Kawhia & Kawhia Harbour

Kawhia and Kawhia Harbour are part of King Country, one of the first places in New Zealand to be settled and a rich fossil site. The area is highly significant in the history of the Maori people. Wahi tapus (sites of significance) can be found around the area.

The northern shore of the harbour's entrance is the final resting place of Tainui waka (canoe), which is said to have transported ancestors from Rangiatea, North Tahiti, to NZ around 1350. The Waikato Maori claim descent from this group of early voyagers. Two large, upright rocks indicate the prow and stern of the ancient buried canoe. The beautiful harbour provides a peaceful setting for a coastal holiday, and the town is structured with visitors in mind. There are many businesses that can arrange tours and activities around the harbour and coast, with an activity to suit any pace.

Fishing is a big drawcard for a lot of visitors, as is sailing the harbour and coastal inlets of the King Country. The harbour is an important roosting ground for many wading birds, and the abundant fish are a constant attraction for other sea birds. The stunning black swan makes its home here, as does the Godwit or Kuaka - a wading bird that migrates annually from Alaska to Kawhia Harbour.

This is also the most southerly region of the west coast where you can find the pohutukawa tree growing naturally, and the giant kauri. Palaeontologists have long been interested in the large number of fossils found here, including the largest ammonite found in New Zealand (a 1.52m specimen from late Jurassic rocks, south of the harbour).