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Journey to Northland
A Nation was Born
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Northland is an avid storyteller. Historic accounts flood from its age-worn settlements, tales pass between elders and their kin, and the land is steeped in Māori folklore.
Visitors are provided with an excellent opportunity to learn about New Zealand’s earliest inhabitants, listen to the lore of the land and delve into a captivating past. Proud to be called the Birthplace of the Nation, discover a region instrumental in shaping the New Zealand you see today.
Historians estimate that Kupe, the legendary Polynesian navigator, first settled at Hokianga Harbour in 925 AD. Centuries later, when the first Pakeha (Europeans) arrived, Māori and Pakeha had to learn – often turbulently – to live together. The signing of the Treaty of Waitangi occurred on 6 February 1840. This resulted in British control over the country or governance, depending on whether you're reading the English or Māori version. The Waitangi Treaty Grounds chronicles this occasion and the decision, mixed with defiance, which was ultimately made by about 40 Māori chiefs on that day.
The town of Kerikeri hosts some of the country’s oldest buildings, creaking with the weight of secrets trapped within their walls, while the ancient kauri trees of the Waipōua Forest, some five metres in diameter and 60 metres tall, have lived through every New Zealand milestone.
The ocean, both New Zealand’s gateway and guardian, is wild and unruly on the west coast, while the east is privy to white-sand serenity. The Bay of Islands in particular hosts a bevy of idyllic isles and bays. In contrast, making it to the windwhipped tip of Cape Rēinga will result in the meeting of the Tasman Sea with the fierce Pacific. As one of New Zealand’s most sacred sites, it’s here Māori believe spirits of the dead depart the world.
Whether you arrive in Northland to chase oceans, forest or townships, behind every beautiful vista there is an equally gripping story.
