Your Place - Rawene

This afternoon our travels around rural New Zealand take us to the Hokianga, a Harbour on Northland's wild west coast. It's full name is , Hokianga-nui-a-Kupe; in recognition of its association with the famous explorer. It was one of the first places of Maori - European contact. Regular trade with Australia began here around 1800 with the first European settlers arriving about 1820. Around this vast harbour, reaching 24 kilometers inland, are a scattering of small towns and villages. The largest of these lies at the apex of a peninsula on the south side of the harbour. It became a centre for timber export in 1822, soon followed by a mill and shipyards. Today it's a quiet, seaside village with more than it's fair share of ammentiies for such a small place.