The Bankside Fuel Depot located between Dunsandel and Rakaia, on the Canterbury Plains, was built in 1942 as part of New Zealand’s war effort. It was to supply fuel to a secret airfield constructed nearby.
By early 1942 the threat of Japanese invasion in the South Pacific prompted the New Zealand government to take further steps to defend its shores. A planned increase in the number of operational aircraft meant further airstrips and fuel depots would be needed. The Bankside fuel depot was the largest of 17 planned secret fuel depots, 15 of which were built. It was to serve the nearby Te Pirita airfield, constructed to take American heavy bombers.
The Bankside fuel depot was designed and built with considerable speed by the Public Works Department. The fuel tank was made from second hand plate steel welded together. It sat within a bomb blast protection wall 40 metres in diameter and 11 metres deep, made from 97,000 bricks.
Other associated works included a railway siding, pumping station and prefabricated accommodation and messroom buildings.
A net cover, quick growing shrubs and nearby blue gum trees hid the depot from sight. The area was fenced, and guards rostered 24 hours a day.
Bankside decommissioned
With a capacity of 750,000 gallons, Bankside was the largest of the secret fuel depots, and is one of only five such structures remaining. By the time the Te Pirita airfield was complete the threat of invasion had decreased. By 1944 Bankside was no longer in use and what could be salvaged was removed. The land was returned to the Selwyn Plantation Board and the area planted in pine trees.
For decades the blast pit was used as a dumping ground for old cars and contaminated materials.
Required by Environment Canterbury to clean up the site, Selwyn Plantation Board spent $3m to remove rubbish and test the soil for contamination. $100,000 was granted from the Ministry for the Environment’s Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund towards investigation costs.
As the site was suspected to contain toxic chemicals, radioactive material and old unexploded ammunition, great care was taken with the clean-up. In the event, the majority of the rubbish was found to be low risk and only moderate levels of contamination were detected in localised areas.
The clean up was completed in 2009.
More Information
Heritage recognition
This place has been recognised by Heritage New Zealand as a Category 2 historic place (List no.7727) Bankside Fuel Depot: New Zealand Heritage List/Rarangi Korero information.
Further reading
Burges, Robyn. "Fuel for thought." Heritage New Zealand. New Zealand Historic Places Trust. (Winter 2008): 38-39.
Van Beynen, Martin. "No big finds in $3m clean." The Press. January 13, 2010.
Access
There is no public access to the site.
