ExploreTūhuratia Pirongia

Discover the turbulent history of the town (originally Alexandra), its waterways and its mountain.

Tūhuratia te hītorea hikareia o te taone o Pirongia (ko Arekahānara i mua), ōna ara wai, me tōna maunga.

Overview

Tirohanga whānui

5 stopsE 5 ngā tūnga2 hours1-2 haora

The town of Pirongia is a 30 minute drive from Hamilton. This area has been settled by tūpuna (Māori ancestors) for hundreds of years. The current township emerged in the 1860s, in the aftermath of the conflicts in the Waikato region during the New Zealand Land Wars. It was named Alexandra by its first European inhabitants. Journey with us through the town, along the waterways to places with connections to the Māori King and the Kīngitanga, and the European settlers and military.

He 30 meneti te taraiwa atu i Kirikiriroa ki Pirongia. Mai rā anō, kua nōhia tēnei wāhi e ngā tūpuna. I ara ake te taone o nāianei i ngā tau o te tekau tau 1860, i muri mai i ngā pakanga i te rohe o Waikato i te wā o ngā Pakanga Whenua o Aotearoa. I tapaina te taone ko Arekahānara e ōna kainoho Pākehā tuatahi. Haere mai ki ō mātou taha i te puku o te taone, ki ngā ara wai ki ngā wāhi e hono ana ki te Kīngi Māori me te Kīngitanga, e hono ana hoki ki ngā tāngata whai kāinga Pākeha, me te ope hōia.

Get driving directionsTīkina ngā tohutohu mō te taraiwa Take the mobile tourMahia atu te tāpoi ā-waea

Central Pirongia – Overview StopTe Pokapū o Pirongia – Te Wāhi Tirohanga Whānui

Orientate yourself to this area and learn why it is significant.

Whakamōhio i a koe ki te takiwā nei, me te ako, he aha i hirahira ai.

GranaryWhare Witi

Learn about the agricultural trade hapū (subtribes) ran with great success, then discover why waterways were integral to life in this area.

Ka ako i te tauhokohoko ahuwhenua a ngā hapū i tino eke ai, ka tūhuratia ai te pānga nui o ngā arawai kit e oranga o tēnei takiwā.

King Tāwhiao and Early SettlementKīngi Tāwhiao me te Nohoanga Tōmua

Discover the place where King Tāwhiao (the second Māori King) in 1881 laid down arms and declared the end of warfare in this land. Then hear about the establishment of the township.

Tūhuratia te wāhi i whakamoea ai e Kīngi Tāwhiao (te Kīngi Māori tuarua) tāna patu i te tau 1881, i hohou hoki i te rongo me te Karauna, ka rongo hoki i te whakatūnga mai o te taone.

Alexandra RedoubtTe Rāihe o Arekahānara

Stand atop this still impressive fortification and learn about the string of defensive sites built near the King Country frontier, following the British Crown’s 1863-4 invasion of the Waikato.

E tū ki runga o tēnei rāihe whakamīharo tonu nei, me te ako i ngā wāhi whakawawao i whakatūngia tata nei ki te Rohe Pōtae, nō muri tonu mai i te whakaeketanga o te Karauna i a Waikato, i ngā tau 1863-64.

Alexandra East RedoubtTe Rāihe o Te Rāwhiti o Arekahānara

Learn about the British Crown soldiers who were based at this redoubt and take in a view of Pirongia maunga (mountain).

Whakarongo ki ngā kōrero mō ngā hōia Pākehā a te Karauna i noho i te rāihe, ā, tirohia hoki te maunga o Pirongia.

Mātakitaki PāMātakitaki Pā

Explore Mātakitaki, a fortified pā (Māori settlement), which was decimated when Hongi Hika introduced this region to a new form of weaponry in 1822: the musket.

Tūhuratia a Mātakitaki, he pā tūwatawata whakaharahara, i parekuratia ai nō te kawenga mai a Hongi Hika i te rākau patu hou ki tēnnei rohe i te tau 1822, arā ia te pū.

Sample Story

He tīpakonga kōrero

Soldier Camps

Te Maunga o Pirongia

The camps that housed the British Crown forces were structured by status. Highly ranked officers had their own tents and offices, while privates of the lowest ranks slept 16 men to a tent.

