Whangaroa County Museum & Archives

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Whangaroa County Museum & Archives The Whangaroa County Museum & Archives Society Visitors welcome, entry free , donations appreciated.

Friday Flash: The Pupuke Tramway was a 14-kilometre bush tramway built and operated by the Kauri Timber Company (KTC) in...
09/10/2026

Friday Flash: The Pupuke Tramway was a 14-kilometre bush tramway built and operated by the Kauri Timber Company (KTC) in the Whangaroa County. It was active from 1927 to 1932 to extract valuable native kauri timber from the Pupuke and Omaunu areas

Route and Operations
• Route: The 14 km tramline ran from Omaunu to Rataroa Creek.
• Locomotive: The line utilized a geared Climax A steam
locomotive to haul heavy loads of timber out of the bush.
• Bridges: All the railway bridges along the route were built by
local contractor and builder Wilfred Lane.
• Rafting and Towing: At Rataroa Creek, the logs were rolled into
the water and made into large timber rafts by "Lane's men".
These rafts were then towed down to Totara North.
• Journey to Auckland: From Totara North, the log rafts began a
massive coastal tow—taking roughly three days—down to the
Kauri Timber Company’s main processing mill at the Viaduct
Basin in Auckland, a journey of about 300 kilometres handled
by the paddle-wheel tug 'Lyttelton'.

Friday Flash:1915 Kaeo Methodist ChurchThe Northern Advocate A moment in history: Kaeo menfolk about to leave for trai...
25/09/2026

Friday Flash:1915 Kaeo Methodist Church
The Northern Advocate
A moment in history: Kaeo menfolk about to leave for training with the first contingent to go overseas at the outbreak of World War 1.
The photograph is the parade for the last time at the local church. The church building in the background then became the church hall.
(The Brighouse band leads the parade and the church used to be sited on the hill on the right heading north out of Kaeo.)

AI Overview
The Local WWI Mobilization: In 1915, communities across Northland held patriotic parades, fundraisers, and send-offs as local volunteers left for the front lines (and later, as the first wounded soldiers returned from Gallipoli). The Whangaroa County (which includes Kaeo) heavily contributed to the war effort, ultimately losing 32 local men whose names are recorded on the Kaeo First World War Memorial.
The Methodist Church as a Community Hub: Kaeo holds a sacred place in New Zealand history as the site of Wesleydale, the country's very first Methodist mission station, established in 1823. Because of this deep-rooted heritage, the local Methodist church and its congregation were central to civic life, hosting choir send-offs, patriotic community meetings, and vigils during the war years.
WCM Archives include Brighouse family
The Brighouse family is an early pioneering family deeply rooted in the history of Kāeo, Northland, New Zealand, with connections dating back to the late 19th century.
Early History and Settlement
• Thomas and Sarah Brighouse: By 1877, Thomas and Sarah Brighouse had settled in Kāeo, where Thomas owned a 79-acre improved farm. [1]
• Connection to the Hare Family: In January 1893, Edwin Roby Brighouse (fourth son of Thomas and Sarah) married Elizabeth Hare, the daughter of prominent early Kaeo settler Joseph Hare. The Hare family was well-known for farming, building sailing ships on the Kaeo River, and introducing Seventh-day Adventist teachings to New Zealand. Key Family Branches & Signatures
• Lizzie Brighouse: Noted in New Zealand history as a local resident who signed the women's suffrage petition while living in Kaeo with her parents.

A late Friday Flash:- Pōhutukawa tree WhangaroaThe most iconic and culturally significant pōhutukawa tree in the area...
16/09/2026

A late Friday Flash:- Pōhutukawa tree Whangaroa
The most iconic and culturally significant pōhutukawa tree in the area is the sacred pōhutukawa tree located at Otawhiri Point in the Whangaroa Harbour.
Historically documented in records dating back over a century, this specific tree holds deep cultural value in Māori tradition and local history. Beyond this sacred landmark, the entire Whangaroa region—including the dramatic coastlines of the scenic loop and nearby spots like Wainui—is celebrated for spectacular pōhutukawa trees that fringe the deep green waters of the harbor, creating a stunning contrast of vibrant crimson and emerald hues during the summer blooming season.

04/09/2026

:::::: BOOK LAUNCH::::
You are invited to attend the launch of the
WOOLLEY book – a history of Woolley& Son Builders in the Whangaroa County 1922 – 1967.
morning tea at the Union Church Hall ,Kaeo
10.30 – 12 pm.
Saturday the 12th September
Those who attend will receive a free copy of the book
All invited – the more the merrier.

