Roadside Stories

By Manatū Taonga - Ministry for Culture and Heritage (NZ)

Society & Culture Education History Places & Travel

What's Roadside Stories about?

A series of audio guides from the major highways and roads around New Zealand. Explore the history and places of New Zealand in this tour of attractions along the roadside. These stories are also available as an iPhone app and on YouTube - see http://www.mch.govt.nz/roadside for more information.

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Roadside Stories episodes:

12.22.2011
Gold fever in Hokitika
After gold was discovered in 1864 a lively town sprang up at Hokitika. Within a few months it had 5,000 residents and 72 hotels. However, its port was dangerous, and many ships met their end on the bar at the...
12.22.2011
Precious pounamu
Pounamu – greenstone or jade – was prized by Māori, and gave its name to the South Island (Te Wai Pounamu). Long associated with the Ngāi Tahu tribe, pounamu was especially common in the bed of the Arahura River. This...
12.22.2011
The dangers of coal
West Coast coal has been mined since the 1860s, and coal was a vital source of energy in the 19th century. But coal mining is back-breaking work that can also be dangerous – 65 men died in the 1896 Brunner...
12.22.2011
Punakaiki's Pancake Rocks
The famous Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki resemble a layered stack of pancakes, and caves beneath them open into blowholes which emit spectacular bursts of spray. The rocks are made of limestone – a sedimentary rock that is soluble in rainwater...
12.22.2011
Conflict at Addisons Flat
Many settlers on the West Coast were Irish, and conflict sometimes erupted between Irish Catholics and Protestants. The worst confrontation was at the gold-rush tent town of Addisons Flat, where Protestants and Catholics fought in the streets in 1868.
12.22.2011
Murchison and Īnangahua quakes
Dramatic landslides, rock falls and waterfalls are the legacy of the two massive earthquakes that hit the Buller region in the 20th century. Lives were lost at Murchison in 1929, and again at Īnangahua in 1968. Archival audio sourced from...
12.22.2011
Brunner on the Buller
In late 1846, with his Māori guides Kehu and Pikewate, surveyor Thomas Brunner set off on an epic journey down the Buller River and to the West Coast. The group battled hunger, illness, injury and terrible weather, and it was...
12.22.2011
Matakohe kauri
Northland was once covered in magnificent kauri forests – but almost all were logged after Europeans arrived in New Zealand. Felling the giant trees was dangerous work, and dams were built so the logs could be floated down rivers. Today...
12.22.2011
Dargaville – from kauri gum to kūmara
In the late 19th century Auckland's main export was kauri gum. One rich source of the gum was the swampy land around Dargaville where kauri forests had been cleared. Gum-digging was tough work, often done by Dalmatian immigrants and by...
12.22.2011
Waipoua Forest, home of giant trees
Waipoua Forest is the site of majestic giant kauri, including the towering 1,500-year-old Tāne Mahuta. Waipoua is one of New Zealand's few remnants of kauri forest – much of which was logged for timber in the 19th and 20th centuries....
12.22.2011
Opononi, home of Opo
In 1955–56 a friendly dolphin known as Opo became a celebrity, drawing thousands of visitors to the sleepy town of Opononi on the Hokianga Harbour. Enjoying human company, Opo performed tricks and let children ride on her back. Archival audio:...
12.22.2011
Kupe in the Hokianga
Hokianga Harbour was the departure point of legendary Māori navigator Kupe when he returned to his homeland of Hawaiki. Kupe is said to have left behind two taniwha (water spirits), which guided the safe landing of later Polynesian arrivals.
12.22.2011
Missionaries and muskets at Kerikeri
In the 1820s the Kerikeri mission station was under the protection of Hongi Hika and the Ngāpuhi tribe. Hongi had encouraged the establishment of the mission – largely because he wanted access to muskets, which gave Ngāpuhi a great military...
12.22.2011
Waitangi, home of the treaty
The Treaty of Waitangi, considered to be New Zealand's founding document, was signed at Waitangi on 6 February 1840 between Māori chiefs and the British Crown. However, within five years Māori were at war with the British over land loss...
12.22.2011
Big-game fishing in the Bay of Islands
Northland was once covered in magnificent kauri forests – but almost all were logged after Europeans arrived in New Zealand. Felling the giant trees was dangerous work, and dams were built so the logs could be floated down rivers. Today...
12.22.2011
