This walk follows the Northern Waiora River to Harding Park, the site of an Historic pa, the Dargaville Museum and many interesting notice boards to read along the way. Allow about 1.5 to 2 hours easy flat walk of history and collecting info for the final. This can be collected in ANY ORDER on your walk.
The Kaipara is the largest harbour in the Southern Hemisphere, and its waters have provided sustenance and shelter, as well as being the predominant trading route North and South, since the Maori arrived in the 14th century. In ancient times Ngati Whatua and Ngapuhi arrived by the historic canoe Mahuhu-o-Te-Rangi. They inhabited the Kauri Coast or Kaipara(Kai - food, Para - fern root ) and were sustained on the natural bounty of the sea, harbour, river and forest - feasting on the toheroa, snaring the native wood pigeon (kereru) eating cultivated kūmara, trapped kiore ( native rat ) and fish. Sometimes this food was cooked in a hangi(an earth oven).
Important chiefs in the period between 1830 and 1870 included Te Tirarau Kūkupa and Parore Te Āwhā. Both became respected magistrates in Dargaville. In their honour street names have been named after them. In the early 1800s sailing ships appeared in the Kaipara looking for kauri spars.
In 1879 the first ship was recorded sailing over the bar. As the Kaipara developed and timber mills flourished, timber (both sawn and logs and kauri gum was carried by ship.
The next important Europeans to appear in the Kaipara were probably the missionaries. Samual Marsden's journals record that he first visited the area in 1817 and again in 1820. A mission was started at Okara Point Pā in 1820 and the Reverend Buller operated mission schools in the 1830-1840s. Gradually European residences started to dot the Kaipara shores. People came from Auckland to Helensville, or from the Bay of Islands to Whangarei and overland to the Northern Wairoa.
After many ships were lost on the dangerous bar, and McLeods Mooring ( wooden buoy ) of the south channel showed it was still too dangerous, it was decided to pressure the Marine Department for a Lighthouse at Northhead. First the Marine Custom house was built in 1876 (the marine hall today) then the Lighthouse was erected in 1884, thus bringing permanent European residents to Pouto. The first European traders in sailing ships entered the harbour about 1838, to serve the Mission Stations and to trade timber. From this time an increasing trade in timber, and later gum, led to an influx of shipping that at one point made this harbour the busiest in the country, all carrying their cargos over the bar that stands across the entrance. At the height of the timber trade as many as 26 ships left the harbour on one tide in the course of the day, all carrying timber from mills around the harbour shores. Of the thousands of ships that came in and out of the entrance, at least 45 were wrecked, with the remains of some of them showing up from time to time with the shifting sands.
At the end of the 19th century as the timber ran out, the emphasis in trade shifted to the export of kauri gum. Diggers of all nationalities, from local Māori to immigrant Dalmatians, then called "Austrians" dug this from swamps in the district. This period resembled the gold rushes earlier in the century and lasted from 1853- 1951 approximately. The harbour today is no longer a trade route for exports but provides enormous recreational pleasure to the fishermen, boaties and holiday makers who now ply the waters.
To find this Multi you must walk and collect info off interesting notice boards along the way. Take notes and enjoy.
A = Mangawhare's first shop began as a trading station around what year? Use the 3rd digit.
B = How many sections did Francis Augustine purchase to build the petticoat houses on?
C =What year did Rev James Buller relocate from Tangiteroria? Use the 3rd digit.
D = Use the 2nd digit in the year Frances Augustine purchased the sections for the Petticoat houses.
E = What year did FA. Jones become Mayor of Dargaville ? Use the 3rd digit.
F = The sum of the TWO letter word name of the day that the Puharich family moved into their converted farm building for their first real home in 1942 was? Now ADD both words for a sum then minus 4, so you get ?
G = What day date in March 1997 was the Gumdigger statue unveiled minus 6. You get?
H = What year did Ernest Shackleton's Antarctic Expedition? Use the last digit and minus 8. You get?
I = What number River Road was this house on the sign that was circled. Use the second digit?
J = Use the only digit on the last line of the geodetic code? It's ?
So Now you've collected all the info and had a wonderful Historic walk here in Dargaville, head to the final GZ at S35 AB.CDE E173 FG.HIJ.
Checksum south 27. Checksum East 18. Total checksum 45 enjoy.