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'Titiro whakamuri, kōkiri whakamura' 
'When you understand the past, you know your future'

Te Papa Historic Area 

The background
The northern end of Tauranga's Te Papa peninsula, which is known as Tauranga's historic area, was occupied by Māori until the devastating raid in 1828 by Ngāti Maru from the Thames area on Ōtamataha Pā after which the remaining hapū fled.  Today the hapū of the Te Papa peninsula are represented by Ōtamataha Trust.

European arrivals: prior to the raid was the arrival of HMS The Herald.  At 9am on Friday 23 June 1826 HMS The Herald was the first European ship to enter Tauranga Harbour. Henry Williams, leader of the Christian Missionary Society (CMS) conducted a Christian service. There are conflicting reports as to where: some say at Ōtamataha Pā (The Mission Cemetery) while other accounts say the service was conducted at Waikorire | Pilot Bay at Mt Maunganui. 

When visiting again in 1828, the missionaries found that Ōtamataha Pā had been attacked and the inhabitants killed, taken as slaves or had fled to other settlements, including on the Matapihi Peninsula.  The Ōtamataha site was abandoned and considered tapu (sacred). 

However, the local Māori chiefs realised the advantages that an English missionary presence could provide for trade and security. With their reputation as peacemakers, missionaries of the Church Missionary Society (CMS) in London were invited to live amongst Tauranga Māori. Here they establish a mission station at Te Papa. Inter-tribal skirmishes remained an ongoing concern during the 1830s therefore the Te Papa Mission Station was not formally established until 1838 under the leadership of The Reverend Alfred Nesbit Brown. Today this site is known as The Elms Te Papa.

Te Papa Mission Station: 1838-1839.  In 1834 Alfred Brown first visited Tauranga with Henry Williams. They met with Maungatapu Pā chiefs looking for land. In 1838 the CMS settled for the Te Papa site. Under Brown, and with the agreement of local Māori, the Christian Missionary Society (CMS) purchased 12.5 hectares from Māori to establish the Te Papa Mission Station. This included the area known today as Cliff Road.  In 1839 the CMS purchased an additional 240 hectares: the land now extended from the Te Papa Mission Station to Pukehinahina (Gate Pa).

Te Papa Mission Station, established by Brown, initially consisted of several raupo whare (houses) for the missionaries, a shed for the carpenters, a store for supplies and a boat shed on the beach at the foot of the cliff. Brown arranged for work to begin on permanent structures and the first to be completed was the library in 1838 and eventually the mission house in 1847. During this establishment period Brown was busy and successful in his attempts to take the Christian message to Māori throughout the Bay of Plenty. This included a significant education programme.  Alfred Brown also walked for many months of the year, over rough tracks, in all weathers to visit remote settlements where he preached christianity and education. For most of this time Alfred Brown and his family were integrated into Maori life........ until... 

The New Zealand War years 1864 - 1867.  The Battle of Gate Pā | Pukehinahina, massacre at Te Ranga (1864) and the Te Weranga ki Taumata Tauranga Bush Campaign (1867) triggered wide spread  raupātu (confiscation) of land. Mainly at Whakamārama and Te Puna. Māori won the Battle of Gate Pā - but lost to the English at Te Ranga.

With Reverend Brown rapidly aging, The Te Papa block owned by CMS was gifted to the Crown under the understanding that in return, the CMS was to keep one 5th for the benefit of Māori. The retention of thiw 1/5th did not happen leaving repercussions between Māori and Pākehā to this day.  See The Anglican Apology 2018.

The Apology 1990s - 2018. In the mid 1990s a Christian organisation called  Te Kohinga quietly advocated with the Māori tribes for some of the land to be returned to them. These tribes formed Ōtamataha Trust representing three hāpu.  Naboth's Vineyard - a piece of work by Dr Alistair Reece - outlines some of the history leading up to the historic 2018 Anglican Apology, but does not appear to acknowledge the very real legacy of The Rose Garden and the Begonia House - the only real public gardens within the CBD.

Te Manawataiki: The Civic Centre and The Museum: In 2022 as a result of The Apology: Reconciliation and Forgiveness - Tauranga City Council formed an historic 50/50 partnership between TCC and Ōtamataha Trust. A portion of the Civic Centre land would be gifted to the Ōtamataha Trust for the purpose of building a museum for which Ōtamataha Trust would become an influencer over and an integral part of the museum's story. 

