Links - local history

On this page:

• Northland/Auckland
• Waikato/Bay of Plenty
• East Coast / Hawke's Bay
• King Country/Taranaki
• Wellington/Wairarapa
• Nelson/Marlborough
• Canterbury
• West Coast
• Otago
• Southland and beyond

Northland/Auckland

• Northland Memorials
• Auckland Memorials
• Northland entry from Te Ara - includes historical information about the region and entries on all the main towns. See also Auckland entry.
• A Brief History of Auckland - Content provided by Graham Bush, author of the acclaimed Decently and in Order; the Government of the City of Auckland 1840-1971 (1971) and its sequel, Advance in Order (1990). This history covers the period 1840-1998 and includes a selected Auckland City chronology, a list of Mayors and statistics for City and Metropolitan population. Part of the Auckland City Council site.
• Clipper and sailing ships which voyaged to Auckland, New Zealand from the British Isles
  Arrivals list and stories associated with the great sailing ships, which voyaged to Auckland, New Zealand from Great Britain until the early 1900s. Includes ship descriptions, terms and history.
• Kauri Museum - Focuses on the history the Kauri Gum industry in Northland.
• Auckland Museum.
• Te Awamutu Museum.
• Albert Park air raid shelters
  Provides information about the maze of tunnels built underneath Albert Park, Auckland, in 1941. Includes maps and an account of a journey into the tunnels in 1996. Photographs of the journey and general photographs are available. A brief history of Albert Park is also included.
• Otuataua Stonefields on Manukau City Council
• Cultural heritage on ARC Site
• Volcanoes of Auckland
• Auckland City Council
  Enter historic in search engine to get articles on heritage
• Auckland's Queen Street
• Devonport Heritage
• Helensville History
• Art Deco Society of Auckland
• Auckland City Libraries site - Includes local history resources and brief histories of Auckland, Manukau, North Shore and Waitakere cities and Rodney District. Also a list of archives held by the Auckland City Council.
• Auckland City Libraries databases - Including: Auckland City Street Names; Auckland Passengers Arrivals 1840-1882; Auckland Police Census 1842-1846; Cemetery records - Hillsborough - Ostend, Waiheke - Otahuhu Public - Waikaraka; C.I.T.Y (search for contact details of clubs and groups in the greater Auckland Area); Heritage Images Online; Iwidex (an index to the sources of information on tribal history, tikanga-a-iwi, and whakapapa held in the Heritage and Research Collections); Local History, Arts and Music Index (a unique index to Auckland area local history, art, theatre, film and music references from 1996 to date); Symonds Street Cemetery Records and the 1897 Address to Queen Victoria which lists the 25,000 children from the Auckland Education District who signed a congratulatory address to Queen Victoria on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee.
• Auckland City Libraries Special Collections - Auckland map, photograph and ephemera collections.
• Pearl's pad
  Genealogy. Some transcriptions, especially for the Auckland, Bay of Islands and Coromandel areas.
• Auckland Harbour Bridge - A history of the building of the Bridge opened in 1959. It includes sound files of interviews with some of the men who worked on it. Created by Louise Anderson for the North Shore Libraries website.
• Avondale history website
• Henderson's Mill - Online version of Anthony Flude's Henderson's Mill (1977): a history of Henderson. Now also includes: an outline of the life of the well known South Pacific Trader, George Ellis who ran an island store on both Penrhyn and Manihiki Atolls in the central Pacific 1870-1880, stories on Captain Bully Hayes, trading methods in copra, pearls and beche-de-mer in the South Pacific Islands and the wreck of the AEON, a steamer on route to NZ. See by the same author: The Circular Saw Line - A history of the Henderson & Macfarlane shipping company in Auckland. In a series of illustrated chapters the site provides insights into the early years of Auckland Township and provides a history of the development of this important shipping line.
• Includes a brief history of Helensville.
• Manukau's Journey - A chronology of more than 1500 selected and significant events in the history of Manukau City and adjoining areas, in some cases with bibliographic sources, maps, photographs and source documents attached. Part of the Manukau Libraries web-site.
• Heritage Images Online
  Three significant collections from Auckland City Libraries have been catalogued and scanned for availability through the Heritage Images Online database.
• Howick Historical Village
  Howick Historical Village is a living museum which recreates the early settlement of Auckland, especially the Fencible settlement of Howick in the 1850s. Information includes for intending visitors and teachers.
• A history of Onehunga - This site contains information regarding the early settlement of Onehunga, and historical information, including passenger lists. Provided by Russell Carter. See also the Onehunga Business Association website for an abridged version of the Janice Mogford's History of Onehunga and information about local heritage walks.

