunk enough money into it. The Platypus was dragged onto the banks of Pelichet Bay (since reclaimed, now Logan Park), where it remained for many years.
Deemed an unsuitable example of New Zealand ingenuity, the submarine was not displayed at the South Seas Exhibition on that site in 1924. Instead, it was cut into sections and hauled away.
The middle, used in a soap-making factory, is now lost.
The front and back sections were found at the Barewood Sheep and Cattle Station, where they were used to store water. Seems fitting.
More recently, the remains of the Platypus were given to the Strath Taieri Historical Society, on account of its historical significance.
It was partially restored and is on display in a museum in Middlemarch. Interpretive panels show what is missing.
It’s missing the Middle.
Technical notes: Camera: Sony A7 III, Lens: Sony FE 24-105 F4 G OSS. I set the aperture to F4. The ISO was generally between 100 and 200. The shutter speed varied from 1/500 to 1/2,000 sec.
I read about the discovery and restoration of the Platypus in our local newspaper, the Otago Daily Times, on Thursday, Dec. 7. The story mentioned that the partially restored remains of the 150-year-old craft would be unveiled at a ceremony at the Middlemarch Museum on the following Sunday. I decided to attend and photograph the event (you can see and download 26 Creative Commons-licensed photos here). The ribbon was cut by Peter Sparrow (pictured above), a grandson of the builder, Joseph Sparrow.
Middlemarch is a small town about 80 km inland from Dunedin with a population of 153 people (according to the 2018 census). This is where the Taieri Gorge Railway ends and the Otago Central Rail Trail begins. Middlemarch is an important support centre for the Strath Taieri farming community, a tourist destination, a site of historical significance for Māori, a habitat for native flora and fauna, and a place full of stories and storytellers.
Addendum
As
commented below (thank you):Hello, Very Interesting Article, This Story Makes for a Book or a Movie. Did you know that in 1888 the Spaniard Isaac Peral invented the first electric submarine? All the best. [translated from Spanish]
This is very interesting. Check out the article about the Spanish submarine Peral on Wikipedia.
What’s next?
I plan on taking more day trips from Dunedin during the summer holidays. While those of you in the Northern Hemisphere hunker down in preparation for cold weather, ice, and snow, temperatures are rising in the Southern Hemisphere. The longest day of the year here in Dunedin, New Zealand, will be on December 22, when the sun will rise at 5:41 AM and set at 9:21 PM. It’s a good time of the year for street photography.
What do you think?
You are invited to leave a comment below.
an excellent title and a great story
Hola , Muy Interesante El Artículo , Esta Historia Da Para Un Libro O Una Película. Sabías Que En 1888 El Español Isaac Peral Invento El Primer Submarino Eléctrico. Un Saludo.