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HomeNgā Kaupapa | What's OnThings to do in KāpitiHeritage TrailParaparaumuKāpiti Island and Paraparaumu Beach
Ngā Kaupapa | What's On
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    • Kāpiti Coast Art Trail
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Kāpiti Island and Paraparaumu Beach

Te Reo

 

Location: Maclean Park, Paraparaumu Beach

You are standing at the hub of history for the Cook Strait area and the Kāpiti Coast. Offshore is Kāpiti Island, named Entry Island by James Cook. 

Between 1821 and1822 Te Rauparaha led Ngāti Toa iwi from Kawhia to escape attacks from Waikato. In 1823, after battles with Muaupoko and Rangitane, Te Peehi and Te Rauparaha took control of Kāpiti Island. Buying muskets from European traders, they sailed from Kāpiti on conquests across Cook Strait.

In the early 1830s, the channel between the Island and the Kāpiti shore provided a sheltered anchorage through which whales migrated with their young. There were several shore-based whaling stations operating in this area.

The Wellington and Manawatu railway line began operations in 1886. This brought an end to the beach highway. As a result of the railway, Paraparaumu village was founded.

In 1897 the government bought all of Kāpiti Island, except for the northern end, to be a bird sanctuary. Today it abounds in kaka, pigeons, takahe, stitchbirds, kokako, kiwi and many other species.

In the 1920s Robert and Malcolm Maclean purchased the Paraparaumu Beach and Kāpiti Road areas, subdividing the coastal parts of their land as a seaside resort.

Photo gallery

Click the thumbnail to enlarge the image.

Kapiti Waka Kapiti Waka Te Rauparaha Te Rauparaha Trading Trading W Wakefield W Wakefield
Kapiti Waka - Thumbnail
Te Rauparaha - Thumbnail
Trading - Thumbnail
W Wakefield - Thumbnail

Download a brochure

Click on a link below to download or print a copy of each heritage trail brochure.

Ōtaki and Te Horo [PDF 2.41 MB] 
Waikanae [PDF 2.51 MB] 
Paraparaumu [PDF 1.67 MB] 
Paekākāriki [PDF 1.41 MB] 
[PDF 2.41 MB]

Related links

www.marinenz.com 
Museums

Supporters of the Kāpiti Coast Heritage Trail

Te Whakaminenga o Kāpiti
Kapiti Pakeke Lions
Kapiti Historical Society
Otaki Historical Society

paraparaumu-library
Libraries

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Kāpiti Coast District Council
175 Rimu Road
Private Bag 60601
Paraparaumu 5254

Phone: 04 296 4700
Toll free: 0800 486 486
Fax: 04 296 4830
[email protected]

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