Story: Chatham Islands

After most Māori left the Chatham Islands and returned to Taranaki in the 1860s, they leased their land to Pākehā sheep farmers. These new settlers built houses and other structures, some of which have survived and are now designated historic places. A grand example is Nairn House, built in the 1880s, where visiting dignitaries often stayed. The building now has category one status on the Heritage New Zealand list.