We have been members of Heritage NZ, formerly known as NZ Historic Places Trust, for several years now. It is an especially good membership to have if you are traveling overseas, in particular to the UK as we have full reciprocal entry rights to all UK National Trust properties. With an annual family membership cost of $69 it doesn't take long to recoup your outlay.
It is much the same in NZ if you are moving around like we are. We have made excellent use of our membership this week. Northland is one of the places that Heritage NZ have several properties that you can visit. By visiting these properties we have learnt a lot of history about early NZ in the area. We hope to make use of this membership in both Auckland and Wellington too.
Kerikeri Mission Station
This was the first Heritage NZ property that we visited. Our membership gained us free entry to the all of the Stone Store and a tour of Kemp House. The Store has been open for trading since 1836 and still has a large range of goods available to buy. The upstairs area of the Stone Store has an excellent museum type exhibition of the history of the early missionaries and their life as it is entwined with the local Maori history. Looking at the building and reading the stories it really makes you realise how difficult the lives of our early pioneers must have been, and how good our lives are today!!
The tour through Kemp House has a two fold purpose. Not only do you hear the stories from an experienced guide who has a wealth of knowledge, but it means that the exhibits and house are not subject to any damage. This house is NZ's oldest building and first substantial European building. It was built in 1832 for the first Missionary in the area, including James and Charlotte Kemp. The Kemp family lived in this property until 1974 when it was then gifted to NZ Historic Places Trust.
Stone Store and Kemp House
Te Waimate Mission
On our way to Paihia we did a slight detour and went to visit the Te Waimate Mission House. This property is NZ's second oldest surviving building as well as supporting the remains of the earliest farm established in NZ. It was developed by the missionaries to bring European style farming to NZ as well as trying to provide enough food for all the people arriving and living at the mission. Te Waimate was also the place of the second signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.
The house is well worth a visit. To have built such a substantial house back in the early 1830s is testimony to the tenacity of these early pioneers.
Te Waimate Mission
Pompallier
Our visit to Russell took us to this property. We realised it had a strong French connection but not much else. This building differs from the other mission houses we have seen and is instead made of 'rammed earth' walls. By the time this building was built in 1842, timber was in short supply and becoming too expensive. It was built for the French-Marist mission and included a printery and tannery. It was here that over 40 000 books were printed in Maori. Once again an excellent museum is housed in the upstairs part of the building, while downstairs is still a working printery. Tours are available but we chose to explore the building and surrounds on our own.
Pompallier
It is much the same in NZ if you are moving around like we are. We have made excellent use of our membership this week. Northland is one of the places that Heritage NZ have several properties that you can visit. By visiting these properties we have learnt a lot of history about early NZ in the area. We hope to make use of this membership in both Auckland and Wellington too.
Kerikeri Mission Station
This was the first Heritage NZ property that we visited. Our membership gained us free entry to the all of the Stone Store and a tour of Kemp House. The Store has been open for trading since 1836 and still has a large range of goods available to buy. The upstairs area of the Stone Store has an excellent museum type exhibition of the history of the early missionaries and their life as it is entwined with the local Maori history. Looking at the building and reading the stories it really makes you realise how difficult the lives of our early pioneers must have been, and how good our lives are today!!
The tour through Kemp House has a two fold purpose. Not only do you hear the stories from an experienced guide who has a wealth of knowledge, but it means that the exhibits and house are not subject to any damage. This house is NZ's oldest building and first substantial European building. It was built in 1832 for the first Missionary in the area, including James and Charlotte Kemp. The Kemp family lived in this property until 1974 when it was then gifted to NZ Historic Places Trust.
Stone Store and Kemp House
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| Stone Store, Kemp House with Anglican Church in the distance. |
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| Kemp House |
Te Waimate Mission
On our way to Paihia we did a slight detour and went to visit the Te Waimate Mission House. This property is NZ's second oldest surviving building as well as supporting the remains of the earliest farm established in NZ. It was developed by the missionaries to bring European style farming to NZ as well as trying to provide enough food for all the people arriving and living at the mission. Te Waimate was also the place of the second signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.
The house is well worth a visit. To have built such a substantial house back in the early 1830s is testimony to the tenacity of these early pioneers.
Te Waimate Mission
 |
| Te Waimate Mission House |
Pompallier
Our visit to Russell took us to this property. We realised it had a strong French connection but not much else. This building differs from the other mission houses we have seen and is instead made of 'rammed earth' walls. By the time this building was built in 1842, timber was in short supply and becoming too expensive. It was built for the French-Marist mission and included a printery and tannery. It was here that over 40 000 books were printed in Maori. Once again an excellent museum is housed in the upstairs part of the building, while downstairs is still a working printery. Tours are available but we chose to explore the building and surrounds on our own.
Pompallier
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