Enjoy amazing views of the Kerikeri River, Kerikeri Basin and the historic Stone Store from the historic Kororipo Pā.
About the walk
How long will it take? This is an 800m 20-minute walk.
The track starts in the Kerikeri Basin across the car park from the Stone Store at 246 Kerikeri Road. Your walk will take you along a gravel track across a small bridge through gum trees and regenerating native forest to a viewing platform.
Around 20m on from the viewing platform is Kororipo Pā from which you will have amazing views of the Kerikeri River, Kerikeri Basin and the historic Stone Store – New Zealand's oldest surviving building.
The pā is a part of a heritage area which includes the Stone Store (1832) and the Missionary Home, and Kemp House (1822), all of which coexisted together to form some of the earliest accounts of two different cultures.
Kororipo pā is better known during the time of Chief Hongi Hika. In 1815 Kororipo pā was passed on to Hongi Hika and the mission settlement was established in the basin in 1819. By this time, Hongi had launched his southern wars.
Kororipo was Hongi’s base from where he launched his war expeditions. During the years of 1821-27, the Kerikeri inlet and Kororipo pā were known as Te Waha o te Riri – The Inlet of War.
Prior to the 1820s, Kororipo was maintained as a fishing village by inland Ngāpuhi tribes from Waimate. After Hongi’s death, the pa returned to its former function as a seasonal fishing village.
By 1835, Kororipo appeared to be unoccupied and was brought by James Kemp in 1838.
In the 1960s the kāinga (undefended village) was purchased by a property developer who planned to subdivide the area. To save the kāinga from subdivision, people formed the Society of the Preservation of the Kerikeri Stone Store Area (SPOKSSA).
SPOKSSA was successful and in the 1970s the Minister for crown lands took over ownership and protection.
Today, the kāinga and pā site is represented by numerous visible archaeological features including terraces, pits and a defensive ditch and bank.
