Seasonal Shores: Childhood at the Perano Whaling Station
In 2007, Lorna Wratt (née Gardiner) sat down with interviewer Loreen Brehaut to reflect on her to reflect on her unique childhood, a seasonal life shaped by the rhythm of the Perano Whaling Station and the remote beauty of the Marlborough Sounds. Her memories offer a vivid insight into Marlborough Sounds’ history, capturing a way of life that has since faded but still resonates through personal stories like hers.
Whaling Season Migration to Tory Channel
Each winter, as the whales migrated through Tory Channel, so did the whalers and with them, their families. For Lorna, this meant leaving behind her home in Blenheim every May and journeying to Whekenui, where her father, Bernie Gardiner, worked the whale season. Between 1955 and 1959, she spent her winters in this isolated corner of the Marlborough Sounds, attending Whekenui School and embracing the distinct rhythm of rural childhood adventures.
Born in 1945 in Blenheim, Lorna was the middle of three siblings. Her older sister Win stayed in town for school, while Lorna and her younger brother Ken followed their parents down the coast each year. Their mother, Freda Gardiner (née Mears), despite suffering from asthma, made the journey with them to the rugged outpost of Tory Channel, a place steeped in Marlborough Sounds history.
“We went down in the May school holidays and came back in August,” Lorna remembers. “It was just part of life.”
The Journey Down
Lorna’s early schooling was at Springlands, where she reached about Standard Two or Three before the family began making the annual migration. Their bach, a cluster of old army huts lined with lino and joined together, improved over the years, eventually sporting comforts like a bath and sink, making it one of the more livable homes in the settlement.
Though the move may have been challenging for some children, Lorna took it in stride. “You sort of just adapted,” she said. “I looked forward to going down there, actually; it was good.”
Whekenui School: Rural Education in the Sounds
Whekenui School, nestled near the Perano whaling station, became Lorna’s second home. She likely arrived in 1955, in Standard Three, and stayed through to Standard Six. During those years, her teacher was Mr. Scott, who had once taught in Canada and brought an international flair to their tiny classroom.
“We had radio broadcasts, correspondence lessons, even exchanged tapes with another school up north,” she recalled. “It was very enriching.”
Despite the shift between Springlands and Whekenui, Lorna didn’t find the adjustment difficult. “I remember coming back to Bohally and already knowing how to do decimals,” she laughed. “I put my hand up right away, ‘I know!’”
This flexible but rich education was a hallmark of many rural childhood adventures across New Zealand, particularly in isolated parts of the Marlborough Sounds.
Nature, Kina, and Life Lessons by the Sea
Learning went far beyond textbooks. The wild, natural surroundings of Tory Channel became a living classroom. “We did a lot of nature study,” said Lorna. “Collecting shells, going down to the beach… the environment was part of the curriculum.”
She remembers kina not only as a hands-on biology lesson, but also as medicine. “I was anaemic, and Mum was told kina were high in iron,” she said. “I didn’t like them at first, but Mum kept at me and eventually I did.”
Fish were plentiful, too. Her mother, unable to fish due to her asthma, relied on generous neighbours like Mrs. Reeves, who would pass along the day’s catch. One time, Mrs. Reeves baked eel, and Lorna and her brother ate it unknowingly and loved it. “Then Mum told us what it was. We were shocked, but it was delicious.” These close-knit relationships were essential in the small, seasonal settlement tied to the Perano Whaling Station.
Walking to School in Remote Tory Channel
For Lorna, one of the more memorable aspects of her time there was the daily hike to school. “You had to walk up tracks that the fathers grubbed out of the hillside,” she said. In classic rural childhood adventures, children braved southerly winds and slippery trails, learning resilience along the way. “Today’s kids wouldn’t be sent off like that,” she laughed.
While the route could be daunting, especially with bulls or wild weather to contend with, it’s now a fond memory.
Community, Kerosene Lights, and Kegs
Social life was equally active. Sledges, skipping, hopscotch, and movie nights at Gilbert Perano’s house made evenings lively. As the community grew, a hall was built beside the Perano Whaling Station, where dances, parties, and film screenings became regular events. “If there was no work, someone would hire Kenny’s boat to bring the kegs down,” Lorna remembered with a smile.
The End of the Whaling Era: Reflections from Whekenui
By the early 1960s, as the industry shifted from humpback to sperm whales, her father left the Perano Whaling Station. Lorna had already finished school, but her memories of Whekenui and Tory Channel remained vibrant.
“I enjoyed those days,” she reflected. “It was different, but good. It’s just what we did for those months every year.” These recollections offer a deeply personal thread in the broader fabric of Marlborough Sounds history, echoing the experience of many who lived seasonally by the sea.
Lorna Wratt’s story is more than nostalgic, it’s a rare firsthand account of rural childhood adventures in a bygone New Zealand. Her memories preserve the lifestyle, community spirit, and the educational quirks of growing up beside the Perano Whaling Station, in one of the most remote and storied corners of the country.
As we reflect on this chapter of Marlborough Sounds history, Lorna’s voice offers not only recollection but also connection to a place, a time, and a rhythm of life long gone, but never forgotten.
Do you have memories or photos from Tory Channel or the Perano whaling station era? Share them with us and help keep this unique piece of Marlborough Sounds history alive.
This blog post draws upon the transcript from an interview conducted and transcribed by Loreen Brehaut (2007).
For inquiries about the Whekenui Oral History Project or to contribute your memories, please contact Picton Museum.
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