A footpath? You might have noticed what looks like a very expensive footpath. Actually, it is part of the historic Huia Aqueduct. Let me tell you more about how the Arthur Mead Bridge connects to this aqueduct and a man named Arthur Mead.
Arthur Mead was quite a remarkable man. He was born in Taranaki in 1888. He later became the city’s Waterworks Engineer. Early in his career, he surveyed and designed the Upper Huia and Upper Nihotupu dams in the Waitakere Ranges. It was Arthur Mead who conceived the aqueduct. This aqueduct would run from Piha south to Whatipu and Huia. It would then go into the city. The aqueduct would collect water from all the streams along the way.
The full aqueduct plan never materialized. His supervisors decided to focus on the larger Hunua scheme. But some short sections were built during the Upper Huia Dam construction. The Huia Tunnel Aqueduct runs 1200m between the Huia and Nihotupu valleys. The Huia Conduit is a 2.4km reinforced concrete box structure. It is partly tunneled and partly above ground. Some bridged sections cross streams. This is where the Arthur Mead Bridge comes into play.
Eventually, all the other dams were connected to the aqueduct. The Lower Huia is pumped 100m vertically. It joins the Upper Huia water feeding into the top of the tunnel section. Water from the Lower Nihotupu dam is pumped 113m vertically. It joins at Mackies Rest. Part way along the Exhibition Drive track, the Upper Nihotupu water also feeds in.
Arthur Mead’s contributions extended beyond engineering. He served in World War One. He was an infantryman in the Medical Corps of the Auckland Rifles. Arthur even won the Military Medal at Passchendaele.
After the war, Arthur Mead returned to the Auckland City Council. He became Secretary of the New Zealand Society of Engineers Auckland Branch in 1924. In 1929, he was promoted to Waterworks Engineer. He held this position until his retirement in 1953.
Arthur Mead was also deeply involved in conservation. He became the Board’s Secretary and Supervisor of the Auckland Centennial Memorial Park in 1940. He continued as the Board’s Honorary Secretary until 1972. At that time, Arthur was 84 years old.
Interestingly, Arthur Mead’s recreational and professional lives often intertwined. He was a keen tramper. His maps of the Waitakere and Hunua Ranges were the first maps of these areas. They were widely used by trampers. Arthur also helped name the Waitakere Ranges tramping tracks. This was important for search and rescue operations.
Arthur Mead was also a foundation member of the Avondale Baptist Church. He helped establish it in 1926. He supported the church’s Boys Brigade. In 1999, Watercare won the Arthur Mead award for upgrading the Aqueduct. The award recognizes projects that protect or enhance the environment.
Sadly, the now 90-year-old aqueduct was due for replacement 18 years later. Arthur Mead’s legacy lives on. It lives on through the Arthur Mead Bridge. It lives on in the aqueduct. It lives on in the parks and tracks he helped create. He was a true asset to Auckland.