The Tui blaze: Daughter of famed explorer Kelly Tarlton reflects on vessel’s rich history

The iconic Tui sat derelict in recent years but plans were in place to transform her into a marine education centre. Photo / Jenny Ling

The daughter of famed underwater explorer, treasure hunter and marine conservationist Kelly Tarlton says the historic vessel destroyed in today’s fire was like a first home.

Fiona Tarlton was devastated to wake to the news The Tui had gone up in flames by the Waitangi Bridge in Paihia.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand crews were alerted to the blaze about 4am. Firefighters spent hours extinguishing the fire and dampening down hot spots.

The Bay of Islands landmark was going to be turned into a marine education centre, something Tarlton and her family were thrilled by.

Instead, the fire has left them shattered.

“When I say it’s devastating, that doesn’t even really cut it. It’s been incredibly upsetting.”

Firefighters work to extinguish a blaze on a historic ship The Tui by the Waitangi Bridge in Paihia. Photo / Derek Gerritsen

One of Tarlton’s earliest memories was picking up The Tui in 1969 from a “hippy commune”, ready for a new life at the hands of her passionate parents.

From then on, the vessel became a huge part of her life, spanning well past the 33 years the family owned The Tui.

The vessel was barge-like, originally built by Chelsea Sugar to transport refined sugar from Birkenhead to Auckland City – at least until the harbour bridge was built and trucks were used.

The vessel was then purchased by a man for use in a hippy commune.

“I remember going with Dad in our little boat and seeing all these naked, quite hairy-looking hippies coming down the gangplank,” Tarlton recalled.

That was the start of a new venture that eventually involved The Tui being tugged along at low tide underneath the Waitangi Bridge to her resting spot near Te Tii Marae.

She was put on wooden blocks, three masts and rigging were added and The Tui was converted into a majestic barque to become Kelly Tarlton’s Museum of Shipwrecks.

Rosemary Tarlton at Kelly Tarlton's Museum of Shipwrecks.

Fiona Tarlton aboard The Tui when it was turned into Kelly Tarlton’s Museum of Shipwrecks.

Tarlton said her mother worked six days a week while she and her sister ran amok on board, climbing the masts and admiring their father’s collection of artefacts.

It was before they had even owned a house and were renting, she said.

“It’s like our first home.”

Tarlton’s first job was aboard The Tui at the age of 13.

She was paid $3 an hour to clean all the grubby fingerprints off the glass from tourists pointing at the many relics.

Then at 24 she got married on board, with 200 guests piling on to celebrate.

For 33 years the Tarlton family operated the museum.

It ultimately helped finance the aquarium now known as SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium.

The Tui has been docked at Waitangi since 1969, renovated by Kelly Tarlton himself.

But a brazen daytime burglary by kitchenhand Keith Anthony McEwen in 2000 brought a sharp halt to The Tui’s heyday.

Staff found that a glass vault had been ransacked and $300,000 worth of treasure, including gold and Rothschild jewellery, was missing.

The insurance refused to pay out through a “loophole”, Tarlton said, effectively spelling the end of the museum.

The family to this day are still hoping to recover the lost treasure.

A young Fiona Tarlton with the recovered Rothschild jewels from the wreck of the SS Tasmania.

The Tui was then sold to a local couple in 2003 who had plans to restore her into a restaurant and cafe.

Over time, the vessel was turned into what would be known as a local fish and chip spot, Shippey’s.

But she eventually succumbed to wear and tear after Shippey’s closed down in 2014.

Shippey's was the last active venture on The Tui, pictured sitting at Waitangi in the Bay of Islands in 2022 awaiting a new lease on life. Photo / NZME

Rotting wood, fallen planks and a snapped mast were telltale signs of her age.

Tarlton said she used to drive up from Auckland and sit in her car, saddened to see the state of her beloved “first home”.

That’s why she was overjoyed to be approached by a couple, Cat and Thibaud Guerin of TriOcean’s, who had plans to turn The Tui into a marine education centre.

“I was absolutely thrilled,” she said.

The Tarlton family were “so happy” to see The Tui would be getting a new lease on life.

“The Bay of Islands community were in such support and we were all excited.”

Efforts had begun to restore The Tui to her former glory as a sugar boat in line with Kelly Tarlton’s original vision, with the help of funding from Foundation North.

That was until Wednesday’s fire.

The iconic Tui sat derelict in recent years but she was set to be transformed into a marine education centre. Photo / Jenny Ling

People countrywide would have memories of visiting The Tui, she said, whether it was walking up the gangplank and getting photos or going inside to meet Rosemary and Kelly.

Tarlton said that by the look of the damage to The Tui, any last hopes a new era appeared to be dashed.

While fire investigators were still working to establish the cause of the blaze, Tarlton said her hurt would turn to anger if it turned out to be arson.

“The callousness and selfishness of that person I [would] find unforgivable.”

She said New Zealand needed places like The Tui to learn about the marine world, headed by people like Cat and Thibaud who had the “best of intentions”.

“Dad would be crushed. He would have a very heavy heart.”

Brodie Stone covers crime and emergency for the Northern Advocate. She has spent most of her life in Whangārei and is passionate about delving into issues that matter to Northlanders and beyond.