Cameron's Blockhouse - Whanganui

-
Caneron's Blockhouse: situated South of Whanganui, just off Hwy 3, between Kaitoke and Whangaehu.

This restored wooden blockhouse is on private land, although public access is permitted. The building is a short walk from the carpark beside the main road.












As the sign on the outer wall explains: “This blockhouse was built in 1868 by John Cameron and restored by the Regional Committe of the Historic Places trust in 1990. John Cameron built it when Tito Kawaru threatened Wanganui. It was described as a musket, bullet proof and fire proof house loop holed and designed to shelter John Cameron‘s household in times of danger. Reopened on October 28, 1990 by Neil Corbalis”. [sic]









Inside are historical photographs:


The walls are double, with soil between to absorb musket balls:






























The Hauhau chief and tohunga Titokowarau lead a determined resistance to Government expropriation of Maori land in South Taranaki 1868-1869. The town of Wanganui (now Whanganui) was almost completely evacuated at one point when Titokowarau’s warriors neared the port. W. Hugh Ross states: “....the settlers had banded together whenever possible in a mutual defensive work....little forts [such as Cameron’s] seem to have been legion, and it is a pity no full record of them has been kept.” p.164

Positions such as this were constructed within flag signalling distance of one another, and could communicate with the substantial Imperial force stationed in Whanganui’s Rutland Stockade.


The Tawhiti Museum just north of Hawera has a fascinating display of regional history and is well-worth a day’s visit (I spent two days there and still didn’t see it all)...check for opening hours.
nb. - separate blog entry on the museum currently being complied....

Some further reading:
‘The Turbulent Beginnings of Wanganui Settlement” - W. Hugh Ross
“The Adventures of Kimble Bent” - James Cowan
“I Shall Not Die - Titokowarau’s War” - James Belich
Google and Wikipedia searches will also provide information.

PS - blog entry on a defensive settler cave in the area from the same era underway...

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Battle of Taumatawiwi - Lake Karapiro

-
Image
The area on the southern side of Lake Karapiro where the sports facility is today was the scene of a bloody episode of the musket wars. On this site around 1830 the local Ngati-haua led by Chief Te Waharoa with only 300 warriors defeated the Nagti-maru who fielded some 3,000 warriors. Below - the memorial gateway, plaques, and "stinking rocks": Background: Some years previously, the Ngati-maru had fled from the Thames area after Hongi Heke and his Ngapui armed with muskets had captured and sacked their main pa Te Totara. Ngati-maru then settled on Ngati-haua land forming a large pa (Hao-whenua). This pa was sited about 3km up the present Luck-at-Last Road on the left - see map below. The Battle of Taumatawiwi (Literally Taumata: “the brow of a hill”; wiwi: - “the old term for the fear engendered by musket fire”) - at present-day Lake Karapiro: “Stinking Rocks”. The following account is from: “Guide to Historical Sites of Maungatautari and Roto-O-Rangi” Complied
Read more

Kuirau and the Taniwha

-
Image
The gods were so angry they made the water boil.       At Kuirau Park in Rotorua can be found a remarkable assortment of steaming thermal activity, including a large extremely hot pool amidst tea-tree and swirls of steam - Kuirau Pool - named after a Maori woman who had a most unfortunate experience with a taniwha (water-monster).       Long before the coming of the white man the pool was known as Tawakahu. At that time its temperature was perfect for bathing, and successive chiefs reserved the water for the use of themselves and their families. Possession of the pool eventually passed to Tamahika who reserved the waters for the private use his very beautiful young wife Kuirau.       Kuirau swam naked in the comforting waters every morning and evening, unseen by human eyes. However she was constantly watched from the deep bottom of the pool by a vicious taniwha. This evil monster was afraid of man only emerging on the darkest nights to creep unseen about the land snapping up un
Read more

“Ka Mate, Ka Mate’ the Origin of Te Rauparaha’s haka

-
Image
When fleeing from his enemies Te Rauparaha was forced to hide in a hole in the ground underneath the genitalia of a woman. To reassert his mana, compromised by his position under a female, he performed his now famous haka when he emerged. The pou below shows the chief underneath Te Rangikoaea, protected by her womanhood: Motuopuhi Island and old pa site The small island (Motuopuhi) visible from the pa site in Lake Rotoaira, has an interesting place in New Zealand history - this is the site where Te Rauparaha performed his famous haka after escaping his enemies. On SH 47, where the saddle road South from Turangi to National Park dips down, some 20 km from Turangi, there is a short turnoff to the west which leads to an old pa site Opotaka on the edge of Lake Rotoaira. An information board in the carpark provides some brief historical background for visitors. Before the lake-level was raised as part of the Tongariro power scheme, Motuopuhi was joined to the mainland
Read more