Bay of Islands and a day of heritage visits

Blog 10  - The Northlands trip begins from Auckland.

The journey North was quite uneventful really and a bit anti climatical. Auckland suburbs giving way to small provincial towns which had that American feel of one road (drag) through the middle arranged in blocks and intersections with one storey buildings on either side.  Driving on the left made it easy all round. State Highway 1 was a well maintained road and not too busy. I kept to the speed limits but I was the only car who did! Despite notices and posters every mile I was constantly been overtaken. No dangerous driving was witnessed, just a bit speedy. Maybe they just do not get caught,  I do not see any cameras around.

Mountains appeared in the distance but no 'wow' factor had hit me yet to be honest. Around 140 miles north we turned off to head towards the East Coast.  We arrived in Paihia on the Bay of Islands around 5pm. Our Lodge (The Retreat) was perched on a hill top over looking the sea. Stunning views across the islands and suddenly the trip from the city was soon forgotten at the sight before us.  

(PIC) - The Aurora moored in the Bay....

Would you believe it! on looking through the trees and moored way out in the Bay was the Aurora. What a sight to see. This was their first port of call after leaving Auckland and it was pure coincidence that we arrived this night by car in the same location. After booking in we went down to the town to see if we could find any cruise passengers we knew but they were back on board ready to sail for Sydney. We enjoyed a really yummy local fresh fish and chip supper that night back at the lodge.

I did however have to call out the AA for Sally Subaru who was ailing on two issues, A faulty rear passenger electric window and no windscreen washers despite a full water bottle. A temporary repair was completed on the window but the washer problem remained.  Unperturbed we were ready to explore the Bay the next day. This was a heritage day, to find out about the early settlers and the Maori way of life past and present. We are in the Northlands, the spiritual home of the Maori. 

(PIC) - The hole in the rock....

We arrived at the town quay early to board a Catamaran to tour the islands and get up close to the 'Hole in the Rock' at the very northern tip of Cape Brett.  The island itself was named Piercy Island by Captain Cook in honour of one of the Lords of the Admiralty – it is called Motu Kōkako in the Maori language and it is their land, their island. It is probably the most important island in the Bay of Islands in conservation terms, being in near pristine condition, with no evidence of introduced animals. There are nearly 100 types of flora on this island alone, and is home to a few petrels and lizards as well. The 60-foot hole at sea level was created over centuries by wind and waves making it one of the most naturally beautiful sites in New Zealand. We sailed through it which was a wonderful and somewhat spooky experience. Years of history just above our heads.

(PIC) - The medicinal properties of nature....

After a really wonderful trip to the hole in the rock with dolphin watching on the way we moored at a traditional Maori island and indulged for an hour in their village life.

I made a lip balm and skin balm and insect bite cream from natural ingredients including, lavender, bees wax, kawakawa bush leaves, sweet orange, olive oil and almond oil, heating up all the ingredients in a pot and then allowing it to set into a balm.

(PIC) - Flax flower arranging....

I also made an ornamental flower from the flax plant. Well, I did not want to go on the hike round the island, unlike Jacky, so I pampered my creative spirit! Clever little plant that flax. New Zealand flax is not a true flax like linen flax but related to the day lily. It has sword-shaped leaves 1–3 metres long that grow in a fan shape. In Maori sayings and songs flax is often a metaphor for family bonds and human relationships.

(PIC) - The historic lawn area....

After a quick snack back at the quay it was a short car trip around the Bay to see the original spot where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in early February 1840. On this lawn was a very historic moment for the Maori and indeed the British. The Government Representative of the time William Hobson verbally repeated with every Northern Tribal Chief' signature (150 on the day) "He iwi tahi tātou", meaning "We are now one people".  However the differences in interpretation and translation still wrangle away today both legally and socially and many NZ dollar millions are still being paid out in compensation to Maori tribes for mistakes made in the signing documentation. It was a fascinating time in the history of NZ and well worth reading more about the early settlers and their impact on this land and heritage. 

(PIC) - Kemp House (Kerikeri)....

Further up the coast is the town of Kerikeri (Mission Station). Here we visited the oldest European building in New Zealand. Kemp House was built by Maori timber sawyers and British missionary carpenters from the London-based Church Missionary Society in 1820-21, This house predates the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi by almost 20 years. Inside there is a large range of furniture and personal items owned by the missionary families who lived here including James and Charlotte Kemp. This house is the sole survivor of the Maori Musket Wars of the 1820's. 

(PIC) - The Stone Store in Kerikeri....

The Stone Store is New Zealand’s oldest stone building and also the oldest surviving commercial premises, built between 1832-36. Designed by a Wesleyan missionary and built by an ex-convict stonemason from New South Wales, the store was meant to house supplies and  large quantities of wheat from the local mission farm. When the wheat failed the building was mainly leased as a kauri tree gum trading store. It was later used as a general store and in recent years the building has undergone extensive renovation work to retain its history.

Interestingly the store is the oldest remaining building linked with the import of goods from overseas, the storage of produce grown in New Zealand and the bartering of goods with the local Maori iwi (tribes).   The building contains artefacts and displays of its history, and true to its origins, still sells a range of heritage-related merchandise reflecting its earlier days as a trading post and general store. 

This building is also significant as the earliest intact building in New Zealand to demonstrate colonial adaptation to the use of local stone.  I like wooden buildings best, they feel homely and you can move them to another plot if you don't like the neighbours! The problem of course is earthquakes and fire as we will discover in other regions on our travels.

This day was extremely fascinating if you like to dig deeper into the history and heritage of the journey you are on, not just looking at scenery and objects.

(PIC) - An evening swim at the 'home stay' - nice.....

We travelled  a few more miles north around the coast to end the day in a home stay (a NZ term for B&B) in Kaitaia - a busy provincial town on the main highway to the North and the Lighthouse at Cape Reinga where the Pacific Ocean meets the Tasman Sea. Here is a place of great spiritual importance to the Maori where the spirit of their people return to their homeland after death.

DKT - Blog 11 to follow