A Maori carving at Waitangi Meeting House; Photo Credit: Heike Quosdorf on Flickr
For as long as humans have inhabited New Zealand, the Bay of Islands has held an allure which has tantalized all who have visited. With its safe harbors, mild climate, and serpentine, island-flecked coastline, it’s little wonder that visitors have been captivated since the very first settlers arrived. Though the area today is most well-known for its cruise port and various water tours, the New Zealand history in the Bay of Islands is one of its more fascinating undertones.
It’s hard to imagine that prior to the 14th century—which is when Maori explorers first began to permanently populate New Zealand—this forested shoreline of turquoise bays was entirely unknown to humans. The white sand beaches were free of footprints, the hills were covered in towering kauri trees, and all of that changed when Maori explorers began to settle the plains of the Northland. Naming the area Te Hiku-o-te-Ika, it would be over 400 years before a European would step on the tropical shore.
When Captain Cook first sailed in to the Bay of Islands in 1769 , he found a large population of native Maori who lived off the bounty of the sea . Recognizing the safe anchorages and agreeable climate, European settlers quickly flocked to the “winterless north” of the Northland. The town of Kerikeri—located 20 minutes inland from the coastal port of Paihia where you’ll find most of the Bay of Islands cruises—was the first town with European settlements and Western styles of housing. When visiting the Bay of Islands today, the Kemp House in Kerikeri (built in 1821) is the oldest house in all of New Zealand and is open for visitors and tours.
The town of Paihia soon became home to missionaries, and while this protected anchorage became one of the Northland’s most desirable areas to live, the town across the bay—Kororareka, now known as Russell—was considered to be the “hell hole of the Pacific” for its lawlessness, lewdness, and sailors. Interestingly enough, the town of Russell today is one of the most refined corners of all of New Zealand, and walking the streets of the small village is one of the best day trips in the Bay of Islands.
The settlement and missions, aside, however, the most important piece of New Zealand history in the Bay of Islands is undoubtedly the Treaty of Waitangi. Signed in 1840 by Maori chiefs and representatives of the British Crown, the treaty is seen as the joint agreement that the nation of New Zealand was founded upon. Unfortunately, due to pieces of the treaty which were confused in translation (both an English version as well as a Maori version were signed), disputes still exist as to what exactly was agreed upon. For one of the most educational outings in the entire Northland, the Waitangi Treaty Grounds—located just minutes from Paihia—offers a firsthand look at where the treaty was signed and explains the source of the conflict.
Back across the bay in Russell, you can also visit the historic flagstaff which was the symbol of the “Flagstaff War.” Spearheaded by the Maori chief Hone Heke, war erupted when Heke cut down the flagstaff which carried the British flag. Seen as a rebellion against British rule in response to the Treaty of Waitangi, the war would rage for nearly a year and reign bloodshed throughout the bay. Though you would never know it from the tranquility today, the Bay of Islands was the most controversial region in the early development of New Zealand.
New Zealand History in the Bay of Islands from Auckland & North Island Things to Do