Russell, former 'hellhole of the Pacific'
Waipoua Forest is the site of majestic giant kauri, including the towering 1,500-year-old Tāne Mahuta. Waipoua is one of New Zealand's few remnants of kauri forest – much of which was logged for timber in the 19th and 20th centuries....
12.22.2011
Ruapekapeka, site of Kawiti's pā
In 1955–56 a friendly dolphin known as Opo became a celebrity, drawing thousands of visitors to the sleepy town of Opononi on the Hokianga Harbour. Enjoying human company, Opo performed tricks and let children ride on her back. Archival audio:...
12.22.2011
Kawakawa's colourful loos
Hokianga Harbour was the departure point of legendary Māori navigator Kupe when he returned to his homeland of Hawaiki. Kupe is said to have left behind two taniwha (water spirits), which guided the safe landing of later Polynesian arrivals.
12.22.2011
Underwater wonders of the Poor Knights
In the 1820s the Kerikeri mission station was under the protection of Hongi Hika and the Ngāpuhi tribe. Hongi had encouraged the establishment of the mission – largely because he wanted access to muskets, which gave Ngāpuhi a great military...
12.22.2011
Waipū, a Scottish settlement
The small Northland town of Kawakawa is home to an unusual tourist attraction – vibrant and colourful public toilets designed by the Austrian artist and architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Hundertwasser, whose distinctive work featured curves, spirals and bright colours, lived outside...
12.22.2011
Chowing down on the Matakana coast
"Boutique beers, cheeses, chocolate, olive oils and wines are all on offer on the Matakana coast, north of Auckland. Matakana's farmers' market is popular with visitors, and Pacific oysters are cultivated in local harbours. Archival audio sourced from Radio New...
12.22.2011
Peacocks and zebras on Kawau Island
Once mined for its copper, Kawau Island was owned by Governor George Grey from the 1860s. A collector of exotic plants and animals, Grey imported deer, kangaroos, peacocks, zebras, monkeys and other species to the island. Today his Mansion House...
12.22.2011
Pūhoi, up the boohai
Founded by immigrants from Bohemia in Europe, the settlement of Pūhoi was originally extremely isolated – leading to the phrase 'up the boohai' (a corruption of the town's name), meaning 'in the back of beyond'. Today the historic town is...
12.22.2011
Creating a sanctuary – Tiritiri Matangi
Each year more than 30,000 people visit Tiritiri Matangi, an island sanctuary in the Hauraki Gulf. Previously farmed, Tiritiri Matangi has been replanted with almost 300,000 native trees, and is home to rare birds including takahē, stitchbirds and kōkako. Archival...
12.22.2011
Rangitoto, Auckland's youngest volcano
The landscape of New Zealand's largest city is dotted with 48 volcanoes. The oldest volcano last erupted some 150,000 years ago – the youngest, Rangitoto Island, is just 600 years old. A symmetrical volcanic cone, it has been colonised by...
08.30.2011
Tales of the Auckland waterfront
Auckland's busy waterfront has seen dramatic political and sporting conflict over the years, including the divisive 1951 waterfront labour dispute, the 1985 bombing of Greenpeace protest ship the Rainbow Warrior, and New Zealand's successful defence of the America's Cup sailing...
08.30.2011
Auckland's 'coat-hanger' bridge
The idea of a bridge across Auckland's Waitematā Harbour was first mooted in the 1860s - but almost a century passed before the Auckland Harbour Bridge opened in 1959. The city's distinctive 'coat hanger' bridge was expanded in the late...
08.30.2011
Reclaiming Bastion Point
After European settlement of Auckland, the lands of the Ngāti Whātua tribe were gradually whittled away, and the harbourside area of Bastion Point was taken by the Crown for defence purposes. A 1977 government plan to develop expensive housing on...
08.30.2011
Maungakiekie - One Tree Hill
The second-largest of the 46 volcanoes that dot the Auckland landscape, Maungakiekie was once the site of a massive pā (fortified village), home to several thousand people. By the time of European settlement the pā had been abandoned, and a...
08.30.2011
Eden Park - from swamp to sports ground
Originally a swamp, Auckland's Eden Park has been a sports ground since the late 19th century. Today New Zealand's largest sports stadium, it has been the site of some memorable sporting victories - and losses. The chaotic third test of...
08.30.2011
Bombay to Bombay
Famed as a dividing line between Auckland and the rest of the country, the Bombay hills and nearby Pukekohe became home to Indian immigrants who worked in local market gardens from the early 20th century. In the 1920s the area's...
