Last updated November 2026
An iron gun turret from a colonial warship forms the base of the war memorial on the Waikato riverbank at Mercer. The ‘Pioneer’ Gun Turret and War Memorial stands at the western end of Roose Road where it meets Riverbank Road, beside the river.
The turret came from the Pioneer, an armoured paddle steamer that carried troops and supplies for the British forces during the Waikato War. It now serves as a First World War memorial, topped by the figure of a soldier in marching kit. Heritage New Zealand lists it as a Category 1 historic place.
Practical Information
- Location
- Western end of Roose Road at its junction with Riverbank Road, Mercer, beside the Waikato River
- Access
- Heritage New Zealand lists it as able to visit
- Heritage status
- Heritage New Zealand Category 1 historic place, List number 7647
- Status
- Check Heritage New Zealand’s list entry for the memorial before you go.
About the ‘Pioneer’ Gun Turret and War Memorial
The Pioneer was built in Sydney in 1863 for the war in the Waikato. Heritage New Zealand and NZHistory both describe it as the first naval vessel built for the New Zealand government. It was an iron-clad sternwheel paddle steamer, and it supported British operations on the Waikato River by carrying troops and supplies.
The ship had two revolving iron turrets, or cupolas. Each turret protected a 12-pounder Armstrong gun. Both turrets were taken off the ship around the end of 1863. One was placed at Mercer, by the river; the other is now at The Point in Ngāruawāhia, where Heritage New Zealand lists it separately.
The Mercer turret is said to have served for a time as a lock-up. Heritage New Zealand’s entry for the Ngāruawāhia turret puts it simply: the Mercer turret “became a lock-up and later a First World War Memorial”.
The memorial was unveiled on 28 April 1922. NZHistory lists it among the district’s First World War memorials, and points readers to Auckland Museum’s Online Cenotaph for the names of those who served.
What to See
The iron turret is the base of the memorial, and on top stands the figure of a soldier in uniform, dressed in marching kit.
Heritage New Zealand’s list entry describes the turret as internationally significant as one of the earliest surviving revolving gun turrets in the world, and its entry for the Ngāruawāhia turret calls that pair one of only two early gun cupolas known to survive in New Zealand.
The setting matters too. The turret stands where the road meets the Waikato, the river that NZHistory describes as the supply route for the British invasion force in the 1860s.
Where to Learn More
Heritage New Zealand: ‘Pioneer’ Gun Turret and War Memorial: the full list entry, with the history of the ship, the turret and the memorial.
NZHistory: Mercer First World War memorial: a short description of the memorial and the Pioneer.
Heritage New Zealand: Pioneer Gun Turret, Ngāruawāhia: the list entry for the ship’s second turret.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Pioneer gun turret?
At the western end of Roose Road where it meets Riverbank Road in Mercer, beside the Waikato River.
What was the Pioneer?
An iron-clad sternwheel paddle steamer, described as the first naval vessel built for the New Zealand government. It carried troops and supplies during the Waikato War.
Where was the Pioneer built?
In Sydney, in 1863.
What gun did the turret hold?
Each of the ship’s two turrets protected a 12-pounder Armstrong gun.
When did it become a war memorial?
The memorial was unveiled on 28 April 1922 and commemorates the First World War.
Where is the other turret?
At The Point in Ngāruawāhia, where Heritage New Zealand lists it separately.
Is it a listed heritage place?
Yes. Heritage New Zealand lists it as a Category 1 historic place, List number 7647.
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