Men shared mess (eating) areas with others of the same status. The privates, who were more closely confined, benefitted from camaraderie that the officers lacked.

Gustavus Ferdinand Von Tempsky held a high position as Inspector here at Alexandra East Redoubt. He used to march the men around several times a day, to keep them in good shape.

He nui ngā kōrero kua tukua iho mai mō te maunga o Pirongia. E ai ki tētehi, i moe a Pirongia i a Taupiri, engari i tūkinotia a Taupiri e ia.

Nā Taupiri i tuku tētehi kurī hei karere ki tōna tungāne, ki a Tongariro. Ka whakarerekē a Tongariro i te rere o te awa o Waikato hei tuku i ngā wai ora i matea rā e tōna tuahine. I Matamata i huri anō te rere o te awa. Nā te kurī i āki te awa kia hoki anō ki a Taupiri.

I roto i te whakapuaki i ēnei momo kōrero, kei te whakaputa ngā iwi i ō rātou hononga tata ki ēnei wāhi nei.

Take the mobile tourMahia atu te tāpoi ā-waea

Presented ByNā
Alexy SimmonsTom Roa

Graphic Novel

He pūrākau whai whakaahua

Battle of Mātakitaki

Te Pakanga o Mātakitaki

The story of this region’s devastating first introduction to musket warfare, when Hongi Hika invaded in 1822.

Te kōrero o te tūtakihanga tuatahitanga whakamōti o tēnei rohe ki te pakanga ā-pū hoata, i te whakaekehanga mai a Hongi Hika i te tau 1822.

Travel Information

He mōhiohio ā-kaihora

For best experience of the mobile tour, pack some earphones so you can easily hear the video stories while out and about in Pirongia.

Kia riro pai i ngā hua o te haerenga nei mā runga waea, kawea mai ētehi purutaringa kia rangona pai ai ngā kiriata whakamārama.

Getting There

E tae atu ai ki reira

If you’re travelling from Hamilton, allow 30 minutes to get to Pirongia. If you’re coming from Te Awamutu it’s a 10 minute drive.

Mehemea e haramai ana i Kirikiriroa, whakawāteahia he 30 meneti kia tae ki Pirongia. Mehemea e haramai ana i Te Awamutu, he 10 meneti te taraiwa.

Central Pirongia

Te pokapū o Pirongia

Its main street lined with mature trees, Pirongia village is a hub for local recreational activities. Learn more about this area at the Pirongia Heritage & Information Centre, hike the various tracks on Mount Pirongia, or get adventurous on the mountain biking tracks located in the forest at the top of Sainsbury Road.

A local market is held on the last Sunday of every month, and you can read about other Pirongia activities here.

E tupungia ana te rori matua e ngā rākau kaumātua, he pokapū a Pirongia mō ngā mahi ngahau o te rohe. Ākona ētehi atu āhutanga o te rohe nei ki te Pirongia Heritage & Information Centre, whīkoia ngā momo ara o Pirongia maunga, me mātātoa rānei i ngā ara pahikara maunga, kei te pito whakarunga o te rori o Sainsbury.

E tū ana tēnei mākete ā-takiwā i te Rātapu whakamutunga o ia marama, ā, e taea ana e koe te pānui kōrero mō ētehi atu o ngā kaupapa o Pirongia e haere nei ki konei.

Amenities

Ngā whakaahurutanga

Pirongia has a Four Square superette and several eateries, where you can buy snacks and get a meal or a coffee. Brunch is a popular option here! There are public toilets, picnic tables, and a playground on the main street, Franklin Street. There’s a petrol station located at the corner of Beechey Street and McClure Street.

He hokomaha Four Square tō te taone o Pirongia, me ētehi wāhi kai e whitu nei, e taea ana te hoko timotimo, kai nui, kawhe rānei. He whirinnga pai te paratina i konei! He whare iti tūmatanui, he tēpu pikiniki, me tētehi papa tākaro i te rori matua o Franklin. Kei te kokonga o ngā tiriti o Beechey me McClure tētehi teihana penehīni.