Waikato / Bay of Plenty

• Waikato memorials
• Bay of Plenty memorials
• Bay of Plenty entry from Te Ara - includes historical information about the region and entries on all the main towns. See also Waikato entry
• Rotorua Museum.
• Hamilton Cemetery Database - On the Hamilton City Council website.
• Bibliography of the Waikato Region
  A bibliography of all publications - books, theses, periodical articles, AJHR reports, special issues of newspapers -- which relate to the Waikato Region, defined as the area bounded by Matamata, Piako, Raglan, Waikato and Waipa Counties. Serials are not included. It is accessed through the Library's online database page.
• Katikati website - Includes probably the country's first 'e-war memorial'- an excellent local initiative providing the names, military records and biographical details of all the sixty men who enlisted from Katikati. Site run by Kit Wilson and Sue Baker Wilson.
• Waitomo Caves - A brief history. 
• Lake Taupo history - On the 'About' section of the www.laketauponz.com site, includes an excellent article about the lake's volcanic past.
• Waikato district history - view the history of Waikato regions such as Rangariri, Mercer, Taupiri and Meremere on the Waikato Enterprise Agency website.
• Tauranga Memories - community kete run by Tauranga City Libraries

East Coast / Hawke's Bay

• East Coast and Hawke's Bay entries on Te Ara
• East Coast memorials
• Hawke's Bay memorials
• Art Deco Napier site - Provided by the Art Deco Trust. Contains some background information and statistics relating to the Hawke's Bay earthquake of February 1931.
• Hawke's Bay, East Coast and Wairarapa GenWeb Project - ongoing indexing project - check this great source of local records.
• HB Newspapers & Resources transcriptions - not just newspapers, another huge resource of local records
• Dannevirke Heritage Project
  This project was to encourage people to make use of the resources of the Gallery of History and elsewhere, to create a project, using one or more forms of media, about an aspect of local Dannevirke history. The projects were completed in 2002.
• www.Ahuriri.co.nz
  About the changes happening at West Quay and Nelson Quay, Ahuriri, Napier. Includes the history and natural environment; planning provisions and district plan and attractions of the area.
• Department of Conservation's historic sites on the East Coast. Contains images and history of the sites
• Cyclopedia of New Zealand,  (1908) [Wellington, Taranaki, Hawkes Bay] - digitised version on the NZ E-text Centre website.

King Country/Taranaki

• King Country and Taranaki entries on Te Ara
• King Country memorials
• Whanganui memorials
• Taranaki memorials
• Puke Ariki
  Museum, library and visitor information centre for Taranaki. Features some museum exhibits; stories about Taranaki history; tourist information and library information including online catalogue. In English with some Maori.
• Whanganui Regional Museum
  Provides information about events, exhibitions, collections and education programmes.
• Tokirima - website for this small King Country town
• Cyclopedia of New Zealand,  (1908) [Wellington, Taranaki, Hawkes Bay] - digitised version on the NZ E-text Centre website.

