NZHPT Information release
3 February 2012

The fallen timeball lies to one side of its original tower.

Photo: NZHPT

A significant part of Lyttelton’s maritime history, the timeball that stood atop the Timeball Station at Officers Point, will soon be on display at the Canterbury Museum.

The timeball will be part of the museum’s ‘Canterbury Earthquake’ exhibition which will run from 22 February to 1 October.  The aim of the exhibition is to focus on the science of earthquakes, the human aspect of the disaster and the recovery.

The Timeball Station’s tower, which housed the timeball mechanism, collapsed following successive earthquakes on 13 June last year.  The damaged mechanism from the New Zealand Historic Places Trust (NZHPT) property was retrieved and put into storage along with as much of the station’s heritage fabric as possible.

“The timeball itself sustained damage but remains complete,” said Timeball Station Manager Jan Titus.

“While we are unhappy at the circumstances that led to it, we are pleased to be part of this exhibition. The Timeball Station, and the red and black timeball particularly, was instantly visible when visitors came through the tunnel and looked to their left.

“The display is a reminder that the Timeball Station will always be part of the region’s history and heritage.”

Discussions and options on the Timeball Station’s future are being considered, with the site cleared.

From 1876 the timeball was dropped from the Timeball Station’s mast to signal the time to ships in Lyttelton Harbour.   A fine example of Victorian technology, until the earthquakes the Timeball Station was one of only five in the world known to be still in working order – making it a rare piece of maritime history.

For more information:

Paul McGahan
Heritage Destinations Southern Region Manager
New Zealand Historic Places Trust
tel:  027 224 5686
email: pmcgahan@historic.org.nz

Read more about the Timeball Station, post earthquakes