Stories & News
Our Stories
Tantalising tales, fun facts, itineraries and travel tips - find out more about the Tohu Whenua you love.
27/12/2021
Flat-pack furniture at NZ's oldest house
The story behind the 200-year old mahogany dining chairs at Kemp House at Kororipo Heritage Park in Kerikeri.
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19/09/2021
Explore Queenstown’s top three heritage sites by bike
Want to combine a Queenstown cycling adventure with some unique Kiwi culture?
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18/08/2021
Brunner Mine’s iconic bridge
The Brunner Bridge which has linked coalfields on either side of the Grey River since the 1870s has a colourful past.
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26/07/2021
Jane Takotowi Clendon
Jane Clendon was a strong woman of Hokianga Māori descent who had the odds stacked against her.
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17/05/2021
Te Pahi
Te Pahi was a Māori leader who saw the benefits of trade with Pākehā for his people.
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26/04/2021
Rongo Hongi, a remarkable wahine toa of the 1800s
Have you heard of Rongo Hongi? She was a remarkable woman.
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13/04/2021
5 best half-day heritage walks for autumn
Bright blue skies, trees ablaze with colourful autumn foliage, and tranquil tracks - smart walkers know that autumn is one of the most glorious seasons to be in the great outdoors. It’s also a great time of year to discover more of New Zealand’s unique history with Tohu Whenua.
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20/03/2021
Central Otago Touring Route
One of New Zealand's finest road trips takes you to nine of Otago's Tohu Whenua heritage experiences.
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01/02/2021
West Coast heritage by campervan
Mining tunnels, ghost towns, stamper batteries, shipwrecks, all in mind-bogglingly beautiful locations. When it comes to heritage, the West Coast has plenty of iconic hot spots and hidden gems that await discovery. Claudia Babirat explores some of the places that defined the West Coast and shaped our nation.
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Learn how our Tohu Whenua continue to make history.
01/10/2021
Hayes Homestead Centenary
Hayes Homestead celebrates 100 years of Kiwi engineering and ingenuity, including what must have been one of the first whole-home audio systems in New Zealand.
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01/09/2021
Totara Estate stonework repairs underway
“A craftsman who worked on the great cathedrals in Europe could walk onto a job now and the tools would be virtually the same,” says Totara Estate stonemason, Allan Ward.
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12/07/2021
3D snapshot of Kerikeri's Stone Store
A Kerikeri engineering firm has used state of the art 3D laser scanning technology to create a high-precision model of New Zealand’s oldest stone building – and the results are amazing.
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26/06/2021
Matariki the star attraction at Kerikeri Mission Station
Kerikeri Mission Station is celebrating Matariki with events for an entire month! (19 June - 11 July)
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26/03/2021
125 years ago today: NZ’s deadliest industrial disaster
Today marks the 125th anniversary of our country's most deadly industrial disaster, the explosion at Brunner Mine that killed 65 men and boys.
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15/12/2020
Waiuta joins Tohu Whenua today
Historic West Coast goldtown “Waiuta” will join Tohu Whenua today, recognising it as one of New Zealand’s most treasured heritage places.
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30/11/2020
The Secret Lives of Stencils exhibition now open at Totara Estate (Oamaru)
If you’ve ever visited an old woolshed on a farm, chances are you spotted an old stencil or two hanging up on the walls.
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11/11/2020
Aotearoa’s oldest lemon tree
Rangihoua Heritage Park, the Bay of Islands site where Māori and Europeans first learned to live side by side, has another claim to fame - it’s home to what many consider to be New Zealand's oldest introduced tree.
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14/09/2020
Is your photo the star of Tohu Whenua’s summer marketing campaign?
Have you ever dreamed of having your photo printed in a magazine? We're looking for a great photo to use on our summer campaign, to encourage people to visit our special New Zealand heritage places.
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22/06/2020
Love your Tohu Whenua!
Love your Tohu Whenua! Show the kaitiaki/guardians of your most treasured Kiwi heritage places some love and be in to win! Our country is brimming with Tohu Whenua - unique Kiwi heritage places where you can experience New Zealand’s most important stories. It’s now time that we show the dedicated people who look after our treasured places a little love!
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