Christ Church - Russell 1835

I've been wanting to explore this church for quite some time, it has a huge history in NZ's culture. Christ Church in Russell also known as Te Whare Karakia o Kororareka also known as the Kororareka Church is the country's oldest existing church built in 1835. The earliest grave we could find there was from 1836.

The first missionaries based in Paihia rowed across the water to Russell to provide prayer services in peoples homes. Russell was originally called Kororareka and had the nickname of "hellhole of the Pacific".

The missionaries purchased the land from local chiefs Rewa, Wharerahi and Moka - the agreement between them was that Maori and Pakeha should have equal rights of burial.

In 1845 Reverend Robert Burrows was the first resident clergyman living in the vicarage on the hillside beside the church.

In 1845 during the Battle of Kororareka between the British and Maori, the church was hit by stray musket and cannon balls of which you can see holes in the outside walls of the church today.

We tried to take photos of the interior of the church but there was a service being held the time we were there but hopefully we will be back there at some point.

Summer at Tapeka Point

We discovered some new beaches last weekend, one of which was Tapeka Point which is about 10 minutes out of Russell. A quiet little spot with only a handful of happy people mostly families enjoying the cove. There was a pontoon that people swim out to and jump off, there were towels laid on the grass and sand ready for sunbathing and there were picnic spots all set up. One of those hot Summer days...

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Opua Wharf Ferry

First time I have ever travelled on the Opua Ferry in the weekend and it was a very quick trip too. Fullers which is a national NZ company own alot of ferry services just about everywhere. This one is a transport ferry so once we had parked our car and it had started on it's way we got out and enjoyed the fresh air. Our destination was to be taken to Okiato Wharf which is a small settlement just before Russell.

The other side of Opua has many yachts and boats moored with what looks like a private boat shed in the distance. There are also quite a few houses and baches along the side of the cliffs.

You could almost say that these boats moored alongside the wharf are mini super yachts. I've seen much bigger ones.

This one here is owned by Jemison Marine and is available for hire. It has air conditioning, a gym and wifi connection. It is 95.14ft and can accommodate 8 guests overnight . Posh aye?

The Duke of Marlborough Hotel Est 1827

This stunning place has quite a history. This morning we took a trip out to nearby Russell and after exploring the town we decided to have lunch here at the Duke of Marlborough Hotel. This is the back of the building situated along the main road near the shops.

This is the front entrance of the hotel and it faces the waterfront named "The Strand". The sign outside says "Refreshing rascals and reprobates since 1827". 

According to the hotel's website the information on here says: It began it's life as Johnny Johnston's Grog Shop (liquor store). The owner Johnny was an ex convict who turned his life around and learned the local Maori language. The interior at first glance looks extremely well maintained but I'm thinking under that 1970's carpet that I recognize as being similar to what my mother had when I was a child probably has polished Kauri floorboards underneath.

Anyway the friendship between Johnny and the Maori people lead to him being able to purchase the freehold site of the hotel which was one of the first land sales to a European in NZ.

Back then in the 1830's Russell was named Kororareka and was the largest whaling port in the Southern Hemisphere. Johnny changed the name of of the hotel to the Duke of Marlborough and his first alcohol licence still hangs up in the bar today.

The first hotel burned down during the battle of Kororareka in 1845 and was rebuilt . From 1878 to 1923 the hotel changed hands 8 times. Between 1923 and 1974 it was owned by Hancock Hotels (aka Lion Breweries). In 1931 the second building again caught fire and burned down then a third building was built in 1875 and housed the telegraph workers at Cable bay but was shipped down the coast and dragged into place by steam traction engine in 1932.

After this the hotel again changed hands 5 times and is currently owned by 4 owners who have restored it beautifully. It's now being used as a restaurant/bar and a wedding venue. Today I ordered a Yellowfin Tuna dish, and as you can see above it looks and was delicious.

With a view like this I'm not surprised the hotel and town is a very popular tourist destination.

Waikumete Chapel of Faith

This baby was built in apparently 1886 and is on the grounds of Auckland's Waikumete Cemetery. It was built by a man named Ebenezer Morris who emigrated to NZ in 1877. He also had other business in the Kaipara district of Matakohe plus Auckland and Thames. It's named the Chapel of of Faith and was originally as a mortuary chapel but is now being hired out for spiritual events, christenings, weddings, funerals and prayer meetings.

On the day we visited it was closed so all I could get was a photo of the outside.

It's a fish's game

Yesterday we took the boat out on the water again and spent most of the day out there. Summer is the hardest time to catch anything decent because of all the people out there doing the same thing so when I came home with these 2 babies (estimated to be around 4-5 lbs) was very happy. The top one is a Tarakihi and the bottom one is a Snapper.

We like to use a mixture of pilchards, calamari and benito as bait. I also caught this baby shark at one point also called dogfish but it went straight back in the water.

The other half kept catching baby snapper including this small Gurnard which was very spiny.

And this one that we thought at first was an Orange Roughy but it turned out to be a Sea Perch. We moved around at least 5 different spots but every one was the same. A hard day to get anything decent but lots of fun. We are thinking that once we fillet my fish tonight perhaps smoking one and turning the other into some sort of yellow thai fish cake. What do you think?

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Kune Kune Pigs

These guys are so friendly. "Kunekune" means fat and round in Maori and that they definitely are. They are a smaller type of pig with short legs and short snouts.

Some people breed them for show, others breed them as food.  Very sociable and placid, they do well with people contact as well as being intelligent

I happened to be visiting an area just outside of Kerikeri where I spied them being very curious at the edge of the fence of a farm. Think they were eager to check us out.