Albert Barracks / AFWT Serie #11 Traditional Cache

THE CACHE

HISTORY OF THE ALBERT BARRACKS

Governor William Hobson may have moved the capital from the Bay of Islands in 1841, but his successors still had to keep an eye on the troubled north.

The univerity of Auckland and the Albert Park occupy much of the site of the previous Albert Barracks, one of Auckland's early European military fortifications, which in turn was built on the previous site of Te Horotiu pa. The barracks consisted of a number of wooden and masonry structures standing in an enclosed area surrounded by a rock fortification built of the local volcanic stone, a portion of this wall remains visible in the University Grounds.

These 85 m of the Albert Barracks Wall survive from a wall begun in 1846 and completed in 1851-52 to counter any raid by anti-government Māori. It used basalt quarried from Mt Eden and, ironically, relied heavily on Māori labour for its construction. When finished, the 3.6 m-high walls enclosed a large complex of buildings spread across 9.2 ha. Never tested by hostile action, the barracks nevertheless played a big role in Auckland public life. Barracks Square and the adjoining buildings hosted balls, sporting and other social events.

With the removal of the military threat, the seat of government shifted to Wellington in 1865, the cost of maintaining the regiments was reviewed and a decision was taken to abandon the Barracks. During 1871 and 1872 the walls and many of the buildings were removed or demolished and the materials used in other constructions around the city.