Pompallier Mission and Printery
The power of print
Aotearoa New Zealand's only surviving pioneer printery and tannery, Pompallier Mission is a time capsule that demonstrates the impact of Bishop Pompallier and his missionaries in introducing Catholicism by producing written works in te reo Māori.
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The significance of Pompallier Mission and Printery
The mission was commissioned by Pompallier who believed that the power of the printed word could be used to help convert Māori to Christianity.
The printery, which is now Aotearoa New Zealand’s oldest industrial building, was constructed in 1842 using a traditional French rammed-earth style called pisé de terre. It was here that the French Marist Brothers translated Latin religious texts into te reo Māori and produced beautiful bound books. In eight years the missionaries printed almost 40 thousand publications in te reo.
Located in Kororāreka Russell, a tiny outpost that became known as the ‘hellhole of the Pacific’ for its drunk and raucous behaviour, the missionaries found themselves caught up in many turbulent events, including British treaty-making and war between Māori and European settlers. Dedicated to their goal, the Brothers didn’t let anything get in the way of what they considered to be vitally important work.
Pompallier Mission and Printery is proudly cared for by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga.
What you can see and do at Pompallier
Situated right on the waterfront in the Bay of Islands, Pompallier Mission and Printery is a five minute walk from the wharf at Kororāreka Russell.
Take a tour
Join one of several fantastic guides as they walk you through each step of 19th century printing and book-binding, from setting print to tanning leather hides.
Wander the gardens
Enjoy the award-winning heritage gardens: all bright borders, fragrant hedges and casual plantings. The orchard of plums, quince and other trees is still producing, as is the kitchen garden.
Follow the trail up the wooded hillside behind the Mission and Printery for terrific views across to Paihia and Waitangi.
Indulge at the French Coffee House
Great coffee (locally roasted) and French pastries are the order. On a fine day, enjoy your treats on the lawn and dust off your French while playing a few games of pétanque.
The Good Merchant
Following in the traditions of the 19th century waterfront merchant stores of Kororāreka, you will find a range of homewares, gardening products, books and toys. There is also a unique selection of traditionally-crafted notebooks made on-site in the Pompallier book bindery.
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