Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
History
In Maori legend, Kaikoura Peninsula (Taumanu o Te Waka a Maui) was the seat where the
demigod Maui placed his feet when he fished the North Island up from the depths. The
area was heavily settled by Maori, with excavations showing that the area was a moa-
hunter settlement about 800 to 1000 years ago. The name Kaikoura comes from 'Kai'
(food) and 'koura' (crayfish).
James Cook sailed past the peninsula in 1770, but didn't land. His journal states that 57
Maori in four double-hulled canoes came towards the
Endeavour,
but 'would not be pre-
vail'd upon to put along side'.
In 1828 Kaikoura's beachfront was the scene of a tremendous battle. A northern Ngati
Toa war party, led by chief Te Rauparaha, bore down on Kaikoura, killing or capturing
several hundred of the local Ngai Tahu tribe.
Europeans established a whaling station here in 1842, and the town remained a whaling
centre until 1922 after which arming and fishing sustained the community. It was in the
1980s that wildlife tours began to transform the town into the tourist mecca it is today.
Sights
Point Kean Seal Colony
At the end of the peninsula seals laze around in the grass and on the rocks, lapping up all
the attention. Give them a wide berth (10m), and never get between them and the sea -
they will attack if they feel cornered and can move surprisingly fast.
WILDLIFE RESERVE
Fyffe House
MAP
HISTORIC BUILDING
GOOGLE MAP
(
www.fyffehouse.co.nz
;
62 Avoca St; adult/child $10/free; 10am-5.30pm daily Nov-Apr, to 4pm Thu-Mon May-
Oct)
Kaikoura's oldest surviving building, Fyffe House's whale-bone foundations were laid
in 1844. Proudly positioned and fronted with a colourful garden, the little two-storey cot-
tage offers a fascinating insight into the lives of colonial settlers. Interpretive displays are
complemented by historic objects, while peeling wallpaper and the odd cobweb lend au-
thenticity. Cute maritime-themed shop.
Kaikoura Museum
MUSEUM
