Te Waimate Mission

12/06/2026

Discover our special place ❤️
Open weekends from 10am to 4pm

10/06/2026

There’s a certain stillness here that visitors often notice.

Not silence exactly... more the feeling of stepping slightly outside of time.

The house has seen generations come and go, each leaving their mark in ways both seen and unseen.

If you pause for a moment, you can almost sense it.

Open weekends ❤
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📸Claire Gordon | Flash Gordon Photography

06/06/2026

Some places don’t ask for attention, they simply wait to be noticed.

It’s always a joy to hear from those who decide to turn in and find us.

Even in winter, the house and gardens are here... quiet, steady, and full of stories.

We’re here, whenever you’re ready.

Open weekends ❤️
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20/05/2026

🐝It's WORLD BEE DAY - A time to celebrate the important, busy, little creatures responsible for much of the food we eat.

Aotearoa has 28 native bee species, but they are solitary and do not hive or produce honey. They are also not designed to pollinate exotic (non-native) plants. The European settlers did not realise this until their new crops failed. They needed help from Apis Mellifera - the honeybee!

The animal-loving Rev. William Cotton established several hives of honeybees at Te Waimate Mission in the early 1840s. He was known to be so gentle with them that he was able to keep the odd one in his pocket.

Cotton wrote books on the subject of apiary, advocating the new no-kill method, including ‘Kō Ngā Pī’ – a beekeeping manual in Te Reo Māori for training new beekeepers. Cotton's work earned him the title of ‘The Great New Zealand Bee Teacher’ 🐝
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08/05/2026

🪏Coming up to Weekend Two of NZ Archaeology Week, and we still have plenty to do inside the mission house and out for all ages.

🧐Meet the Artefact and try an Archaeology Quiz (beginner or advanced), browse our resources and finds, and send the little ones on an Archaeology Picture Hunt.

🥾And if you borrow one of our laminated maps (from an original drawn in 1843!), you can self-tour the archaeological features across the wider site while the cows - Fergus, Maggie and Beatrice - are holidaying in another paddock 🐂

Happy Archaeology Week!

ENTRY:
Adults: $10
Under 18s: FREE
HNZPT Members: FREE

07/05/2026

🐉 Do you know the story immortalised in this famous plate design?

We have a large collection of old Blue Willow tableware at Te Waimate, as you can see! The exotic appeal of chinoiserie in Victorian times, combined with an enduring love story and the innovation of mass transfer printing made Blue Willow an aesthetic and affordable choice.

📖 If you're sitting comfortably, this is how the story goes...

Long ago in China, a wealthy mandarin promised his daughter, Koong Shee, to a powerful, but much older, merchant. However, she had fallen deeply in love with Chang, her father’s secretary. The two met in secret beneath a willow tree, dreaming of a life together though their love was forbidden.

When her father discovered them, he banished Chang and forced the wedding with the merchant to go ahead. Heartbroken, Koong Shee longed for her lost love. Just before the wedding, Chang returned, and the pair fled together, chased by her furious father. They escaped across the bridge to a waiting boat and sailed away together, but tragedy struck when a storm sank their vessel.

Moved by their devotion, the gods transformed Koong Shee and Chang into two white doves, allowing them to remain together forever. They still fly high above the willow tree where their love began 🕊️🩵🕊️

🍽️ If the beautiful Blue Willow pattern, and its story, tickles your fancy, you can comb the op shops for items or buy the modern version in Briscoes!
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28/04/2026

WALK THROUGH TIME ARCHAEOLOGY TOUR | Sat 2 May | 1-3pm

🌳Step gently into the landscape and let the past reveal itself. This guided walk invites you to slow down and see the whenua differently, following peaceful paths through paddocks and gardens where human stories still linger just beneath the surface.

🌲Along the way, you’ll encounter traces of lives lived, plans imagined, and events that left their mark on the land. With storytelling woven through the walk, this tour offers a deeper sense of connection to place.

🥾Come curious, wear comfortable shoes, and be ready to walk through time.
🫖Afternoon tea and entry to Te Waimate Mission House included in the ticket price.

Adults: $28.00
HNZPT Members: $18.00
12-18 Year-Olds: $18.00

TICKETS + MORE INFO:
https://www.facebook.com/share/1CLGdvWHi5/

Discover the rich history of Te Waimate Mission on our guided archaeology walk, with Afternoon Tea and entry to the mission house included

26/04/2026

🍁OUR WINTER SEASON OPEN HOURS
Aroha mai - it's early to be mentioning the word 'winter'!
As the crisp mornings and darker evenings draw in, and the summer visitors dwindle, it's time for a change of open hours. Our Visitor Hosts will still be ready to welcome you and tell you all about Te Waimate Mission's interesting history every weekend...

FROM MAY to OCTOBER:
📆 Saturdays and Sundays
⏰10am to 4pm
🍂Autumn has its own special charm in the gardens, which are open all week with free entry.

ENTRY to the MISSION HOUSE
Adults $10
HNZPT Members + U18s FREE

We look forward to seeing you.

Ngā manaakitanga,
The Team at Te Waimate Mission

25/04/2026

🪏Only a week to go until ARCHAEOLOGY DAY on SAT 2 MAY!
Here are some photos from last year's morning workshop and afternoon guided walking tour, which we're running again, plus activities inside the mission house.

See our Facebook Events page for more information and how to book:
👉https://www.facebook.com/tewaimatemissionhouse/events

11/04/2026

🥳 On SAT 2 MAY, to celebrate NZ Archaeology Week, we are running TWO special Archaeology events.
Plus, extra activities and resources in the mission house over the first two weekends in May.

🪏A Young Archaeologist's Workshop
SAT 2 MAY | 10am-12pm
- For 7+ Years
- $12.00 (includes Morning Tea and all equipment)
- Limited spaces. Adult supervision necessary. Booking Essential (see link below*)

🥾 A Walk Through Time Archaeology Tour (1pm-3pm)
- Adults - $28.00 / HNZPT Members + 12-18 Year-Olds - $18.00
- Includes Afternoon Tea and entry to the mission house
- Limited spaces. Booking Essential (see link below*)

Extra Activities and Resources in the Mission House on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 4pm during Archaeology Week, plus a tour of the house.
- No booking required, just turn up
- Adults: $10 / HNZPT Members + Under 18s FREE

*FOR MORE INFO/TO BOOK
Tickets and details available from Eventbrite
https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/archaeology-week-at-te-waimate-mission-2026-4832595
Details also available on our Facebook Events Page

WHERE ARE WE?
📌Te Waimate Mission is just 15-minutes from Kerikeri and Kaikohe
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