The settlers of Puhoi came from Bohemia, which was the home of the Boii, a Celtic tribe who settled in central Europe in 300 BC. In 500 AD, Czech and Slavs settled there. They were ruled by dukes of the Přemyslid dynasty – “good king”...... Read More

Early on September 23, 1866, Captain Alexander Unthank’s cutter Bonneta crossed the Manukau Bar heading north to the Kaipara settlements. She carried a full cargo of goods, plus two passengers. A hard northeasterly gale was blowing. Bonneta safely...... Read More

One day in 1912, Matthew Wech, of Pohuehue, harnessed his two horses to his Portland wagon and set out for Puhoi. His travels took him through a series of hills and hollows as the road crossed each ridge running down to Hungry Creek. At the crest of a...... Read More

Henry and William Marsh emigrated to New Zealand aboard the Ida Zeigler in 1863.  Although not part of an organised group, they still qualified under the 40-acre scheme.  Coming from a family of tenant farmers in Shropshire, this was their chance...... Read More

If anyone asked what the most well-known street in Warkworth is, I think the answer would be unanimous – Hill Street. But if we were asked how Hill Street got its name, many of us would make the incorrect assumption that it was because it is positioned...... Read More

American servicemen stationed in Warkworth during WWII were a long way from home, training for the Pacific theatre and an uncertain future. Initially, the men were not allowed beyond Warkworth, but eventually that changed and they were allowed further...... Read More

From small beginnings, the archives kept at the Warkworth Museum have grown into a useful resource. Donations of photographs, documents, family trees, diaries and publications of local interest continue to arrive for appraisal. Last year, access was...... Read More

Schedewy’s Transport began with Martin Schedewy, who emigrated to New Zealand with his parents as a two-year-old. The Schedewys settled on land in Puhoi. Martin and his wife, Lena, took over the farm when Martin’s father retired. Martin was...... Read More

Before early settlers in and around Mangawhai could get organised into cultivating their new land allotments, timber wolves were scouting about buying timber from newcomers. The main attraction was kauri and rimu. The massive size of kauri in the early...... Read More

Thomas Inger was one of many wanting to emigrate to New Zealand. William Brame, the Albertland movement founder, was keen to have him. In his letters, Brame wrote that he considered Inger exactly the sort of man the Albertlanders needed. Each...... Read More