The 2 Waipu monuments

Located in Waipu township are these 2 monuments next to the main road.  In 1913 a committee set up to oversee the future Waipu Diamond Jubilee celebrations for the original settlers and their descendants decided to pay for a memorial to commemorate the landing of the settlers who came there from Nova Scotia in 1854.  The preacher Norman McLeod led his followers from Scotland to Nova Scotia in 1817, then after encounting hardship they left for Australia then NZ. The monument on the left lists their names and dates and has a lion sitting at the top. (More information from the Northland History blog).

The one on the right is for those who fought in the First World War from 1914 to 1919, the Second World War from 1939 to 1945 and was erected on VE day 9 May 1995, the 50th anniversary of the end of World War 2 in Europe.

Linking up with Our World Tuesday and My Corner of the World.

The book of secrets

I photographed these large Scottish Thistle flowers in Waipu recently - considering this town was originally founded by immigrants from Scotland it's quite fitting that these are growing in the center of town.

I've been putting down my laptop this week and trying to make an effort to get back into book reading. One I'm about halfway through is called "The Book of Secrets" by Fiona Kidman which is about this very subject, the first settlers to this area and how they came to be here.

"In 1854 a group of settlers, led by preacher Norman McLeod established a community in Waipu in the northern part of New Zealand. The community had followed him from Scotland in 1817 to found a settlement in Nova Scotia, then to Australia and finally to New Zealand. It is the story of 3 women entangled in the migrations".

Have you read anything worth sharing this week?

Waipu Winner!

I think this is one of the most interesting murals I've seen so far. This one in Waipu Cove painted by Daniel Mills is geared towards the history of the town. Apparently the artist took about 3 weeks to research and was painted in 2007 yet still looks almost new.

Waipu is one of those places in NZ that was settled by Scottish immigrants about 150 years ago and includes a portrait of Reverend Norman McLeod, includes Scottish tartan how the old stores would've looked.

The mural was designed with input from the Waipu Museum and apparently school groups are seen here using the art for history lessons.

Linking up with Mural Monday and Our World Tuesday.