Early November Hawke’s Bay members ventured on a two hour coach trip into new territory.... A day trip to Wairoa. On all our coach trips we have three collection places to assist our members who live in Havelock North, Hastings and Taradale areas. It was an early start and a reasonably long day, but extremely rewarding and enjoyable. An excellent commentary on the drive to Wairoa was given by a Branch Member Lyn Sturm who is very familiar with this area. Members enjoyed the stories of her family members growing up there.
On our arrival in Wairoa, members were able to spend a time researching the local history at the very informative information display beside the river, on Marine Parade. The former Portland Island Lighthouse, now an iconic feature by the Wairoa Bridge, was a most picturesque site.
We were met by our new member from Gisborne Raina Smith, and Branch President Paddy Bayley presented her with her Membership Certificate and badge. Two members of our Branch were delighted to find that their ancestors also came on the same ship as Raina’s – Duke of Roxburgh to Wellington in 1840.
Following a delicious 2 course buffet lunch at the Ferry Hotel, we visited the Wairoa Museum housed in a former bank building on Marine Parade. For most of our members it was their first visit to this Museum. In recent years this has been refurbished and contains some most impressive collections. Their very unique interactive “touch tables” were certainly a favourite with our members. We all came away knowing much more about the rich history of this area.
We then ventured on a drive along Marine Parade to where the Wairoa river meets the sea. There were beautifully landscaped picnic areas all along the river bank. Country town hospitality was exceptional when The Wairoa Museum Friends provided an amazing afternoon tea in the Presbyterian Church lounge. The Church was also open for those who wished to look through, before we headed back to the Bay. A most informative and enjoyable visit to Wairoa.
Meaning of the name Wairoa:
Wai: river or stream; roa: long. One of the most common names in the country. Was called Clyde for a short while, following the vogue of naming Hawke's Bay settlements after figures involved in the Indian Mutiny.
Wairoa’s history:
Wairoa was originally a Māori settlement. The ancestral canoe Tākitimu travelled up the river and landed near where the Tākitimu meeting house now sits. The river was an important source of food for the community that grew on its banks. William Rhodes established a trading station there in 1839, and missionary William Williams first visited in 1841. A permanent mission station was established in 1844. Early European squatters ran sheep and traded flax. The town site (then called Clyde) was purchased by the government in 1864 and sections were sold to settlers in 1866. Members of the Māori Pai Mārire (Hauhau) faith arrived in the district around the same time and Wairoa became a colonial military base. In the twentieth century, Wairoa was constrained by its isolation and reliance on rural industries vulnerable to economic downturns.
Photo 1 Former Portland Island Lighthouse
Photo 2 Unique information boards on Marine Parade, Wairoa
Photo 3 New member from Gisborne - Raina Smith receiving her Membership Certificate from National & Hawke’s Bay Branch President Paddy Bayley
Photo 4 Wairoa Museum
Photo 5 Wairoa Museum- The Wharf display
Photo 6 Members Janet Williams & Faye Sherriff investigating the unique “touch tables”
Photo 7 St Andrews Presbyterian Church.
Photo 8 Afternoon tea at Church hall.