The gun turret of HMNZS Taranaki, a Rothesay-class anti-submarine frigate that served with the Royal New Zealand Navy from 1961 to 1982. The directory places the turret at 169 Harris Road in East Tāmaki, Manukau City. Its most distinctive feature is the twin 4.5-inch gun mounting, which the ship's specifications list as her main armament.
The ship was built by J. Samuel White & Co. in East Cowes on the Isle of Wight, with oil-fired turbines that drove her at more than 30 knots. The ship's original badge was designed by Taranaki secondary school pupils in 1958, and its design features Mt Egmont and the lighthouse at Cape Egmont. The ship carried a crew of 219 officers and ratings, later increased to 240.
For a visitor interested in New Zealand's naval history, the turret is a tangible link to the Cold War era of anti-submarine warfare, when the Royal New Zealand Navy's frigates were built to find and destroy modern submarines.
Our pick in East Tāmaki for a visitor who wants to see a piece of a real Royal New Zealand Navy warship.