About Kerikeri

The oldest fruit tree in New Zealand, near the Stone Store, still bears fruit. The building at rear is the historic blacksmith's shop established by the missionaries

Kerikeri, the largest town in the Northland Region of New Zealand, is a popular tourist destination about three hours drive north of Auckland, and 80 km north of Whangarei the largest city in Northland. It is often called the Cradle of the Nation, being the site of the first permanent mission station in the country, and it has some of the most historic buildings in the country.

A rapidly expanding centre of sub-tropical and allied horticulture, Kerikeri is in the Far North District of the North Island and lies at the western extremity of the Kerikeri Inlet, a northwestern arm of the Bay of Islands, where fresh water of the Kerikeri River enters the salty Pacific Ocean. Kerikeri (airport) is located at 35°16′S 173°55′E / 35.267°S 173.917°E / -35.267; 173.917 . A fast growing community, the 2001 census showed the population of 4,878 was an increase of 16.3 percent over the 1996 figure, and the 2006 census tally of 5,856 was a further population growth of 20 percent.

It is a far cry from the village established by New Zealand's pioneering missionaries, who called it Gloucestertown, or Gloucester Town, but neither name endured. The Māori word Kerikeri was spelled and pronounced as Keddi Keddi or even Kiddee Kiddee, but the town's name is today generally pronounced Kerry Kerry but with a rolled r by Māori.

In 1814 Samuel Marsden acquired land at Kerikeri from Hongi Hika for the use of the Church Missionary Society for a payment of forty-eight axes.

Kerikeri was the first place in New Zealand where grape vines were planted. Samuel Marsden planted 100 vines on 25 September 1819 and noted in his journal that New Zealand promised to be very favourable to the vine. The plough was first used in New Zealand at Kerikeri, by Rev. J. G. Butler, on 3 May 1820.

Read the full article at Wikipedia.