A mother and three children walk past the mission house at Te Waimate Mission

Aotearoa New Zealand’s second oldest surviving building, Te Waimate Mission is an elegant two-storeyed affair. Established as a model farming village, complete with a flour mill, blacksmiths, printery, carpenter’s shop, school and church, this was the fullest realisation of Samuel Marsden’s belief that spiritual and practical instruction should be combined as a one-two punch.

Opening Hours

Nov 2023 - Apr 2024 (Summer Season)

Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday
10.00am - 5.00pm

May 2024 - Oct 2024 (Winter Season)

Saturday, Sunday, Monday
10.00am - 4.00pm

Closed Christmas Day (25 December)

(Group Bookings are available on closed days by prior appointment)

parking no-smoking toilet

Entry

Member Free

Adult Guided Tour $10.00

Under 18 years Free

Groups Guided group tours are available if booked in advance. Please contact the property for guided group rates.

* Surcharges may apply for special events

Address

344 Te Ahu Ahu Road
Waimate North 0472

+64 9 405 9734

tewaimate@heritage.org.nz

Te Waimate Mission on a blue background.

Step back through time at this historic place in Northland. Want to find out more? Click to read more.

Discover Te Waimate Mission
Tohu whenua

Te Waimate Mission is idenitified as a Tohu Whenua heritage site. Tohu Whenua are the places that have shaped Aotearoa New Zealand. Located in stunning landscapes and rich with stories, they offer some of our best heritage experiences. See more on the Tohu Whenua website.

Te Waimate Mission in the Bay of Islands has a direct connection to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, being the location where six Ngāpuhi rangatira (Māori chiefs) signed The Waitangi Sheet, written in Māori, at Waimate North on 9 and 10 February 1840.

Te Waimate Mission and Te Tiriti o Waitangi
View of Te Waimate Mission house and garden through the trees

Cafe 

Food and Drink

Visitors are welcome to bring a picnic with them to enjoy in our grounds. Please remember to take all food and rubbish with you.

This is a smoke and vape free site.

Te Waimate Mission Food and Drink

Accessibility 

Accessibility

Te Waimate Mission is a two-storey building, with steps for entry, however a mobility ramp is available, just let our staff know you require it. The second floor and basement may not be suitable for people with mobility issues due to the steep angle of the stairs between floors.

Please note wheelchair users may find it difficult to navigate within the house due to the width of the doorframes and narrow passages. If you find this to be the case, our visitor hosts can share the history of our site with you from under the shade of the historic trees in our grounds or the comfort of the veranda.

Church

St John the Baptist Church located next to Te Waimate Mission is owned by the Anglican Diocese of Auckland and been a central part of the history of Te Waimate Mission, with the first church established on the same site in 1831. The current church is the third iteration and was constructed in 1871. The original church held the first church wedding of two Pākehā/Europeans in Aotearoa New Zealand in 1831.

The Anglican community kindly make the church open to visitors. Sometimes the church may be in use and not available to the public. Services are held at the church on the fourth Sunday of every month.

More info

Children and whānau

Both inside and out, there are things for kids to discover. Inside explore the house, can you figure out what all the farming tools were used for? Outside, there is plenty of room to stretch little legs.

We have cows and sheep in our paddocks, who love to have little visitors. If you’re lucky it might even be feeding time when you visit, so don’t forget to ask our staff.

 

Things to remember

We care for some important taonga (treasures) in our collection and our heritage buildings have lived a long life, so some rooms or items in the house may be off limits at times for conservation and maintenance.

Some rooms may be dimly lit depending on the weather and time of year.

After nearly two centuries, Te Waimate is still a working farm. Access to some areas maybe restricted due to farm animals and electric fences may be in use in these areas.

Please do not fly drones at the mission without permission from Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. Drones can frighten the farm animals and we like to ensure everyone can enjoy their visit.

Kauri dieback disease has a devastating effect on our kauri trees and forests and effects the Northland region. Please help us protect the historic kauri and other native trees in our grounds by ensuring you do not walk on the base of the trees or climb them as it spreads disease between trees. This is especially important if you have travelled from other sites like Tane Mahuta in Waipoua Forest or the Manginangina kauri forest walk in nearby Puketi forest.

Safe Space

Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga is proud to be part of the Safe Space Alliance, offering safe and inclusive spaces that welcome and support the LGBTQI+ community.

A safe space is a space where the LGBTQI+ community can freely express themselves without fear. It is a space that doesn’t tolerate violence, bullying, or hate speech towards the LGBTQI+ community.

Safe spaces logo a rainbow circle with the words 'Safe Space, wāhi haumaru'

Book Conservation

Paul Taylor of Spiral Path Book Studio demonstrates some of the techniques involved in book restoration and conservation of rare historic books from Te Waimate Mission.


Sketch of Te Waimate Mission called 'Account of New Zealand' from W. Yate

Ngā Kōrero
Stories

Sketch from W. Yate. Photo: Alexander Turnbull Library

Not sure where to start?

We've created a great Northland heritage adventure to get you started on your heritage journey.

Explore Te Tai Tokerau | Northland heritage
A grandfather teaches his grandchildren how to fish at Castle Rock

Photo: Darryl Ward


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