Wellington/Wairarapa

• Wellington and Wairarapa entries on Te Ara
• Wairarapa memorials
• Wellington memorials
• Aratoi pathways - Wairarapa Museum of Art and History
  Includes exhibitions policy and applications, collection criteria, friends membership, venue hire, news, volunteers, Cafe Char Char and links to other museums and related organisations.
• Capital defence - Wellington's built military heritage
  Provides information about military structures which have disappeared over the years, and those that still remain. Includes photographs.
• Petone Settlers Museum
  The Petone Settlers Museum provides a window into the history of the people of Hutt City and nearby. Activities focus on the lower Hutt Valley. It records and makes available the stories of migration and settlement from the many cultural communities of the Hutt Valley and Wellington Region. The web site describes exhibitions and programmes, and facilities for the disabled.
• Rimutaka Incline Railway
  Information about a project to rebuild a working steam railway over the Rimutaka Range north of Wellington.
• Te Rauparaha
  History of Te Rauparaha From the 1996 Encyclopaedia of New Zealand.
• Upper Hutt City Library
  Lists library services and gives access to the catalogue, information about the collections, and links to search engines.
• Wellington City Libraries - Te Matapihi Ki Te Ao Nui
  Lists library services and gives access to the catalogue, information about the collections, and links to search engines. Library card holders can access E-city, which gives access to databases, search engines and extensive links.
• Museum of Wellington City & Sea : Bond Store, Queens Wharf, Wellington, New Zealand
  A museum with a mission to preserve, present and promote Wellington's heritage, including information on historic ships and boats and the Plimmers Ark.
• Bolton Street Cemetery
• Masterton District Library and Wairarapa Archive
  Information about the library includes its history from 1867, its services, an online newsletter in PDF format, and an online request form. Access to the online catalogue is available. The Wairarapa Archive is a collecting archive that aims to collect records relating to the Wairarapa region. It provides access to these collections through an online database.
• Kilbirnie-Lyall Bay Community Centre Oral History Project
  Descriptions of life history interviews with 7 long-term residents of Kilbirnie and Lyall Bay, Wellington. Audio and video excerpts from each interview available. The residents talk about the dramatic physical and social changes they've witnessed in this area of Wellington since the 1920s.
• Horowhenua photographs
  A catalogue of the photograph collections owned by Horowhenua Historical Society Inc. and Foxton Historical Society
• Wellington - Various snippets of historical information about the capital, site run by the Wellington City Council.
• Karori Historical Society - Information about the society including an historical overview of Karori and an extensive collection of photographs.
• Colonial Cottage Museum
  Colonial museum based in Wellington's oldest remaining building.
• Somes prisoners : Somes Island Internment Camp for 'enemy aliens', Wellington Harbour, New Zealand
  Val Burr's site on Matiu/Somes Island's past. Information relating to the island's history as a quarantine island and a prisoners of war camp. Includes quarantine lists, lists of burials, internees and ships.
• Rangiatea
  Bilingual site. Captures some of the history of Rangiatea the oldest surviving Anglican Maori Church in Otaki, New Zealand, destroyed by fire in 1995, will document the rebuilding.
• Cyclopedia of New Zealand, Vol 1, 1897 [Wellington Regional District] - digitised version on the NZ E-text Centre website. See also Volume 6 (1908) [Wellington, Taranaki, Hawkes Bay]
• Mt Victoria Historical Society - information about the Society and the history of Mt Victoria, including a collection of historical notes.

Nelson/Marlborough

• Nelson and Marlborough entries on Te Ara
• Nelson memorials
• Marlborough memorials
• Marlborough online history section - Provided by Marlborough Online Limited.
• Marlborough online
  Geography; history; biography; flora and fauna; culture; recreation and a directory of services and attractions for the Marlborough Region.
• Nelson Cemetery Records
  an extensive database on Nelson cemeteries... a 'must' visit for genealogists.
• Nelson City Council library page. Has information about the NelsonFamily History Centre
• Nelson Provincial Museum - research information

Canterbury

• Canterbury and South Canterbury entries on Te Ara
• Canterbury memorials
• Christchurch City Libraries Digital Collections - Useful local history links page run by the Christchurch City Libraries. Includes Ballantynes' fire and the Parker-Hulme murders and the Christchurch Exhibition 1906-1907. Christchurch City Council and Canterbury Public Library have combined resources to provide these excellent  pages  - view as text, pictures or PDF.
• Canterbury Museum : New Zealand natural & human heritage
  Lists current exhibitions, events and museum highlights. Includes information on volunteering at the museum, joining the Friends of the Canterbury Museum and Discovery Club for kids. List of FAQ provided.
• Akaroa Civic Trust 
  Includes a history of the area, as well as histories of 130 historic buildings and artefacts within the Akaroa Historic Area.
• Burkes Pass Heritage Trust

