On February 7 1863 the HMS Orpheus, a naval ship carrying British soldiers involved in the New Zealand Land Wars in the Waikato, sunk in Whatipu, near the entrance of the Manukau Harbour. 189 people died, 70 survived. The Whatipu Orpheus commemoration committee is trying to track down any descendants from the survivors of the shipwreck to invite them to an event to remember the Orpheus crew.