New Zealand’s Early Far Northern Dairy Co-Operatives

Howard Dunn, NZ Far North pioneer dairyman - Photo courtesy of the Far North District Museum, Kaitaia, New Zealand

By the age of seven in 1897, far north pioneer dairyman, Howard Dunn, was helping to hand-milk 30-40 cows at Pamapuria.  Storing their milk in large vats which they hand-skimmed for the cream, the family of 15 made butter for sale to gumfield settlers at 6d a pound. In 1901 Howard’s father, Robert, who had […]

1862 Albertland NZ Pioneer – Port Albert’s First Police Constable

Constable Thomas Inger in his old age with his family and the new Port Albert printing press - Photo courtesy of Albertland Museum, Wellsford, New Zealand

Pioneer police constable, Thomas Inger, kept the settlement of Port Albert in Northland, New Zealand, within the law. Thomas Inger was the first policeman at Port Albert in Northland, New Zealand, and he took his post seriously. Max, now 81, is Thomas’s great grandson, and tells us a little about life in early Albertland. Albertland […]

New Zealand Forty Acre Scheme – The Albertland Pioneers

Albertland – a brief history of the settlement of Albertland in northern NZ through the Forty Acre Scheme and William Brame, whose concept Albertland was. John Williamson, an Irish immigrant who became active in New Zealand politics from 1853, instituted the Forty Acre Scheme. The Forty Acre Scheme The Forty Acre scheme was set up […]

Te Paki Station – Far Northern New Zealand

Paua Wharf and Parenga Harbour, Far Northern New Zealand - Photo courtesy of Far North Regional Museum

Te Paki Station – Northland, New Zealand. A brief history and a glimpse of pioneer life early last century in the isolated far north of New Zealand. Te Paki Station, 20kms below New Zealand’s northern most point at Cape Reinga, is now owned and managed by the crown, but it was orginally a wedding gift […]

The 1920 Te Kao Farming Scheme

Installation of Te Kao monument - Photo courtesy of Far North Regional Museum

The institution of the Te Kao Dairying Scheme saved the district from starvation and ultimately resulted in the development of the Far North. During the 1920’s at Te Kao, 46kms short of Cape Reinga, typhoid, rheumatic fever, and TB were rife, and accidents in the gumfields common. The road consisted of a rough track and […]