NEW ZEALAND ARCHAEOLOGY
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NEW ZEALAND ARCHAEOLOGY www.nzarchaeology.org/cultural_tourist.htm New
Zealand Archaeological Sites A
page of the NEW ZEALAND ARCHAEOLOGY Site |
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WAIKATO
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Waikato Guide Books: The Waikato War of 1863-64. A Guide to the Main Events and Sites. Neville Ritchie, 2002. Te Awamutu and District Museum.
Waikato - Northern King Country Historical Guide. 1985. Historic Places Trust. While you are in the Waikato we recommend: Te Aroha - a heritage town. Waikato Museum of Art and History Firth Tower Museum, Matamata Bush Tramway Club - Pukemiro Line, Huntly Timber Museum Putaruru |
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BAY OF PLENTY / ROTORUA
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For Google Earth fans here are the site locations: |
Te Kura a Maia Pa, Bowentown
 What:
Pa site with many terraces down to the sea, unfortunately a little
damaged by a modern carpark.
Where: Bowentown Domain overlooking the northern
entrance to Tauranga Harbour. Web Info: http://www.wbopdc.govt.nz/ How to get there: Drive to the end of the peninsula and take the left hand fork. How long to allow: 30 minutes What else to do there: Enjoy the view - swim at the beach, use the walking tracks over the domain. Katikati Museum. |
Te Kaputerangi - "Toi's Pa", Kohi Point Walkway, Whakatane
| What: A
traditionally very famous pa. Toi is an important early ancestor.
Some interpretation.
Where: On the peninsula east
of Whakatane. Web Info: http://wai8155s1.verdi.2day.com/reports/ How to get there: Turn off the road to Ohope near the top of the hill onto Kohi Pt Road, and go to the end. Walk down the track to the site (5 minutes). How long to allow: 30 minutes The pa is easily seen. Kohi Pont walkway requires a moderate level of fitness. What else to do there: The coastal view from the hill top is spectacular. Take the rest of the walkway - there are many more archaeological sites along it and the bush and coastal scenery are great - half day. Whakatane Museum. |
Te Koutu Pa Okataina
 What: A
spectacular pa with cave type storage pits (right).
Where: On the eastern shore of
Lake Okataina. Web Info: http://www.doc.govt.nz/templates/ How to get there: From the end of the lake Okataina Road follow the eastern Okataina Walkway for about a kilometre. The Pa is on a prominent headland - off the walkway. How long to allow: 2hrs The walkway requires a moderate level of fitness, the pa is more of a challenge. What else to do there: Okataina is one of New Zealand's most beautiful lakes. The trout fishing needs a boat. Look out for Wallaby. |
Te Wairoa - The Buried Village
 What: Excavated
Maori and Pakeha village, destroyed and buried by the Tarawera
eruption of 1886. Interpreted walk through the houses and other
buildings, excellent award winning visitor centre. New Zealand's
only commercial archaeological site. An entrance charge applies.
Where: On the road to Lake Tarawera from
Rotorua. Web Info:
http://www.buriedvillage.co.nz/ How to get there: 15 minutes on the Tarawera road from Rotorua (south east). Many day tours form Rotorua visit the buried village. How long to allow: Two hours What else to do there: Feed the trout, look at the waterfall, coffee or lunch in the site cafe, Blue Lake (on way), Tarawera Lake (further) - Maori rock drawings at Punaromia - Tarawera landing. |
Papamoa Hills, Wharo Pa, Tauranga
| What: One of many
spectacular pa on the skyline of the hills behind Papamoa.
Where: Along ridge
immediately to the south of Papamoa. How to get there: Drive east of Tauranga on the Whakatane / Rotorua road. 10 km. This area has recently been purchased as a regional park but not yet developed as one. A local guide is preferable until it opens. How long to allow: 1 hr. It is a fair climb to the pa so not for the infirm. What else to do there: Kiwifruit Country, Te Puke, Te Puke Vintage Auto Barn. |
Galatea Redoubt, Murapara
| What: A site of
Colonial fortifications of the New Zealand Wars. Earthworks of
these and house sites, good interpretation by the Department of
Conservation.
