We have a property!

We heard yesterday that we have finally scored a property so we should be moving by the end of March - it's a big relief and we are looking forward to starting again.  Here's a piece of Kerikeri history...it's what remains of the old hydro-electric station which began to produce power to 17 customers on 11 July 1930 and it is stuck in the middle of the Rainbow Falls river walk.

A Mr George Alderton with a land developer and some of his customers were British civil servants that were wanting to settle in town. Alot of them were use to having a privileged life along with servants and maids etc, the wives were not impressed at having to do the manual work themselves which is why having electricity would be essential.  George set up his company so the settler's wives would be happy and want to buy the land.

He then employed Lloyd Mandeno to investigate the potential of a hydro station on the Kerikeri River. He said that it should supply at least 300 horsepower but because of low seasonal flooding the water should be diverted from the Puketotara River.

At the end of 1929 George Alderton's company began constructing the dam as well as the open water race for water diverted from the 2 rivers and in 1930 the power was turned on.  The surviving machinery of the powerhouse has been restored (above) and placed where it originally was so visitors can walk along the track and see inside.

Edmond's Ruins

Last weekend we ventured out to a local historical place called "Edmond's Ruin Historic Reserve" about 15 minutes out of Kerikeri.

There is the remains of a stone house, stone walls and various citrus trees, native trees and shrubs.

John Edmonds was an Englishman who came here from Worcestor and was sent here by the Christian Missionary Society to build the Stone Store. The Missionaries weren't told about this and instead ended up employing William Parrot, a stonemason from Sydney, Australia.

In 1837-1838 John Edmonds, embarrassed about the omission bought about 2,700 acres on both sides of the Kerikeri River and wrote that it was "covered in ferns, volcanic stones, swamps, rough grass and very little wood.

Sometime between 1841 and 1859 he built a stone house which had walls that were over half a metre thick. It was approx 38 foot long and 28 foot wide, it had a large lounge and a big open fireplace, bedroom, kitchen with a stone oven.

Opposite the kitchen door was another smaller building with a fireplace and a stone wash basin. The roof was made of shingles, he named his house "Belle Vue" after his home in England.


John Edmonds and his sons worked the property and created an orchard, a garden and a vegetable garden. Unfortunately around 1885-1886 it was believed that one of his boys was supervising a controlled scrub fire/burn off and the sparks from this spread to the roof thus destroying the house of which the ruins are still there today.

Historical Kororipo Pa

Near Kerikeri's Stone Store is this historic gem - the Kororipo pa site was once occupied by some of the Hongi Hika and Rewa's people (Ngapuhi) in the 1820s. This was once a stockaded fortress and used as a port to collect shellfish, seafood and a place to store  their canoes.

This area was previously occupied by another tribe called Ngati Miru until they were attacked by the Ngapuhi.

Kororipo - meaning Waha-o-teriri (mouth of war) is now under the protection of NZ's Department of Conservation and it is a popular tourist spot.

Hongi Hika and his people left Kerikeri for Whangaroa at the end of 1826 and after being hurt in battle in 1827 died in 1828. In 1830 Rewa and his people left Kerikeri to live at Russell then Kororipo became deserted. Rewa sold 7 acres to James Kemp in 1831 to become part of his farm and mission station and in 1838 the remaining 6 acres were also sold to James Kemp by Hongi's sons Hongi and and Puru. This 6 acres was gifted to the nation by E.S. Little in the 1950s.