Rangihoua Bay facts for kids

Rangihoua Bay in 1964, 150 years after the first Christian service.

Rangihoua Bay is a beautiful bay in Northland, New Zealand. It sits at the southern tip of the Purerua Peninsula. This bay is on the north-west side of the famous Bay of Islands.

Rangihoua Bay is about 10 kilometers north of Russell. It is also 12 kilometers north of Paihia. If you travel by road, it is 32 kilometers from Kerikeri.

History of Rangihoua Bay

In the early 1800s, European ships started visiting New Zealand. At that time, the powerful Ngāpuhi chief Te Pahi lived at Rangihoua. He had a fortified village called a pā there.

First European Connections

After Te Pahi passed away in 1810, Ruatara became the new chief. Both Te Pahi and Ruatara became friends with Samuel Marsden. Marsden was a Christian missionary from Australia. Their friendship led Marsden to choose Rangihoua as the perfect spot for New Zealand's first Christian mission.

Before the mission started, Ruatara did something amazing. In 1812, he was the first person to successfully grow wheat in New Zealand. He grew it right there at Rangihoua.

The First Missionaries Arrive

On December 22, 1814, a ship called the Active arrived in Rangihoua Bay. On board were missionaries John King, Thomas Kendall, and William Hall. A free settler named Thomas Hansen also came with them.

Just a few days later, on Christmas Day, 1814, a very important event happened. Samuel Marsden preached the first Christian sermon in the Bay of Islands. This took place at Oihi Bay, a small cove within Rangihoua Bay.

Establishing the Mission

Marsden officially bought land at Rangihoua for the mission on February 24, 1815. This was a big step for European settlement in New Zealand.

However, Chief Ruatara died on March 15, 1815. His death meant the mission lost its important protection. Because of this, the European settlement at Rangihoua did not grow much.

In the 1820s, another mission at Kerikeri became more important. It took over as the main mission in New Zealand. By the 1830s, the buildings at the Oihi mission were falling apart. The mission then moved to Te Puna, which is further west in Rangihoua Bay. The mission finally closed down in the 1850s.

Remembering the Past

On December 21, 2014, the Rangihoua Heritage Park was opened. This park celebrates 200 years since the first mission was established. It helps people remember the important history of Rangihoua Bay.