West Coast

• West Coast entry on Te Ara
• West Coast memorials
• History of Te Kinga & Lake Brunner, West Coast, New Zealand
  The European and Maori history of the region; Thomas Brunner and his journeys and historic ships of the area.
• Historic Reefton
• Godley Head Heritage Trust
• Deniston history project

Otago

• Otago entry on Te Ara
• Otago memorials
• Otago nominal index to 1876
  An index to names in documents held by the Hocken Library, Dunedin, New Zealand. A joint project between the Hocken Library and the Dunedin Branch of the New Zealand Society of Genealogists.
• Hocken Library
  The Hocken Library is one of the foremost historical research libraries in New Zealand. It was established in 1910 when Dr Thomas Morland Hocken gave his private collection to the University of Otago, in trust for the people of New Zealand. The Library collects widely in relation to the history and culture of New Zealand, the Pacific and Antarctica, and has a special emphasis on the regions of Otago and Southland. The research collections include: archives, manuscripts, books, pamphlets, newspapers, maps, periodicals, paintings, drawings, photographs, music, and film.The site gives details of the collections, access to its catalogue for unpublished material (and a link to the University of Otago Library's catalogue for published material), lists publications, and has links to related sites.
• I am Dunedin
  News and information about Dunedin, its history, attractions and events; and information about the Dunedin City Council's activities, services and cultural and recreational facilities. Includes an online business directory, a recreation directory, a link to the online library catalogue, photographs and maps. Council bylaws, rates book, plans and news bulletins are available online.
• Toitu Otago Settlers Museum
  The Toitu Otago Settlers Museum celebrates all the peoples of Otago including indigenous Maori, the Chinese who came initially to work the goldfields in the 19th century, and successive waves of migrant groups. The museum provides educational programmes and walking tours of Dunedin.
• Passenger arrivals at Port Chalmers, New Zealand, March 1848 - January 1851 : an expanded and corrected version of Dr Hocken's lists
  John MacGibbon has taken the passenger lists of ships arriving in Port Chalmers (1848-1851), compiled by Dr Hocken, and created a database of names accessible by ship and date. There are links to sites of passenger lists, and other genealogical interests.
• Passenger ships arriving in Australasian ports : New Zealand shipping
  An index of passenger ships arriving in New Zealand between 1839 and 1905. The lists are derived from Sir Henry Brett's "White Wings" Auckland : Brett Printing Co., 1924-1928.
• New Zealand yesteryears
  Provides information of interest to genealogists, with an emphasis on Southland. Includes shipping information, images, archives, a timeline of NZ history, recommended NZ links, and a glossary of Maori names.
• Southern People: a dictionary of Otago Southland biography - Southern People collects together stories of the multitude of interesting people who have lived in Otago and Southland.
• Historic Oamaru - Contains information about the town's recent Heritage Celebration events, more substantial historical information is planned soon. Provided by the Oamaru Civic Whitestone Trust and affiliates.
• City of Dunedin - Excellent collection of articles relating to the history of Dunedin and Otago with subjects ranging from gold mining to royal visits. Site provided by the Dunedin City Council.
• The Caversham project - An intensive study of the Dunedin suburb carried out at Otago University.
• A brief history of Andersons Bay

Southland and Beyond

• Southland and Offshore islands entries on Te Ara
• Southland memorials
• Invercargill - Brief history supplied by the Invercargill City Council.
• New Zealand yesteryears
  Provides information of interest to genealogists, with an emphasis on Southland. Includes shipping information, images, archives, a timeline of NZ history, recommended NZ links, and a glossary of Maori names.
• Southern People - The site of the book, includes biographical database