Many shore-whaling stations were operating all around New Zealand's coastline in this time, causing whale numbers to deplete to almost extinction.

William Tucker, to Māori "Taka" and "Wioree" who settled in 1815 at Whareakeake (Murdering Beach) near the Otago Heads, was in the gang.

[citation needed] In the evening of 9 June 1839 the schooner Dublin Packet, under the command of Captain Wells, was wrecked while attempting to pick up oil from the island station.

She lost the second mate, the steward and a mentally ill man named "Dole" or "Cole" who was being sent from the Wellers' Otago station to Sydney.

[3][4] In 1844, Johnny Jones of Waikouaiti briefly revived whaling on the island where Tommy Chaseland (who was of Australian aboriginal descent), with his wife Puna, Te Matenga Taiaroa's sister, presided over the gang.