The oldest European
style building is located in the Kerikeri Basin. It
was built in 1821 as part of a missionary station,
and is now named Kemp House, after the Kemp family
who lived there between 1832 and the 1970s.
However, the house’s original occupants were the
family of missionary John Butler. Adjacent to Kemp
House is the Old Stone Store, which is New Zealand’s
oldest standing stone building. It was constructed
as a provisions store for the Church Missionary
Society, and was later used as a munitions store
during the Maori Land Wars. Today, it houses a
museum featuring machinery dating back to when the
store was first built and a library featuring the
Kemp diaries and day books from when the store first
opened. On the ground floor is a store offering the
same goods that would have been sold when the store
first opened, including copper and cast iron pots,
Jew’s harps, jute sacks and traditionally made
sweets. The Kemp House and Old Stone Store are open
to the public for a small entry fee.
A short walk along the
river from the Old Stone Store is Kororipo Pa – once
the stronghold of chief Hongi Hika. It is
strategically located in a bend in the river to
provide a strong basis from which to attack any
invaders. In the 1820s, Hika had a European style
house built on his Pa site. Rewa’s Village, an
authentic recreation of a pre-European Maori
village, can be found across the river from Kororipo
Pa.
If you’re more
interested in nature than history, Kerikeri has some
beautiful wilderness spots. A relaxing 30 minute
stroll along the banks of the Kerikeri River will
lead to the Fairy Pools – a beautiful place to take
a dip in the river. After a soothing swim, you can
continue along the track for another half hour to
find Rainbow Falls. These magnificent,
breath-taking waterfalls plummet into the river
below. The track begins alongside the Kerikeri
Basin, at the northeastern end of Kerikeri Road.
The Kerikeri region is
also known for its arts and crafts community.
Resident craftspeople create everything from
ceramics to Kauri furniture to handmade
confectionery. A leaflet describing many of the
open-to-the-public studios is available from the
Visitor Information Centre on Cobham Road.
The standard range of
motel and bed & breakfast type accommodation is
available in Kerikeri. However, for something a
little more unique, try Pagoda Lodge. Here you can
hire a cottage built in the style of a pagoda, or
even stay in a family-sized, fully furnished Sahara
style tent. The peaceful grounds overlook the river
and are filled with little surprises such as
life-sized Buddha's. It is located a little way out
of town on Pa Road.
Population:
4,854
Main employment:
Service and Sales Workers
Age Distribution:
21.2 percent of Kerikeri’s population are under the
age of 15 years, while 19.8 percent of people in
Kerikeri are aged over 65 years.
Median income $17,000
Major Industries: Horticulture and tourism
Accommodation
