Tour Itinerary

Below is an outline of your Northern War Tour itinerary. Our Tour departs at 8 a.m. and begins by making the trek north. After a comfort stop in Whangarei, you will continue your journey onto Opua and ferry across to Okiato, New Zealand’s first capital.

 
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Day One (morning)

Battle One: Kororareka (Russell) - Māori Tactics and British Ineptitude

  • Maiki Hill and the Flagstaff.

  • Pollack’s stockade.  British and Māori plans.

  • Foreshore Walk:  Life on the beach; sailor, trader the whalers, and Māori

  • The Girls War 1830

  • Christ Church:  The firefight

  • The missionaries:  Church Missionary Society (Anglican); Pompallier and the Catholic Marist order; the Wesleyans

  • The end for Kororareka and British departure

  • Justice in the world of Pakeha and Māori

Lunch in Russell (one hour). Depart for Kerikeri at 2pm.

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Day One (afternoon)

Kerikeri

  • Traditional pa design;

  • The wars of the 1820s and 1830s.

  • Life as a missionary,  St James Church

  • Māori and Pakeha women on the frontier

Return to Paihia accommodation around 4:30pm. Free Time.

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Day Two

(morning)

Battle Two: Puketutu (Te Kahika) and Te Ahuahu, the forgotten battles

  • The ‘gunfighter pa;’  British assault plans

  • Te Ahuahu: the ‘forgotten battle;’  Heke and Waka Nene

Waimate North Mission Station : St John the Baptist Church

  • The Burrows family and Waimate, the Mission

  • Colonel Despard and his plans

  • “The blaster”

  • Life in the Royal Navy and the British Army, the Regiment, the officer corps, the ‘Colours’, able seamen in the Royal Navy and soldiers in the Regiment

Depart Waimate around 11 a.m.

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Day Two (afternoon)

Battle Three:  Death in the afternoon (Ohaewai)

  • Kawiti’s pa; the assault and Despard. Conclusions

  • St Michael’s Church and reconciliation

  • Arrival of Governor Grey, his influence; removal of Fitzroy

Lunch in Kawakawa 12:15 - 1 p.m.

  • Hundertwasser's ‘GIFT TO THE TOWN’

The Final Battle:  Ruapekapeka

  • Pa design and construction. The assault and the end.

  • Who won the war?   Conclusions, controversies.

  • Where to the North ? Decline of the North? Its future today?

Depart  Ruapekapeka 3 p.m.

  • Arrival Warkworth approx 5.30pm

  • Arrival North Shore approx 6.15pm

 

He aha te mea nui o tenei ao, Maku e ki atu, He tangata, he tangata, he tangata

“If you were to ask me, what is the most important thing in the world, I would answer it is people, it is people, it is people”

- Māori Proverb