Story: King Country region

Chart of Kāwhia Harbour, 1836

This is probably the oldest surviving chart of Kāwhia Harbour. It was drawn by Thomas Wing, the master of the trading schooner Fanny, who visited Kāwhia in January 1836. According to a note written on the top right corner, it was based on an earlier map drawn by a Captain Wright. It is a charming sketch which records navigational features of interest, such as water levels, sandbanks and prominent landscape points, and also a Māori village – complete with two whare, a pātaka (storehouse), two people, a dog and a canoe – and two Wesleyan mission stations. The Fanny is depicted heading towards the harbour mouth at 5 p.m. on 12 January 1836. Zoom in to see these details more clearly.

Using this item

Auckland City Libraries - Tāmaki Pātaka Kōrero, Sir George Grey Special Collections
Reference: NZ Map 4612

Permission of Auckland City Libraries Tāmaki Pātaka Kōrero must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Kerryn Pollock, 'King Country region - Māori and European contact', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/zoomify/34843/chart-of-kawhia-harbour-1836 (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Kerryn Pollock, updated 1 Mar 2015