The shot tower was built in 1916 by the
blacksmiths W. Wilson and Company for the
Colonial Ammunition Company It initially produced shotgun cartridges. The tower would be modified over the years as the companies needs changed. In the 1980s the site was abandoned. Property developer Tony Gapes set up a company, Shot Tower Mt Eden Limited, to protect the tower in exchange for Auckland City Council 'waiv[ing] a $526,000 financial contribution due on the apartment'. In February, 2023, fears the tower might collapse from the approaching
Cyclone Gabrielle led to residents in adjacent apartments being evacuated for more than a fortnight. Prior to the demolition a 3d scan of the tower was made and the
weathervane was given to
Auckland Museum. ==References==