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This Week’s Issue

140 years of St John in New Zealand: Whitianga’s ambulance history

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July 15, 2025

Coromandel history explored.

From top left, clockwise – A gathering outside of the Whitianga Hotel with an Ashford Litter (handcart stretcher) pictured on the right (date unknown, pre-World War I); A dedication event for the first Whitianga motor ambulance in 1972 at the Whitianga Volunteer Fire Brigade Station; A Generation 4 Hato Hone St John ambulance in Whitianga; Whitianga’s first ‘ambulance station’ building attached to the local fire station, pictured in 1980.

As part of their 140th anniversary celebrations, Hato Hone St John (HHStJ) is looking back at how ambulance services first began in Whitianga – and how much has changed since then.

Hato Hone St John and their services were first established in Whitianga thanks to the determination of a local search and rescue group. While St John had an ambulance presence in Thames since the 1930s, there were no formal services in Whitianga or further north on the Coromandel Peninsula.

The earliest form of ambulance care in the town was likely delivered with a handcart and integrated stretcher – known as an Ashford Litter.

Later, a local taxi driver played a vital role by removing the back seat from his station wagon to make room for a stretcher, enabling him to transport patients to Thames Hospital when needed.

In 1972, Whitianga received a donated Dodge ambulance from the Thames Hospital Board. Though no longer in frontline service, the vehicle was in excellent condition and marked a new chapter for the community. In 1999, it was replaced with a newer model, also from the Thames fleet.

Around this time, the search and rescue team completed a weekend long St John first aid course and officially became members of St John.

Equipped with basic medical skills and wearing the St John logo, these dedicated volunteers provided critical care to their community for many years.

There was no dedicated St John station in Whitianga during this time. Instead, the local council built a room at the back of the fire station to house the ambulance. This served as the town’s ambulance base until 1999.

When emergency help was needed, usually via a call from Thames Hospital, a local volunteer would collect the ambulance and respond. This community-led response model continued for many years.

By the late 1980s, the local HHStJ Area Committee recognised the need for a dedicated station. After a successful fundraising effort supported by the local community, a purpose-built station on Cook Drive was officially opened in August 1999.

Today, 26 years later, the Cook Drive station remains a vital hub for emergency care in northern Coromandel.

Reverend Gillian Reid, HHStJ Area Chaplain for North Coromandel, says she hadn’t fully appreciated Whitianga’s long and proud St John history before her appointment.

“It is due to the amazing energy, foresight, and commitment of those first volunteers that the Whitianga ambulance service has grown into the professional establishment that we have today. Their close affiliation with the Whitianga Volunteer Fire Brigade and the support of the local community was also integral.”

The station now houses two Generation 4 emergency ambulances, one volunteer led First Response Unit (FRU), and one Waka Ora Health Shuttle. The Whitianga FRU is also part of a wider network across North Coromandel, with other units based in Hahei, Colville, and Coromandel.

Compared to those early days, ambulance services are now delivered by a mix of paid and volunteer personnel, and all emergency ambulances have been double crewed since 2021.

“Our growth over the years is reflected in the high-quality care our teams provide,” says John Armitt, Area Operations Manager – Hauraki/Coromandel.

“We’re privileged to have an experienced and capable team. Many of our staff hold bachelor’s degrees in paramedicine, and one of our extended care paramedics has a master’s degree. Our volunteers also complete comprehensive training before becoming first responders. The rural nature of the region means our people are adaptable and resourceful – well equipped to respond to the unique challenges they face.

“We’re also part of a wider emergency response network, working alongside the Westpac rescue helicopter crew, PRIME responders in Coromandel, after-hours health services in Whitianga, and Fire and Emergency New Zealand. This collaboration adds real strength to our ability to care for both locals and visitors to the Coromandel
Peninsula.”