History

950

Whitianga is perhaps one of the most historic sites in New Zealand, with a rich Maori and European history. It is believed to be where the great Polynesian explorer, Kupe, first landed in New Zealand around 950 AD. The very name Whitianga, is a shortened version of Te Whitianga nui a Kupe (Kupe's big crossing place) referring to his voyage across the Pacific. He also named the stream midway along Buffalo Beach, Tapu Tapu Atea, after the marae (meeting house) at Akaroa Bay on Raiatea Island, in the Society Island group. Archeological evidence has revealed continuous occupation of the Northern end of Buffalo Beach since this time.

Some 200 years later the area was settled by the descendants of Toi, a chief from Whakatane. Then around 1350 AD a chief named Hei bought his people to the area and intermarried with the existing tribes. Hei was the sailing master on board one of the seven canoes of the great migration, the “Arawa”. He named the bay Te-o-a-Hei, from which Hahei is derived. The remains of numerous Ngati Hei pa sites can be seen on prominent hillsides throughout the area.

1350

We are fortunate to be living right next door to the Whitianga Rock Historic Reserve, one of the oldest Ngati Hei pa sites in Whitianga, which dates back about 600 years. Evidence of the Pa's occupation and fortifications can still be seen. There are shellfish middens along the pathway, a large ditch guarding the entrance to the site, terraces where houses once stood, and post holes in the rock where fences were erected.

Captain James Cook described the site in his journal as follows:-
“A little within the entrance of the river on the East side is a high point or peninsula, jutting out into the River on which are the remains of one of their fortified towns, the situation is such that the best Engineer in Europe could not have choos'd a better for a small number of men to defend themselves against a greater. It is strong by nature and made so by Art. It is only accessible on the land side, and there have been cut a Ditch and a bank raised on the inside, from the top of the bank to the bottom of the ditch was about 22 feet and the depth of the ditch on the land side 14 feet; its breadth was in proportion to its depth and the whole seem'd to be have been done with great judgement. There had been a row of Pickets on the top of the bank and another on the outside of the ditch, these last had been set deep in the ground sloaping with their upper ends hanging over the ditch; the whole being burnt down, so that it is probable that this place has been taken and distroye'd by an Enimy.”

1769

To describe the site in such detail, Cook must have walked right across our front garden. Cook spent 11 days in the area in November, 1769. Whilst here he anchored off the eastern end of Cooks Beach, restocked his ship with fresh water, and observed the transit of Mercury across the night sky. From these sightings he was able to fix his latitude and longitude and determine where New Zealand lay in the South Pacific. He renamed the bay, Mercury Bay. Cook also traded with the Ngati Hei people at Wharetaewa pa and described in great detail, the customs and culture of the Maori people. Cook wrote, “ Before leaving this Bay we cut out upon one of the trees near the watering place, the Ship's Name, date etc. and after displaying the English Colours I took formal possession of the place in the name of His Majesty”.
With the departure of Cook the great bay of Hei was to witness a period of bloodshed and disease. Whaling boats and ships searching for suitable trees for masts and spars, were inflicting the native population with infectious diseases for which they had no immunity. Ngati Tamatera, a Hauraki tribe, attacked the Wharetaewa Pa. The Pa's defences held for several weeks, but eventually the water supply ran out and over 1000 occupants were slaughtered. In 1820 another great battle took place, this time against Ngapuhi warriors from the Bay of Islands, armed with muskets. As Ngati Hei tried to retreat to Te Ana Pa at the head of the Harbour, they were ambushed crossing the tidal flats and many were slaughtered; their traditional weapons being no match against muskets. It is thought that the pa at the south end of Hahei Beach and Te Puia Pa at Hot Water Beach, were ransacked at the same time.

1840

My great grandfather, Robert Wigmore, first arrived in Auckland in 1840, then took a boat to Coromandel Town and walked overland to Whitianga, probably following the route of today's 309 road. He was assessing stands of Kauri forest for a group of Scottish investors. He most likely viewed the beautiful valley of Hahei at this time and vowed to return one day. He then set out on an overland walk to Wellington accompanied by 6 Maori guides; the return journey taking 6 months. He is probably the first European to undertake such a feat. Wigmore left New Zealand in 1843 bound for Chile, where he was involved in a saw mill venture; then back to Ireland in 1847. By 1849 he had settled in Canada near Toronto, where he married. He returned to Whitianga in 1866 with his family and built a small house where the Whitianga Hotel is situated today. 230 acres were obtained at Hahei under the Waste Lands Act for free. This Act was used to encourage British settlers to establish themselves in areas where there were no Maoris living. The small house was moved from Whitianga to Hahei in 1867, and construction commenced on the big house.

1867

The big house remains today on the corner of Hahei Road and Grange Road, and is a fine example of a Canadian Ranch style colonial home, constructed in Kauri.
The family lived in isolation here until 1915, when the property was sold to Harsant brothers. My grandfather, Henry Wigmore, married Kate Harsant and so began a close relationship between our two families. Henry moved to the Purangi River and established a small farm and kept bees. All produce from the farms at Hahei and Purangi had to be rowed to Whitianga to sell, as there were no reliable roads in the district until 1932.

1950

The Wigmore children had to walk overland from Purangi to Hahei to get their schooling at the big house in Hahei. My father, Roger Wigmore, was a contractor involved in breaking in new farm land in the district. After World War II he purchased land on the corner of Hahei Road and Purangi Road and established a dairy farm. This is where I grew up, attending the Whenuakite School. There was no electricity or sealed roads at that time, Cooks Beach was all sand dunes, and Hahei had just 2 houses. Things have certainly changed !