HMS Buffalo Re-examination Project

HMS Buffalo Re-examination Project The results from the project will be used for new interpretation and learning experiences and made available to the wider community.

The HMS Buffalo Re-examination Project aims to complete a detailed site survey to provide an accurate interpretation of the HMS Buffalo shipwreck site located in Whitianga, New Zealand. In addition to the planned underwater survey, the project will increase awareness of maritime archaeology both locally and nationally through the engagement with the Mercury Bay Museum, schools, and local and natio

nal agencies. HMS Buffalo was built in India in 1813 and originally named Hindostan. Soon after its completion, the Royal British Navy purchased HMS Buffalo and repurposed it several times as a transport, timber carrier, quarantine and immigrant ship travelling between England, Australia, Canada and Aotearoa New Zealand. In 1840 while anchored in Mercury Bay, Buffalo was caught in a storm and became a complete loss. The wreck site now lies 50 m off Buffalo Beach.

The HMS Buffalo Re-examination Project team and the Mercury Bay Museum out there doing it again in the Maritime Archaeol...
15/05/2026

The HMS Buffalo Re-examination Project team and the Mercury Bay Museum out there doing it again in the Maritime Archaeology space!

What an a amazing experience for our team!!! Sharing out hardwork on the project over the last 5 years and networking wi...
20/10/2025

What an a amazing experience for our team!!! Sharing out hardwork on the project over the last 5 years and networking with our maritime archaeology colleagues from all over the world, oh and meeting new ones!!We can't wait to start planning our next projects and collaborating with new colleagues!!And our highlight was to meet James Delgado - what an amazing man with so many cool stories!

Awesome to see members of the team working on another very important piece of Aotearoa's Martime history- The Edwin Fox....
22/08/2025

Awesome to see members of the team working on another very important piece of Aotearoa's Martime history- The Edwin Fox. Well done Kurt & Sara!

One of the world's last surviving wooden ships has sat in dry dock for the past 26 years.

On Monday 28th July 2025, it will be 185 years since the wrecking of the HMS Buffalo and the Mercury Bay community are c...
16/07/2025

On Monday 28th July 2025, it will be 185 years since the wrecking of the HMS Buffalo and the Mercury Bay community are commemorating with two events.

Please see the Mercury Bay Museum event page for more details.

This is an amazing opportunity for the team!! Help support us by grabbing a raffle ticket 🎟 If you can't  get to us but ...
25/01/2025

This is an amazing opportunity for the team!!
Help support us by grabbing a raffle ticket 🎟
If you can't get to us but want a ticket please let us know we can do an online purchase :-)

See the link in the post for more information on the trip

Let's support local and 'Let's Get Becs to Belgium'!!

Get your raffle tickets today from:

Dive Zone Whitianga
isite Whitianga
Smitty's Sports Bar & Grill Whitianga

Want more information on this amazing opportunity for Becs and the Mercury Bay Museum team - then please check out our website:
https://mercurybaymuseum.co.nz/lets-get-becs-to-belgium/

Another amazing couple of days in Whitianga completing three dives on the HMS Buffalo shipwreck.  The last time the team...
18/01/2025

Another amazing couple of days in Whitianga completing three dives on the HMS Buffalo shipwreck.

The last time the team were on the wreck was October 2023 and it was completely covered of sand.

Great news this time - it is nearly completely uncovered and scoured out again (almost like the survey dive in 2021).

Kurt was the one in the water this time with a slightly better visibility than previous dives.

Of note on the wreck was the abundance of sea life - lots of fish, octopus and seaweeds! Also managed to find three of our survey tags from 2021 too.

Its great to see the wreck again and it is looking good with no damage from previous storm events.

Thanks to Liam from Digital Mining Ltd for supplying a 'research' vessel and a huge thanks again to Dive Zone Whitianga for supplying the gear to enable the dive!!
We really appreciate the support.

Keep watching as we may have a few projects coming up.

What an awesome fundraiser for one of our team to get to the International Kongress of Underwater Archaeology (IKUWA8) i...
17/01/2025

What an awesome fundraiser for one of our team to get to the International Kongress of Underwater Archaeology (IKUWA8) in Belgium later this year!!

Got to be in it to win it - so if you want to help fundraise for this amazing oportunity or just want to win one of the wicked prozes then get in touch with the Mercury Bay Museum (if not local) or pop into one of the venues to get yours today.

Lets get Becs to Belgium and support the amazing mahi the team are doing!!!!!!

🎟🎟 It's Raffle Time!!!! 🎟🎟

'Let's get Becs to Belgium' is in full swing!!

✈Becs is hoping to attend the International Kongress of Underwater Archaeology (IKUWA) in Belgium October 2025. This is just the beginning of fundraising to get her there to represent Mercury Bay on the international stage.

Get your raffle tickets today from the following venues:
Smitty's Sports Bar & Grill Whitianga
Dive Zone Whitianga
Whitianga I-site
Mercury Bay Museum

Awesome Prizes - kindly donated by our amazing sponsors!!
Smitty's Sports Bar & Grill Whitianga
Dive Zone Whitianga



Mercury Bay Discoveries

🎟GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY!!! 🎟

Address

Buffalo Beach
Whitianga
3510

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