OLEO
Over the weekend Dave Stanaway was passing through Awanui, the historical river port in the far north of New Zealand. Ray parked up and checked on the launch – Oleo that is berthed in the river. Dave commented that she was an ex towboat in Whangarei.
Back in December 2019 we had the photo below of her hauled out at Awanui and Harold Kidd at the time commented that Oleo was built for R H Harnett of Whangarei by Tyler & Harvey in December 1910. Her original engine was a 20hp Union. R H Harnett lived at Parua Bay and was a trader on the harbour. He sold Oleo to R B S Hogwood in 1915 and owned Moerangi for passenger and mail work from 1912 until he died in 1936.
Dave also mentioned Ray Morey knows all about her so hopefully Ray will join in and tells us more about her more recent activity. Dave’s older brother Jim knew her then as well.
INPUT ex Hylton Edmonds – Oleo was owned and operated by Larry Walker as a workboat and contracted a lot with her to the former Whangarei and latterly Northland Harbour Board(s), as inner harbour barge and general assist. Larry and son Tommy (great Kiwi blokes) have both now sadly passed (and a lot of Far North history with them too), but I believe Oleo is still in the Walker Family who live nearby at Unahi. Oleo runs a 6 Cyl Ford, and like of small workboats of the day- punched well above her weight.
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Alan, I do not know all about “Oleo” but I think you will find Larry Walker possibly bought her from Keith Wright (Whangarei Sand Co) who inherited her from his father Eric , before buying the scow Alma. She did spend a large part of her life in Whangarei, but I have seen photo’s of her in Auckland with the towboat fleet there. I think there are three “T”s in Hartnett too. I also feel that the Walkers added the aft cabin over an open cockpit. Eric Wright’s barge was unusual in that the mast, derrick and winch were mounted on a substantial deckhouse on one end and I recall seeing it being towed by a small tug servicing the re=hab island in the gulf (Rotoroa?) maybe.Oleo had a K3 Kelvin in the Wright’s day but Tommy swapped that out for the Fordson, he also had the Kelvin engines from out of “Lady Gwen” the old gut barge, he dropped fords into her as well. Last time I spoke to Tom he was either heading off, or had just got back from taking “Alma” down to Nelson
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