Nelson and Hochstetter

Posted by on 8 March 2009

Nelson & Hochstetter

Read the story on the Prow…

Ferdinand von Hochstetter (1828-1884), the father of New Zealand geology, had a signficant impact on Nelson. During his short visit to the region from August – October 1859, he (with Haast):

  • Investigated the Aorere goldfield and the Pakawau coal seams
  • Arranged for a major collection of international minerals and fossils to go to the Nelson Institute (much of it now in Wellington)
  • Examined and reported on the copper and chromite mines on Dun Mountain
  • Mapped the northern part of the Province (Haast mapped the southern area) – later publishing the first geological map of the region.
  • Laid the foundation stone of the Nelson Institute Building in Hardy Street on August 26 1859 – the stone is now in the foyer of the Elma Turner Library.

A number of exhibitions have celebrated the 150th anniversary of Hochstetter’s visit to New Zealand, including the current exhibition at the Nelson Provincial Museum. Local scientist and author Mike Johnston is in the process of publishing a book about him.

The Prow website now features a story about Hochstetter and his Nelson visit. The list of sources for this story includes some of the rich resources relating to Hochstetter and his geological studies (published as a result of the Austrian global scientific expedition aboard the Novara, during which his New Zealand visit took place) which are held in Nelson Public Libraries’ Research Room (Elma Turner Library).

You are welcome to come to the Research Room to look at these items:

Original scientific reports of the voyage of the Novara (1857-1859):

Reise der Osterreichischen Fregatte Novara um die Erde in den Jahren 1857, 1858, 1859 unter den Befehlen des Commodore B. von Wullerstorf-Urbair. (1864/7) In Commission bei K. Gerold's Sohn, 1864-67

  • Geologischer Theil. Erster Band. (1864)
  • Geologischer Theil. Zweiter Band. (1867)
  • Statistisch-Commercieller Theil (1864/5)
  • Beichreibender Theil. (1861-2)
  • Medizinischer Theil I.Band (1861)
  • Anthropologischer Theil(1868?)
  • Zoologischer Theil. Erster Band. (Wirbelthiere) (1869)
  • Zoologischer Theil. Zweiter Band (1864-1875)
  • Botanischer Theil (1870)
  • Linguistischer Theil (1867)
  • Nautisch-physicalischer theil (1863)

Schwerzer, K. R.von (1861-3) Narrative of the circumnavigation of the globe by the Austrian frigate Novara (Commodore B. von Wullerstorf-Urbair), undertaken by order of the imperial government, in the years 1857, 1858, & 1859, under the immediate auspices of His I. and R. Highness the Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, Commander-in-Chief of the Austrian Navy. Saunders, Otley, and Co.

Other publications in the Research Room

Hochstetter, F.von (1863) Neu-Seeland. Cotta'scher Verlag

Hochstetter, F.von (1867) New Zealand : its physical geography, geology, and natural history : with special reference to the results of government expeditions in the provinces of Auckland and Nelson. J.G. Cotta

Hochstetter, Ferdinand von (1959) Geology of New Zealand contributions to the geology of the provinces of Auckland and Nelson. Wellington: Government Printer

Hornibrook, N. (1971) A revision of the oligocene and miocene foraminifera from New Zealand described by Karrer and Stache in the reports of the "Novara" expedition (1864) Wellington : Government Printer.