Where: North of Murupara on the Whakatane Road. Web Info: - How to get there: Take the north road starting west of the town. Watch for a small sign on the right several km from the town. How long to allow: 45 minutes What else to do there: Call at the Department of Conservation Rangitaiki Office, office east of Murupara and ask directions to the Kaiangaroa rock carvings site - on the Rotorua Road. |
Gate Pa Battle Site, Tauranga
| What: Earthworks of a
major battle site of the New Zealand Wars. British troops attacked
this Maori fortification after a heavy artillery bombardment. On
balance a defeat for the British who failed to take the central
redoubt and suffered heavy losses, but it was abandoned by the defenders the following
night. Some low relief traces of earthworks remain. Some
interpretation. Where: Southern
suburb of Tauranga. Web Info: http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~Sxmitch/Battle.html How to get there: Hill to the east of the main road in the suburb of Gate Pa. How long to allow: 30 minutes What else to do there: Many of the dead from this battle are buried in the mission cemetery at the north end of Tauranga. A serene place. |
Te Ranga Battle Site, Tauranga
| What: Final battle of
the major phase of the New Zealand Wars in the Tauranga area.
Remains of earthwork fortifications. A decisive Maori defeat here preceded
the local land confiscations. Some faint earthworks remain at this historically
significant site. Historic Places Trust marker.
Where: South of Tauranga. Web Info:
http://www.ngaiterangi.org.nz/page7.html How to get there: Five minutes up the Pyes Pa road from Barkes Corner, 15 minutes from Tauranga. Look for a sign on the left side of the road. How long to allow: 15 minutes What else to do there: Orchard gate sales. |
Monmouth Redoubt, Tauranga
 What: A fortification
built in 1864 by the 43rd (Monmouthshire) Regiment
of Foot, during the New Zealand Wars. Some interpretation.
Where: Central Tauranga. Web Info: http://www.pacificislandtravel.com/new_zealand/ How to get there: On a wooded hill immediately to the north of downtown Tauranga. Park at the northern end of The Strand in Tauranga and walk up the pathway, or drive to the adjacent street. How long to allow: 20 minutes What else to do there: The Elms mission house is a short walk away. Begonia house in adjacent reserve. Cafe's in Tauranga. An Armstrong 6 pound breech loading gun formerly sited here can be seen in the Army Museum Waiouru (Central North Island). |
Mt Maunganui / Mauao
 What:
There is a large pa on the top of Mauao, "The
Mount". It is central to the Maori history of the area.
Where: On Mt Maunganui at the
southern entrance to Tauranga Harbour. Web Info: http://www.ngaiterangi.org.nz/page3.html
How to get there: Park on the inner, harbour side of Mt Maunganui town and follow the well marked walkway. The summit is 231 m above sea level reached on an evenly graded trail. Not for the infirm. How long to allow: 2 hours for the whole trip. What else to do there: Note the early European stone wharf at the beginning of the trail. There is next a small pa below the trail on the harbour side. The round the mountain trail is 1.5 km. Hot pools on the town side of the mountain. |
Tauwhare Pa, Ohope
| What: Complex of
three pa on a peninsula into Ohiwa Harbour. Interpreted.
Reconstruction of palisade based on archaeological investigation.
Where: On the Ohiwa Harbour on the
road to Opotiki from Ohope. Signposted from a carpark just east of
Ohope. Web Info: - How to get there: Where the road to Opotiki turns away from Ohope beach - car park on the harbour side of the road. How long to allow: One hour. What else to do there: Ohope is a great swimming beach. Fish and chip shop (local oysters) just past the site. |
Okere Falls Power Station, Rotoiti
 What: An
early hydroelectric power station (1901) built to service Rotorua.
One of the turbine casings has been lifted from the site and is
conserved by the trail. Interpreted.
Where: Okere Falls where the
Kaituna River leaves Lake Rotoiti. How to get there: 20 minutes from Rotorua on the Tauranga Road, just past How long to allow: 15 minutes for the power station, 45 minutes for the falls as well. What else to do there: See the waterfall. In the area, Mokoia Island cruise (from Rotorua}. |
Karangahake
 What: Abandoned
railway, gold mines and batteries. The 7 km trail along the river
gorge on the old railway route with bridges and tunnels is worth
the time it takes. The best shorter stop is the central
Karangahake Reserve. Cross the river to the Woodstock and Talisman
Batteries on the east side of the Waitawheta River. There is a
pelton wheel readily accessible. For the fitter go up to the
batteries and follow the trackway along to mine drives and a
tunnel with windows out to the river gorge. Interpreted.
