Abel Tasman Memorial

Another "political" structure, the Abel Tasman Memorial at Tarakohe is a joint effort between JC Beaglehole, who headed up the history section at the Department of Internal Infairs, his assistant Janet Wilkinson (later to become Dame Janet Paul) and Plischke.

The unveiling of the memorial and the opening of the Abel Tasman National Park in 1942 was attended by a delegation of five from the government of the Netherlands, notwithstanding the risks and dangers of this event during wartime. Plischke in his autobiography talks about the entire Dutch government being in attendance, but this is an exaggeration.

The memorial has been modified several times. Queen Juliana of the Netherlands presented a plaque in 1970 that has since been incorporated into the column. The marble plaque has been moved from its original "table" structure to form part of the boundary barrier and the wooden deck and railings were added by DOC in 1992 in the lead up the 350-year celebrations.

The plaque is now revealed as white marble, the original blue-grey and red colours having been removed.
Designed & Built: 1942

Client: NZ Government. Erected to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Tasman's arrival in 1642 and the death of four of his crew at the hands of the locals.

Location: Wainui Road, Tarakohe

Commission: JC Beaglehole recommended Plischke for this assignment.

Design Features:
Stark, white, strongly geometric and abstract form.


Construction Details:
Concrete pillar. Plaque text by Beaglehole, typography by Janet Wilkinson (later Janet Paul). The memorial was unveiled on 18 December 1942 on land which had been donated by the Golden Bay Cement Company, and which became a reserve under the Scenery Protection Act. The cement used in its construction was also donated by the company.

The text reads:
"REMEMBER ABEL JANSZOON TASMAN
A COMMANDER IN THE SERVICE OF THE DUTCH UNITED
EAST INDIA COMPANY WHO DISCOVERED NEW ZEALAND
AND ON 18 & 19 DECEMBER 1642 ANCHORED IN THIS BAY
REMEMBER ALSO FRANCHOYS JACOBSZOON VISSCHER
PILOT MAJOR & THE COMPANY OF THE SHIPS HEEMSKERCK &
ZEEHAEN + ALSO JAN TYSSEN OF OUEVEN TOBIAS PIETERZ
OF DELFT JAN ISBRANTSZ & A SAILOR OF NAME UNKNOWN
KILLED BY THE NATIVES OF THIS COUNTRY"

Current status:
The memorial is managed by DOC.

Sources:
E.A. Plischke, Ein Leben mit Architektur, 1989, pp.258-267