West Coast based Heritage Project Lead Ranger Matt Ainge is preserving New Zealand heritage, one brick at a time.
Matt has been working for the Department of Conservation (DOC) for three years, after a previous life as a bricklayer, where he apprenticed and worked in the industry for 10 years.
Last week, he taught DOC rangers from around New Zealand how to look after heritage masonry, in a hands-on workshop repairing the Economiser Building at Waiuta, a historic ghost town south of Reefton on the South Island's West Coast.
Matt says DOC is the biggest manager of heritage brick structures in New Zealand: "We've just got thousands – there's lots to do and lots to learn."
Historic masonry structures managed by DOC in New Zealand are varied – from old chimneys at historic homesteads and huts to industrial heritage structures such as fan houses and brick works.
"Heritage masonry is a lot older than what you find on an average house, and it's in a state of decay – it needs a lot of love.
"Older masonry might be falling apart or have deterioration issues, or incorrect previous repairs are starting to show – we want to stop these things happening. I'm focused on fixing things, giving people advice of what to do, and getting people excited about heritage.
"The workshop we ran aims to equip rangers with the skills they need to make repairs to heritage masonry structures – they've learnt how to assess a brick structure and repairs needed, and how to make simple repairs."
The transition from commercial brickie to conservation ranger was a big decision and change for Matt.
"It was an exciting shift because I'd been doing the same job for 10 years, and I gave up working in the town or the city to go 'full bush' with a scrub bar or chainsaw or just a few handtools - I was just frothing every day."
Although his first job in Reefton for DOC wasn't solely focussed on heritage, it soon became a passion, with many sites around the area containing important heritage artifacts. As Matt did more work on heritage structures and saw how much masonry there was, he started to see where his skills as a brickie could be helpful.
"I was awarded the 2024 Stephen O'Dea Award, which is given each year in honour of the DOC Field Centre Manager who died in the Cave Creek Disaster, and used this to attend specialist heritage masonry and building conservation training.
"Before I got started on the heritage masonry work, I had always assumed that masonry buildings were built to last forever, but the reality is that our climate, particularly cycles of rapid heating and cooling, moisture, and high salt exposure, is accelerating deterioration. I've learned techniques rooted in traditional materials and methods that are far more compatible with historic buildings than many modern interventions.
"Well-meaning repairs using modern materials can cause significant damage. For example, using modern cement in place of traditional lime mortars can trap moisture and lead to faster decay of heritage fabric. In most cases, lime is the more appropriate material for repair, as it allows new work to gradually deteriorate without damaging the original structure.
"In my new role, I'm looking after heritage sites across the West Coast and sharing my knowledge within DOC, so rangers are better able to maintain these special places. I couldn't be more stoked."
As an important place to learn about New Zealand"s history while out naturing, Waiuta is recognised as a Tohu Whenua site.
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