Whangarei Heads, New Zealand

Story

Whangarei Heads is a locality and promontory on the northern side of the Whangarei Harbour in Northland, New Zealand. Whangarei is 29km to the north-west, and Ocean Beach is 8km to the south-east, with Taurikura between the two. Mount Manaia rises to 420m to the east.Immediately to the west is McLeod Bay, which is about 2km long. The McDonald sandbank lies a few metres offshore at low tide. The promontory to the south of the settlement consists of a hill, Mount Aubrey, and a small gravel beach about 200 metres wide, Reotahi Bay.HistoryGilbert Mair purchased the entire peninsula - everything south of a line running from McLeod Bay to the Pacific Coast, about 10000acre - from the Māori Chief Te Tao, in 1839. He intended to resell it to Captain Bernard, but the latter was lost with his ship. The Chief Te Tirarau claimed compensation of three horses because his ancestor had had blood spilt on the land, but settled for two horses in 1844. The government review of the land purchase in 1844 awarded Mair only 414acre, but Mair had sold his interest in the land to Logan Campbell. Campbell pursued his claim to the remainder of the land.A group of settlers from Nova Scotia, led by the Rev. Norman McLeod, settled at McLeod Bay in about 1855 although the ownership of the land had not been settled. In 1861, Campbell received the right to buy 1800acre at 10/- an acre, and was granted 910acre which he sold to the Nova Scotians.