Visit the official site of Destination Northland

A singular and beautifully romantic place

Whangaroa's history and cultural heritage

Whangaroa boasts of its rich and diverse history.

The stories of Whangaroa are influential in the development of New Zealand as it is now. Characters including Hongi Hika, Te Ara, Te Puhi, Georger Snowden, the botanists Richard & Allan Cunningham, The Weslyen Missionaries Stack, Leigh, Hobbs & Turner who all contribute to the rich & diverse cultural heritage that make Whangaroa a special place.

The old Post Office building in Kaeo is now the local museum. Give yourself an hour or two to wonder around the display and talk to one of our dedicated volunteers.

Pick up one of the very informative pamphlets on the historical sites and buildings around town and take a walk down the main street. A heritage trail is currently being developed for your enjoyment, you may wish to take time out to walk the trail and learn more about our unique settlement.

Whangaroa's claims to fame

The largest piece of kauri gum ever found by Mr. Smith near Whangaroa. This is now displayed in The Museum
The first and last major marine tragedies in New Zealand rest in Whangaroa. The Boyd in 1809 wher over 50 lives were lost when the boat was sacked and burnt by Te Ara as an act of utu (recipricoity) after he was badly treated on the voyage from Sydney to Whangaroa. The Rainbow Warrior; the Greenpeace vessel was bombed by the French in Auckland Harbour. She now rests as a marine sanctuary off Matauri bay.
First road in New Zealand for wheeled vehicles. This was constructed by the crew of The Dromedary in 1820 to remove kauri spars for the British Navy. This was near to what is now Hospital Road.
The worlds oldest crustacean fossils have been discovered in the interesting rock formation known as The Arrows, just off Tauranag Bay.
The whitest clay in the world. Every motorcar that has a catalytic converter has a piece of Whangaroa in their engine exhaust.
New Zealands first Wesleyan Mission 1823-1826. The site is acknowledged just off Turner street

What early colonial explores and adventurers have said about the beauty that is Whangaroa

Lieutenant Richard Cruise, February 1820 aboard the Dromedary

A singular and beautifully romantic place. Near the Northern head is a large perforated rock like a deep gothic archway. The seas roll through it and canoes find it a safe passage in Moderate weather. The entrance is not more than half a mile wide and impossible to detect from any distance at sea, but on both sides it is deep quite close in. Within is one of the finest harbours in the world. The largest fleet could ride there, sheltered from every wind. The interior is lined with richly wooded hills

Travels in New Zealand , Ernest Dieffenbach M.D. 1843

The entrance to the harbour is formed by towering perpendicular rocks and is only 150 yards broad. Pohutukawa trees and others overhang these black walls and form a very picturesque contrast with them. The entrance looks as if solid rocks have been rent asunder by an earthquake, and the steep opposite sides have undergone a continued friction before they parted. Deep fissures penetrate the coast, and high cubical masses are piled one above another in-shore to the height of several hundred feet. The harbour itself is very spacious and deep, possesses anchorage for the largest fleet, and is sheltered from all winds. As a harbour it ranks with the best in New Zealand and the beauty of its scenery is nowhere surpassed.

Narrative of a voyage toNew Zealand performed in the years 1814 & 1815, in company with the Rev. Samuel Marsden. J.L.Travers

About six oclock we found ourselves directly in front of the harbour of Wangeroa , the scene of the fatal tragedy of the Boyd. This harbour, though small, is said to be very good; the entrance is narrow, but the interior is completely land locked, so that vessels may ride there in perfect safety. The pencil of the artist would there find a matchless scope for the exercise of its powers; and a pen more capable than mine of doing justice to the sublime scenes which nature presents in this quarter, would not be ill-employed in pourtraying them.The coast in this part possesses more inviting attractions than I have anywhere else witnessed.

Turner J.G. "The pioneer missionary life of the Rev. Nathaniel Turner" London 1872. Nathaniel Turner was a Welseyan Missionary at what is now Kaeo. 1826.

The largest fleet might ride securely sheltered from any wind. Close to the western shore is a series of huge volcanic rocks of immense height and most fantastic shapes. An insulated rock, three hundred feet high and excessively steep, is the site of the principle pa.

Rev W. White sailing towards Ohauroro Island aboard the Schooner, St. Michael in June 1823 commented 

as the morning mist cleared, the scenery was the most Grand, Majestic, Romantic and pleasing that I had ever seen.

Whangaroa Weslyan Mission, the first known painting of Kaeo about 1827

[ Taupo Bay ] [ Totara North ] [ Kaeo ] [ Whangaroa ] [ Tauranga Bay ] [ Wainui ] [ Mahinepua ] [ Te Ngaere ] [ Matauri Bay ] [ Takou Bay ] [ Puketi Forest ] [ Whangaroa Harbour ]