Our Heritage

Hauraki Coromandel’s story stretches back centuries. Māori explorer Kupe is believed to have sighted the peninsula around 950 AD, with places such as Whitianga carrying his name and stories. Centuries later, Captain James Cook arrived in Mercury Bay in 1769, where his crew encountered Ngāti Hei, including what is recognised as the first sanctioned pōwhiri between Māori and Europeans in Aotearoa.

From there, the region was shaped by gold mining, kauri logging, farming and life on the land and sea. Today, tourism, agriculture, forestry, fishing and aquaculture, mining and local businesses all contribute to the region.

It’s a place where our past continues to shape our future, and caring for the land, sea and communities that make Hauraki Coromandel special is part of who we are.

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Culture and Heritage Events

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Listen to the stories of our past and gain a better understanding of this place and our people.

Frequently Asked Queasitons - Hauraki Coromandel's Culture and Heritage

In 1769, members of Captain Cook’s expedition were welcomed by Ngāti Hei at Wharekaho (Simpsons Beach) in Mercury Bay. This encounter is recognised as the first sanctioned pōwhiri between Māori and Europeans in Aotearoa New Zealand, marking an important moment in the shared history of the region.

Captain James Cook visited Hauraki Coromandel in 1769 during his first voyage to Aotearoa New Zealand. He spent time in Mercury Bay, where he observed the transit of Mercury across the sun, before continuing along the coast and up the Waihou River.

Gold-mining heritage can be found throughout Hauraki Coromandel. Explore the Karangahake Gorge, the historic gold-mining town of Waihī, Thames and Coromandel Town, where museums, heritage sites, old mine workings, tunnels and historic trails bring the region’s gold-mining story to life.

Today you can hear and trace gold tales at various places around the region.

Kauri has played an important role in Hauraki Coromandel’s history, from its ancient forests to the kauri logging and gum industries. Today, you can discover this heritage through kauri forests, walking tracks, historic sites and local museums, while following kauri protection guidance to help safeguard these treasured trees for future generations.

There are plenty of places across Hauraki Coromandel where you can discover the stories that have shaped the region. Coromandel Town and Thames are home to gold-mining museums and heritage collections, while the Thames School of Mines and Gold Mine Experience offer a glimpse into the region’s mining past. In Whitianga, the Whitianga Museum shares stories of the area’s maritime, Māori and European heritage, while the Thames museum, Waihī Museum and Coromandel Town museums provide further insight into the people, industries and communities that shaped the region.

In Waihī, the Gold Discovery Centre and Victoria Battery site bring the region’s gold-mining story to life through interactive exhibits, historic machinery and the remains of one of New Zealand’s largest gold-processing operations.

Captain Cook visited several places around the region during his 1769 voyage, including Mercury Bay, Wharekaho (Simpsons Beach), Cape Colville and the Firth of Thames. Today, visitors can explore many places connected to his journey, including the Captain Cook memorial at Netherton.

Kupe was a renowned Māori explorer and navigator who is believed to have travelled through Hauraki Coromandel around 950 AD. His connection to the region lives on in place names and stories, including Te Whitianga-a-Kupe, meaning “Kupe’s crossing place”, the original name for Whitianga.

Gold was discovered in Hauraki Coromandel in the 1850s, triggering a major gold rush and the rapid growth of towns including Thames, Coromandel Town and Waihī. Mining became a major part of the region’s economy and left a rich legacy of historic buildings, tunnels, railways and mining sites that can still be explored today.

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Our Discovery

The Coromandel is one of the places in Aotearoa New Zealand to have been visited on voyages of discovery in different eras by two of the world’s greatest explorers,  Kupe and  Captain James Cook.

Kupe was a very early exploring Māori ancestor, most say the first of the Polynesian ancestors to arrive here in Aotearoa from Hawaiki, in around 950 AD. Aboard his mighty canoe, Matahorua, he sighted The Coromandel and what was later to be called Mount Moehau. There are many variations in the traditions of Kupe and many place names drawn from the stories of his explorations and great adventures. Te Whitianga a Kupe was the original place name for Whitianga, meaning Kupe’s crossing place.

Many years later, Captain Cook sailed into the Mercury Bay on the 3 November 1769. His ship “Endeavour” was met by Ng?ti Hei waka on arrival in the bay. Seven days later, on November 9 1769 Cook observed the transit of the planet Mercury , one of the reason's for his voyage, and giiving rise to the names of some of the region’s beaches and bays - Mercury Bay and Cooks Beach. Cook also sailed into the Firth of Thames and spent two days on the Waihou River.

Captain Cook Visits Hauraki Coromandel

Although Aotearoa New Zealand had already been discovered by the time Europeans first saw the Pacific, Captain James Cook was the first European to land in Hauraki Coromandel, in November 1769. Historic landmarks and memorials in the area invite consideration of the contribution made to knowledge of New Zealand by this famous British navigator.

According to his journals, Cook sailed around Hauraki Coromandel between November 4th and November 24th, 1769. He came seeking a suitable place to observe and chart the transit of Mercury. James Cook helped his astronomer Charles Green observe the transit of Mercury at Te Whanganui-o-Hei (Mercury Bay), and a cairn at Cooks Beach marks the spot His exploration of Hauraki Coromandel took him to places we now know as Mercury Bay, Cape Colville, Thames and the Waihou River, as he drew detailed and accurate maps, and wrote about Māori he encountered. 

Today, visitors can imagine the immensity of Cook’s journey at the Captain Cook Memorial and Picnic Area on the Waihou riverbank in Netherton. The three tonne steel anchor is a symbol of commemoration for Captain Cook's venture, with information panels recording the story of Cook’s Landing on the Waihou (Thames).

Golden Days

Gold boom, dark financial depression and a long climb back to prosperity is how the first 100 years of Thames has been recorded. Thames had a small beginning with the first official strike of gold in June 1867. The 'big bonanza' was between 1869 and 1871. In 1871 the top producing Caledonian Mine turned out 361,581 ounces - more than 10 tonne - with a total value of about $1,950,000. In the last 1870s people flocked to the Waihi area in search of their fortunes. The mine we now know as Martha Mine soon became one of the most important gold and silver mines in the world. Now in its third century of mining, Waihi remains a gold town and its mines still produce most of New Zealand's gold and silver bullion.

Many relics of The Coromandel's gold-mining history are still evident today, such as the Victoria Battery at Waikino, the Crown Mine at Karangahake, the Stamper Battery in Coromandel Town and the Stamper Battery and The School of Mines in Thames.

Kauri Heritage

Kauri logging was one of the major industries in early pioneering days of The Coromandel. A lasting reminder of the once-thriving industry are relics of the Kauri dams which are visible on various walking trails. There are still stands of Kauri that were left untouched by the early pioneers and can be seen at quite short distances from the road. The 6th largest Kauri in the country, Tanenui, is growing at Manaia on The Coromandel.