The golden dawn of New Zealand oceanography

The New Zealand Oceanographic Institute (NZOI) laid the foundations for the interactive study of water masses, seabed geology and biota of the Southwest Pacific from 1954 until the demise of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in 1992. It was one of the first multidisciplinary marine sciences organisations outside the US and UK. With its brief extending from the seas around New Zealand's Island Territories near the equator to its Antarctic Ross Dependency, emphasis was always on understanding processes. James Brodie helped set up NZOI, became its first director and initiated many of the mechanisms for its success using a very flat, interactive management style. Initially, equipment, seagoing facilities and accommodation were primitive, but all improved significantly with the acquisition of a custom-build ship and new laboratories. NZOI's legacy was a huge resource of knowledge that continues to be used within the marine programmes of the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research and worldwide.