Whangaroa Harbour

Whangaroa Harbour is a jewel amongst the bays that encircle the surrounding coastline. The area is steeped in history – from the times of first Maori settlement to whaling, early missionary settlement, Kauri gum digging, logging and milling. The harbour is narrow and deep and early settlers recognised the usefulness of a port which was so close to the kauri spars and timber they needed for sailing ships. One of New Zealand’s earliest shipyards was at Totara North.

The original Lanes Mill, which milled timbers for shipbuilding and repairs and constructed and launched many a ship from its slipway, continued to operate commercially until quite recently. For a while Totara North hosted the busiest shipbuilding operation in the South Pacific. Tens of thousands of huge logs were floated down to its mills.

An infamous chapter in the harbour’s history involved the brigantine ‘Boyd.’ The 395 ton vessel, with a length of 106ft by 30ft beam, left Australia in October 1809. She carried a complement of 70 persons, including some New Zealanders returning from Australia. The ‘Boyd’ called into Whangaroa for timber and a conflict between Captain Thompson and a Maori greeting party ended with the captain and 66 Europeans killed and the vessel set alight. It drifted up the harbour and finally sank near Red Island. A substantial quantity of gold and jewels were removed from the ‘Boyd’ and reputedly buried in the Whangaroa area. There have been a number of unsuccessful attempts to trace and unearth this ‘hidden treasure’. To this day the treasure and its location remains shrouded in mystery.

Fishing is almost a religion around these parts! The Whangaroa township is known as ‘the Marlin Capital’ of New Zealand. The Whangaroa Big Game Fishing Club, situated over the water’s edge in the township, has an outstanding display of fishing memorabilia. Game fishing in the harbour dates back to 1925 when both Captain L.D. Mitchell and Zane Grey weighed in fish and were the founding members of the club.

The wider Whangaroa area encompasses all of the smaller bays from Taupo Bay around to Matauri Bay including Matangirau, Tauranga Bay, Mahinepua, and Wainui. The main occupational groups for this area are agriculture and fisheries.

Butterfly Bay in Whangaroa Harbour is home to the Monarch butterfly. Originating from the United States, the Monarch has become firmly established in New Zealand. Butterfly Bay is a natural butterfly sanctuary, offering perfect conditions for the Monarchs to live and breed.

Matauri Bay, with its golden sandy beach looking out to the Cavalli Islands, is the final resting place of the ill-fated Greenpeace flagship, Rainbow Warrior. Now home to reef fish, it is known world-wide as a spectacular diving spot. Matauri Bay is also popular for activities such as horse trails, beachfront camping, safe swimming and jet skiing.

Taupo Bay is an idyllic beach with white sand and crystal clear blue waters and is one of the Whangaroa area’s most popular surf spots. Another settlement on this loop is Tauranga Bay, famous for superb diving and fishing. Te Ngaere and Mahinepua both also offer quiet, secluded sandy beaches. Most of these seaside retreats were once just holiday destinations for the families of Whangaroa and the many visitors from south of the Brynderwyns. In recent years more and more have been making the coastal belt their retirement home, generating rapid growth in these once small communities.

Kaeo

Kaeo, 20 minutes drive north of Kerikeri, is located at the southern extremity of the Whangaroa Harbour. Now a small rural servicing centre, Kaeo was once much larger, with several hotels and many services. The town can be described as the gateway to the Whangaroa Harbour. Educational facilities include the Whangaroa College and Kaeo Primary School.

The main sources of employment for Kaeo and the wider Whangaroa Harbour area are fishing fish-processing company Sanford Limited, Kauri Cliffs golf course and resort, Colenso Clayworks at Matauri Bay and Whangaroa Hospital. Fishing charters, harbour cruises and other sea based ventures are predominant activities.

Sanford Limited is a long standing fishing company which harvests, farms and processes seafood. Established in 1881, the company has grown and expanded by acquiring and integrating fishing businesses in other parts of New Zealand. At Kaeo the Sandford company employs over 100 local residents. The company is also a major sponsor of the “Kiwi Can” values based education programme at Kaeo Primary school.

Hospital services are provided by Whangaroa Health Services Trust located on Omaunu Road, or as locals know it, Hospital Road. The Trust delivers high quality primary health services, residential care service and health promotion and education programmes to the Whangaroa community.