Obituary: Whanganui maritime expert and educator Trevor Gibson dies aged 94

Trevor Gibson aboard PS Waimarie, a vessel he was involved with since it was pulled from the Whanganui River bed in 1993.

Whanganui’s Trevor “Herb” Gibson was not one to let a day go to waste.

The former Whanganui harbourmaster, tutor, hockey coach and Coastguard founder died on February 18 aged 94.

Son Brian Gibson said his father completed about 20,000 bar crossings and his dredging work took him around the country.

As well as serving as harbourmaster, Trevor was also master of the dredge, launch master and port captain during his 30-year stint with the Wanganui Harbour Board.

“Dad even found a mains cable in Milford Sound they didn’t know they had,” Brian said.

“There’s a piece of it in the Riverboat Centre – a souvenir.”

Trevor was born in Lyttelton and attended Christchurch Boys' High School.

After that, he began working on commercial fishing boats and it was a vessel that first brought him to Whanganui.

Speaking to the Chronicle in 2014, he said he spent his 1950 Christmas holiday in Whanganui.

He eventually returned south “but Cupid had shot his arrow” and he made his way back to the River City to be with Elaine Lett.

The couple wed a year later and remained together until she died in 2008.

Son Bruce Gibson said he called his father “Pops”.

“That was because he would always pop up when I was doing something I shouldn’t,” he said.

“I wouldn’t change anything about growing up with him and mum, though.

“We got to do a lot of cool things – driving tractors around the Victory Shed [at Whanganui Port], swimming off the wharf, fishing off the back of the dredge.”

Trevor Gibson spent 30 years with the Wanganui Harbour Board. Photo / NZME

Brian said his father was heavily involved in hockey and coached various age groups and levels.

Trevor joined Whanganui’s Rangers club in 1952.

“I was a rep player myself and always stayed with Dad on away trips, instead of getting billeted out.

“He became the official boot repairer and would always be there to put sprigs back on.”

At the funeral, Whanganui Coastguard Unit president Mike Carson said Gibson held that position 40 years ago – “that’s how long he was involved”.

“Trevor was there from the beginning, being one of the founding members and a driving force for the unit,” he said.

“In 1998, he was honoured with life membership.”

Trevor’s passion for water safety led to several acknowledgments, including the Ministry of Transport Award for small boat safety in 1986, Exceptional Adult Tutor awards in 2000 and 2004 and a Coastguard Excellence award in 2008, Carson said.

He also received the Queen’s Service Medal for services to maritime safety, the NZ Cadet Force Long Service Medal and a Police Crest recognising 40 years of service to marine search and rescue.

“His passion for all things maritime, training and safety has had a major influence on the Whanganui and wider community.”

Bruce said Trevor’s retirement did not mean he slowed down.

“There was no tomorrow for Herb.

“We would go around to see him and he wouldn’t be home. You’d have to make an appointment.

“He was tutoring, doing surveys, seeing his ‘mistress’ – the Waimarie.

“Dad was involved with it from the moment it was brought out of the mud [in 1993] and refurbished.”

Trevor Gibson running a water safety course at the Aramoho-Whanganui Rowing Club in 2011. Photo / NZME

Son Paul Gibson said Trevor lived for the sea and would always go above and beyond when it came to helping people.

“He knew the Whanganui port inside out and could solve any problem; even when he retired, the port was still asking Dad for ideas and recommendations,” he said.

“With anything to do with water, he had your full attention.”

In 2008, Trevor told the Chronicle there was not much he did that did not involve the river or the sea.

“Treat Neptune with respect – because, if you don’t, he won’t respect you.”

He joined the Sea Cadets in 1966, eventually becoming a lieutenant.

Brian said his father was with the organisation for 30 years until “he got booted out for being too old”.

“He returned as a volunteer tutor after he retired and won a Sea Cadets volunteer of the year award.”

Trevor was also a volunteer firefighter at Castlecliff for 40 years.

At the funeral, former Waimarie skipper Don McGhee said Trevor had educated him on the intricacies of the paddle steamer.

Originally, McGhee had been content as a volunteer deckhand but Trevor was having none of it.

McGhee eventually got his licence and skippered the vessel for six years.

“Trevor’s determination and inability to let go of something was the driving force behind that,” he said.

“We are all very, very fortunate. Ninety-four years, the majority of which was spent here, being a benefit to the community.

“That says it all for Trevor.”

Daughter Dianne Dicker said her father “gave up everything” to care for Elaine when she fell ill.

“After she passed, he slowly got back into boating and courses.”

Elaine and Trevor Gibson in 2006. Photo / NZME

Trevor was always there for his grandchildren and to lend a hand with family building projects, she said.

“I don’t know if he ever had any spare time,” she said.

“Dad was just a book of knowledge.”

Bruce said Dianne cared for both Elaine and Trevor in their later years.

His father kept his sense of humour right to the end of his life.

Trevor was eventually cared for in the New Vista rest home.

“You’d walk in there and hear ‘Hello, hello?’. It was Dad.

“I asked him who he was calling for and he just said ‘Any b*****d who’ll listen’.”

He said everyone in the rest home turned out to farewell Trevor’s casket when he left.

“We started saying ‘Hello, hello?’ as we went and everyone just burst into laughter.”

Trevor Gibson leaves behind five children, 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.