HMS/HMNZS Achilles was a Leander-class cruiser that served in the New Zealand Naval forces before and during World War Two. It is one of our most famous warships due to its participation in the Battle of the River Plate. After the war, she transferred to the Indian Navy as INS Delhi. As she approached the end of her service in the 1970s, there was some discussion of her being brought to New Zealand as a museum ship, however that idea foundered due to the cost of actually steaming her to NZ. As a consolation, the Indian Navy gifted one turret (Y-turret) and the director to New Zealand. These were initially mounted near the Museum of Transport and Technology aviation park in West Auckland, however it was an insecure location, and they suffered from deterioration and vandalism. This is where my personal connection to the guns came from - when I ran the RNZN Weapons School, my trainees were involved in maintaining/painting the turret on at least one occasion. Eventually they were moved to a more secure location just inside the gate to Devonport Naval Base in Auckland, and then more recently they were moved a short distance to be in the public area just outside the perimeter fence - but right next to the security box to limit the risk of vandalism.About 40m away (just across the road), there is also a 4" QF Mk V gun off the Loch class frigate HMNZS Tutira (ex HMS Loch Morlich), and also a Mk XIV mine. These are supposedly maintained by the City Council, but are both in a pretty poor state - and the Council seems to care so much that they couldn't even be bothered answering my letters to them on the subject!And of course the other thing to see here, is that you can look into the base for a somewhat distant view of some of the ships in the base - although you can actually get a much better view of them from the Devonport ferry which sails straight past the base.Getting to the Achilles turret is easy - if you catch the Devonport ferry from downtown Auckland, the turret is about a 10-minute walk from the Devonport ferry terminal (you can't miss it - just turn left as you leave the ferry wharf and follow the road along the waterfront).Note also that if you turn right from the ferry terminal and walk the other way, about a 20-minute walk will get you to the RNZN museum at Torpedo Bay.
Links:
HMNZS Achilles Twin 6-inch Turret — National Museum of the Royal New Zealand Navy