Mercury Bay Musem | Whitianga |Coromandel Peninsula - New Zealand

We hold a small collection of Solomon, Santa Cruz, Melanesian & Fijian artifacts. Note that New Zealand was inhabited first from Polynesia. Traditionally, Mercury Bay is believed to be where they first landed.

We have a good and growing collection of these. Watch this space for future developments of this display.

Lieutenant (later Captain) James Cook’s 12 days in Mercury Bay

Two important facts on his vist here are:

1) He was under orders from the British Coucil of the Royal Society to observe the transit of the planet Mercury across the face of the sun. He wrote, (by obtaining) "this Observation the Longitude of this place and Country will thereby be very accurately determined."
(Amazing fact: The longitude line that cuts almost midway through Mercury Bay, is directly opposite that of Greenwich.)

2) Cook, Banks, and other members of the ship's company visited Wharetaewa Pa by invitation. This is the first recorded visit by Europeans to a New Zealand pa (or settlement).

Shipwrecks in the Bay

The most important of these is HMS Buffalo, a ship with a very colourful history. Other shipwreck information is also available.

Kauri Logging and Gum Digging

Our Kauri Room displays many artifacts to illustrate this important period in our history. The main milling period was 1862 to 1922.

Some interesting facts:

The second largest kauri ever recorded was in this area -a massive tree.

First to be built in Australasia: a water-powered sawmill and stone wharf, in 1837/8. The wharf is still in use today.

The Whitianga Blacksmith’s workplace in 1900

This realistic display contains many of the tools used by blacksmith, Billy Keane. His smithy was situated in Blacksmiths Lane, now a major shopping centre.

A Domestic Display

The changeable display can include furniture from the late 1800s, a wood stove, old fashioned bathing and washing facilities, and lots more of interest.

A Dairy History Display

This includes a huge factory butter churn, as well as milking shed equipment. This display is scheduled for a major upgrade.

An Historical Agriculture &
Machinery Display

This includes a cart, a horse dray, chaff cutter, engines, whim (or capstan), and a portable steam engine.

A Coromandel Natural History Display

Take a walk through Cathedral Cove and the bush to see the native birds, animals and preditors that inhabit our region. But the best of all is the giant moa bird.

The Rex Gibbs Kauri Sculptural Display

This contains dozens of interesting pieces from very large to small, all lovingly polished with wax.

The Polynesian Collection