Where: In gorge between Waihi
and Paeroa. Web Info: http://tour.thepeninsula.co.nz/karangahake.htm#top
http://www.doc.govt.nz/templates/trackandwalk.aspx?id=35880 How to get there: On SH2. There are three points of entry, at either end of the gorge trail and in a central point. How long to allow: 1 hr to a day. Reasonable fitness is required What else to do there: Try Lemon and Paeroa (soft drink) - World famous in New Zealand. |
Waikino
| What: Gold mining
and processing ruins. This was the principal battery and cyanide
extraction works for Waihi. Closed in 1952.
Where: South of the river at
Waikino - 5 km west of Waihi. Web Info: http://www.waihi.org.nz/pages/goldtrail.html
How to get there: Catch the Goldfield Railway from Waihi or stop on SH2 east of the Karangahake Gorge. How long to allow: half an hour. What else to do there: Waterlilly Gardens, art and craft outlets around the old town (up the hill). |
Martha Mine Waihi
| What: A fabulously
wealth mine a century ago then worked by underground methods,
still being worked today but by open cast methods. A former
pumphouse (1904) is at the eastern end of the town. It was a
Cornish style pump. It was on an unstable site but has recently
been relocated in one on New Zealand's most expensive heritage
projects ever.
Where: Eastern end of Waihi. Web Info: http://www.marthamine.co.nz/corn_pump.html
How to get there: Drive to the eastern end of the town - the pumphouse is on the remnant of Martha Hill. How long to allow: 30 minutes What else to do there: Look over the
modern pit from a viewing area. Waihi Museum, Goldfields Railway.
The Waihi railway station, goods shed &
yard one of the most complete branch line station yards remaining in NZ. |
White Island Sulphur Works
 What:
Ruins of a sulphur mining operation of the early 20th century.
Where: While Island crater. Web Info: http://www.ctreber.de/aniwaniwa.de/ How to get there: Helicopter tours, charter boat from Whakatane. How long to allow: 30 minutes. What else to do there: See the active volcano! Gannet rookeries, fishing, diving. |
McLaren Falls Power Station
| What:
Abandoned hydroelectric power station, by-passed by the Ruahihi
scheme (you pass that on the road from Tauranga) Operated
1925-1989.
Where: West of Tauranga. Web Info: - How to get there: 20 minutes west of Tauranga on the Kaimai Rd SH 29 turn south at Falls Rd. The station is left of the road just over a bridge, 1 km from the main road. How long to allow: 15 minutes. What else to do there: In a park area, arboretum, birds, trout fishing on lake. If you follow Falls Rd, Peers Rd on from here about 7 km to Omanawa Falls (walk down the marked track) there is another abandoned power station (1916-1997). Not much to see (it was an underground station) but the falls and bush setting are nice. |
Bay of Plenty / Rotorua Guide Books
Day Walks of the Bay of Plenty / Rotorua, Mario Gavalas, Reed 2003.
While you are in the Bay we recommend:
Blue Baths Rotorua
The Elms Tauranga
New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts institute, Rotorua
Tamaki Maori Village, Rotorua
The Peketahi shared road rail bridge at Taneatua is the only one in the North Island
Waihi is a heritage town.
(More coming - come back soon)
Otoko Railway Walkway
| What: 5km
track follows part of the old Gisborne to Motouhora railway.
Closed in the lambing season. Built early
1900's, last train 1959. Tunnel and cuttings. Where:
NW of Gisborne. Web Info: http://www.doc.govt.nz/templates/trackandwalk.aspx?id=36140
How to get there: From Gisborne 46k on the Opotiki Road How long to allow: 2½ hrs one way What else to do there: Kowhai flowering in spring |
Guide Books
Grundy, Sherdin. Historic Journeys - East Coast Driving Tours. Gisborne Branch Committee, NZ Historic Places Trust
© NZAA Last Update: 29/03/2008