The Cliff Road Begonia House and The Rose Garden
Both are in Cliff Rd, revered by many and heavily visited: both need to be honoured as a legacy to 'The People of Tauranga'. These two mid 20th century garden attractions are amongst the very few examples of late settlement history (50s and 60s) within the CBD.  The Elms Te Papa has a heritage garden which is in a very different category - attracting different visitors.  Tauranga having no evolving public gardens  across the eras - of the kind expected in a city this size - is in fact a significant oversight in this growing city. The Rose Garden and Begonia House then, are garden jewels for Tauranga city and need to be preserved. 

The Cliff Road area and its entwined history
The Elms Te Papa, The Mission Cemetery (Ōtamataha Pā) The Rose Garden & Begonia House, Monmouth, Redoubt and The Police Station, EQUALLY hold the stories of the rich and entwined history that today is part and parcel of the 'City of Tauranga'.  All of this history - right up until today - is invaluable to our city and should, in all its various guises and parts, be preserved for future generations. 
 
This historic area 'the green necklace' should be persevered our entwined history:
  • Hapū history of this area in pre European times
  • The archeologically significant of Ōtamataha Pā (Mission Cemetery) and Cliff Road area which was over-run by a marauding tribe from Thames in 1828
  • The Elms Te Papa Mission House & Library (1838), which originally purchased 12.5 acres from Māori (including Cliff Road where the Rose Gardens and Begonia House sits today) - and which today is nestled within a few acres of five-star heritage gardens.
  • The Mission Cemetery (1838)
  • The Old Post Office (1863)
  • The Monmouth Redoubt (1864).  History: The old sea cliff at the north end of The Strand was known to Māori as the Taumatakahawai Pā.  It was abandoned in 1828 after an attack on the northern end of the Te Papa peninsula by Ngati Maru from the Coromandel peninsula.  Taumatakahawai Pā and Ōtamataha Pā were fortified pā at each end of the cliff (today known as northern end and southern end of Cliff Road). The two pā guarded the high land at the northern and southern end of the Te Papa peninsula. The defences were rebuilt in the late 1830s for protection in case there was an attack on the mission by Te Arawa raiding parties.
  • The Domain as a Reserve (1873) - with Athletics, Tennis, Croquet, Rugby, Cricket and Bowls from 1888. To this day, this entire reserve brings joy and community with grassroots sport.
  • The Aspen Tree - Willow Street (1880) - No longer there sadly - but the story is there on a Mr G mural.
  • Brain Watkins House (1881)
  • The Bonded Warehouse (1883) at No. 1 The Strand
  • The Old Post Office (1906) - originally the 1874 Govt. Building.  
  • The Rail Bridge (1910)
  • Statue of Cannon Jordon - Wharepai Domain (1916)
  • The Domain Gates - Wharepai Domain (1921)
  • Herries Park - The Strand (1928)
  • Building on Cnr Grey & Spring Street (1938) & Sculpture (1995) - Legend of Taurikura 
  • The Robbins Park Begonia Glasshouse (1954)
  • Rose Gardens - Cliff Road (1958)
  • Hotel St Amand - The Strand (1962)
 
Read Proposal for a Historic Precinct here 

​Locals and visitors alike will be attracted to this historic area for the rich stories it has to tell.  With its aspect to Mauao and with so many historic sites to visit between Fifth Avenue and Sulphur Point (72 in fact) in this area of Tauranga, all will enjoy this small part of Tauranga; the heritage trees and gardens, the picnic spaces in shady historic spots and other sites of interest with our entwined history - and all within the CBD.
Click on images below to read captions
Photograph acknowledgement: The Elms, Tauranga City Libraries,Tauranga Historical society and C R Brown
Great cities have iconic historic areas and great gardens that have many stories to tell. Tauranga's historic area has outstanding potential for everyone to work together with heritage partners for creating a registered Historic Area under New Zealand New Zealand | Pouhere Taonga. No other area within Tauranga City's CBD has the potential for creating such a deeply meaningful and stunning historic presence.  Read more about The Historic Footprints of Te Papa- an exceptional piece of work by John Coster.
Cliff Road (Otamataha Pā) site has deep connection to our harbour (Te Awanui)
Click on images below to read captions
Photo Acknowledgement: History Tauranga Port and Tauranga City Libraries
Tauranga harbour has sustained the community for nearly nine hundred years when iwi first sailed through the harbour entrance in their waka.  The first European ship to grace our harbour was The Herald in 1826, bringing the missionaries and early settlers. Our harbour represents a significant taonga in itself. In 1950 Tauranga was chosen as an export port for the Bay of Plenty, creating many jobs and increasing the population markedly. Tauranga has continued to become a thriving marine city, its story just waiting to be told.  The Port of Tauranga's history here.
Header Photo Acknowledgement: nzpostcards, The Elms, Tauranga City Libraries