Rangihoua Heritage Park

We got out for a visit out to Rangihoua Heritage Park this morning - this is a place the other half has been itching to see for a while.

From the top of the walk way this was the view we had of the Kerikeri Inlet Harbour - so beautiful on a sunny Spring day like today. From the top it was about a 30 minute walk to the coast and along the way we trekked along a slightly muddy 4 wheel drive track.

Rangihoua Pā and Kainga (village) was the local town at the time of the mission settlement, home to many hundreds of people including Chief Ruatara, Māori leader and friend of Reverend Samuel Marsden. The people of Rangihoua Pā were the protectors of the settlement in its early days.

Today only a few terraces remain of the first European settlement established by the Church Missionary Society at Rangihoua Bay in 1814. In 1832, the settlement moved to more fertile land at Te Puna, a few kilometres to the west.

Lots of Kowhai trees around our area at the moment too - their name in Maori means "yellow".

The Park was established by the Marsden Cross Trust Board together with its partners Ngāti Torehina, the Rangihoua Native Reserve Board and the Department of Conservation. The prime objective is to inform and educate the people of New Zealand and visitors from abroad of the significance of Rangihoua and the events of 1814 and the years that followed.

Marsden Cross (above) marks where the Reverend Samuel Marsden preached his first sermon on Christmas Day 1814. That line of trees in the above photo is where the track started at the top and carried on along down the hill.

There are cultivation lines running down the slope that may be the gardens Marsden’s travelling companions referred to as “plantations of kumara, potatoes and other vegetables”.

The terraces that you can see on this slope today are where the missionaries’ homes were and also the country’s first school house.

So it was back towards the way we came but firstly through this short native bush walk. Next weekend another adventure...

Auckland Metropolis Museum

In amongt the modern new highrise buildings in Auckland City is this smaller vintage building that is currently for sale (I'd buy it if I had the money). My research found that: "It was designed by English-born architect Charles Towle and erected in the early 1930s as the Church of Christ, Scientist, the building's Graeco-Roman facade has towering columns that frame its impressive entranceway, with three ornate timber doors decorated with leadlight inserts providing access to the expansive foyer. Arched ceilings dominate the former congregational high stud space beyond the foyer and numerous picturesque windows provide a light, airy feel and an ambience many office buildings lack. The building housed congregational and Sunday school services for 70 years until it was sold and converted into office space in 2003. A significant refurbishment was also carried out with care taken to ensure that the building's distinctive character remained intact. Special architectural ...

Grace Brothers

We have 2 new chickens, both black ladies. If any of you are familiar with British comedy tv shows you will recognize the names we have given them. This one is named Miss Brahms. And this one is named Mrs Slocombe. At the moment we have them in a temporary shelter next to the Special Patrol Group that we've had for the last 9 months just so they can get to know each other before we intigrate the black ones in with the brown ones. These ones give us a white coloured egg whereas the brown shavers give us brown coloured eggs. Linking up with Tuesday Treasures , Happy Tuesdays and Wordless Wednesday .

Vondel

I nthe heart of Devonport in Auckland is this little block of businesses. In my younger days I worked in this suburb as a legal typist for lawyers and to see it now as it is, it's made many changes over the years. This building is surrounded by older style buildings in the main street with businesses such as shoe shops, clothing shops, professionals, cafes, bars, restaurants etc. It's a very upmarket suburb with quite expensive houses along the waterfront. Vondel in the above photo is a restaurant but upon looking up their website, there wasn't alot of information about who they are. Linking up with Weekend Reflections and the Weekend Roundup .

Susan Heather said…

That looks a lovely walk.

23 September 2018 at 19:33

William Kendall said…

Beautiful landscapes!

24 September 2018 at 06:38

Bill said…

The landscape is gorgeous and a lovely place to explore.

24 September 2018 at 07:25

PerthDailyPhoto said…

Gosh what a beautiful walk Amy. As you were describing the past scene I was trying to visualise it, would have looked amazing. Rev Marsden certainly knew about location location location even way back then ✨

25 September 2018 at 02:57

local alien said…

Really interesting walk through your history.
Didn't know kowhai meant yellow

25 September 2018 at 04:53

Noke said…

Eine sehr schöne Landschaft.

Noke

25 September 2018 at 08:18

NatureFootstep said…

wow, a great place to spend a day or two :) Thanks for sharing. :)

25 September 2018 at 21:51

Sharon said…

What a beautiful place to visit. Your photos are just spectacular.