FRIDAY FLASHKauri dam WhangaroaThe Whangaroa Harbour region has a deep historical connection to the early New Zealand ti...
04/09/2026

FRIDAY FLASH
Kauri dam Whangaroa
The Whangaroa Harbour region has a deep historical connection to the early New Zealand timber industry, serving as a major hub for milling and exporting prized kauri timber. While there isn't a widely marketed, official Department of Conservation (DOC) track explicitly named the "Whangaroa Kauri Dam Walk," there are two distinct locations nearby where you can find kauri dam heritage and local "kauri dam" natural landmarks:
1. The Rock Pools ("Kauri Dams") — Kahoe
Located just inland from the harbour area near Kahoe/Kaeo, the Rock Pools are locally known as the "Kauri Dams".
• The Experience: This is a tranquil, off-the-beaten-path swimming spot and a natural paradise.
• Access: The pools require roughly a 3-hour round-trip walk. It is largely un-tracked, and access is historically coordinated locally (such as through the Kahoe Farms Hostel).
2. Historical Kauri Dams in Puketi Forest
If you are looking for actual archaeological remains of the massive wooden engineering structures used by pioneers to flush logs downstream, your closest option is the Puketi Forest, located just south of the Whangaroa Harbour district.
• The Heritage: Remnants of the main frame of old log-driving kauri dams sit deep within the forest undergrowth.
• The Industry: In the late 1800s and early 1900s, companies like the Kauri Timber Co. operated extensively out of Whangaroa. Huge logs were driven down streams via these dams, chained together into massive sea rafts, and towed from Whangaroa to Auckland mills over a grueling 3-day ocean journey.
Photo1: Kauri Dam
Photo 2: workers at the Lane & Sons Mill at Totara North.

FRIDAY FLASH: From the Northern Advocate, 26 November 1906
27/08/2026

FRIDAY FLASH: From the Northern Advocate, 26 November 1906

27/08/2026

AGM ...AGM ...AGM - MUSEUM
Monday 21st September 2026
9.00 am
ALL WELCOME

Our Glitz & Glam team enjoying a night out at the Quiz. 5th out of 11 Teams - it was an enjoyable night.
23/08/2026

Our Glitz & Glam team enjoying a night out at the Quiz. 5th out of 11 Teams - it was an enjoyable night.

FRIDAY FLASH:This weeks the volunteer choice is:Wilkinson, Leonard Victor (1906–1997) and Enid Lucy (Hare) (1905–2006) M...
21/08/2026

FRIDAY FLASH:
This weeks the volunteer choice is:
Wilkinson, Leonard Victor (1906–1997) and Enid Lucy (Hare) (1905–2006) MARRIED 5 April 1928

Leonard and Enid Wilkinson were missionaries to Fiji.
Leonard Victor Wilkinson and Enid Lucy Hare were married on 5 April 1928 at the Seventh-day Adventist church in Perth, Western Australia.
Wedding Details
• The Bride: Enid Lucy Hare (1905–2006), a school teacher originally from New South Wales.
• The Groom: Leonard Victor Wilkinson (1906–1997), a literature evangelist and pastor.
• Subsequent Life: Following their wedding, the couple relocated east of Perth to Kellerberrin, where they took over pastoral care for a local church community.

FRIDAY FLASHWedding 31.10The historical marriage between Martha Farrendon Skinner and her husband (often recorded under ...
14/08/2026

FRIDAY FLASH
Wedding 31.10
The historical marriage between Martha Farrendon Skinner and her husband (often recorded under his initial/rank as G. Laird or William Robert Fyfe Laird) took place on 4 June 1889.
MAILE vessel Whangaroa
The Maile was a beautiful 270-ton, three-masted topsail schooner built in 1884 by the master shipbuilders Lane & Brown at Totara North in the Whangaroa Harbour. The vessel met a tragic end when it was lost at sea with all hands in February 1893.
AI search
Martha Farrendon Skinner married William R. E. Laird on June 15, 1889, aboard the schooner Maile in Sydney, Australia. Martha was born in New Zealand in 1863 to Thomas and Hannah Skinner, and William was the eldest son of chief engineer William Laird.
Marriage and Family Details
• Date of Marriage: June 15, 1889
• Location: On board the schooner Maile in Sydney, Australia, officiated by the Rev. Mr. Moulton.
• Spouse: William Robert Fyfe Laird (eldest son of William Laird).
• Parents: Martha was the youngest daughter of the late Thomas Skinner and Hannah Taylor of Auckland, New Zealand.
• Children: They had at least one daughter named Ruby.

Address

Kaeo

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10:30am - 2:30pm
Wednesday 10:30am - 2:30pm
Thursday 10:30am - 2:30pm
Friday 10:30am - 2:30pm

Telephone

+6494050050

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