08.30.2011
Mercer's unusual memorial
A memorial at Mercer remembers two wars - one far away and one close to home. The memorial to First World War soldiers is built on top of the gun turret of the Pioneer, a naval vessel used by British...
08.30.2011
Rangiriri pā
The remarkable earthworks at Rangiriri pā (Māori fortified settlement) formed a defensive line more than a kilometre long. In 1863 Rangiriri was stormed by Imperial forces during the Waikato war. Although the British eventually took the pā, they were repelled...
08.30.2011
Coal and clay from Huntly
The coal seams around Huntly have been mined since the 1870s, and today provide about 40% of New Zealand's coal, feeding the massive Huntly power station and the Glenbrook steel mill. Local clay is the source of Huntly's distinctive bricks,...
08.30.2011
Tūrangawaewae - a place to stand
Tūrangawaewae marae at Ngāruawāhia is the seat of the Māori King movement, which developed in the 1850s to unify Māori and protect their land. Tūrangawaewae - literally 'a place to stand' - was built in the 1920s under the direction...
08.30.2011
Rocky horror in Hamilton
A statue in Hamilton pays tribute to former resident Richard O'Brien, creator of the kitschy, gender-bending 1970s musical The rocky horror show. The statue depicts Riff Raff, the character played by O'Brien in the movie version, which became a cult...
08.30.2011
Hamilton's rugby wars
In 1956 Hamilton's Rugby Park was the site of the only provincial win against the touring South African Springbok rugby team. When the Springboks returned 25 years later, local rugby fans hoped for a repeat victory - but the victory...
08.30.2011
The equine stars of Cambridge
The thoroughbred studs around Cambridge have produced many champion horses, which are celebrated in a series of mosaics in the town's pavements. One of the best-known is the legendary stud horse Sir Tristram, who sired 45 prizewinners, including Melbourne Cup...
08.30.2011
Lake Karapiro
Today a world-class rowing venue, Lake Karapiro was created in 1947 when the Karapiro hydroelectric dam was completed on the Waikato River. The lake flooded the site of an 1830 battle between two Māori tribes, and of the Horahora power...
08.30.2011
Maungatautari, volcanic sanctuary
Maungatautari is an ancient volcano which dominates the central Waikato basin. It is the ancestral home of the Ngāti Raukawa tribe and is widely referred to in their songs and proverbs. Since 2002 the Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust has worked...
08.30.2011
Tīrau, corrugated-iron capital
A giant dog and sheep tower over the main street of Tīrau, just two of a series of sculptures and buildings made from corrugated iron - a common building material in New Zealand. The quirky sculptures were erected as part...
08.30.2011
Luxury spa at Rotorua
In the 19th century the mineral waters of thermal springs were thought to cure an array of ailments. The government developed a luxurious bathhouse at Rotorua, hoping to attract international visitors by offering spa treatments alongside the area's Māori culture...
08.30.2011
Whakarewarewa - thermal and cultural attractions
The Māori village of Whakarewarewa, with its geysers, hot springs and bubbling mud pools, became a tourist attraction in the late 19th century. Whakarewarewa was known for its female guides - Guide Maggie (Mākereti Papakura) later lived in the UK...
08.30.2011
Island romance in Lake Rotorua
Mokoia Island in Lake Rotorua is the setting for the well-known Māori love story of Hinemoa and Tūtānekai, who kept their relationship a secret because of family disapproval. The pair were united on the island after Hinemoa's epic swim across...
08.30.2011
The eruption of Mt Tarawera
The sky was lit by great flashes of flame...' The 1886 eruption of Mt Tarawera obliterated the spectacular Pink and White Terraces, one of the world's scenic wonders, and buried a number of villages. The disaster was heralded by an...
08.30.2011
The big cheese of Lichfield
The southern hemisphere's biggest cheese factory is in the small Waikato town of Lichfield. Owned by the Fonterra dairy co-operative - New Zealand's largest company, responsible for a third of the world's international dairy trade - the Lichfield factory is...
08.30.2011
Tokoroa, timber town
New Zealanders struggled to make paper from rags, flax and grass in the 19th century, but were more successful later using wood waste from plantation forests. From the 1940s Tokoroa town was developed in a forestry area to house workers...
08.30.2011
Hatupatu's Rock
A distinctive rock by the side of State Highway One is significant to Māori for its role in the story of Hatupatu. He was taken prisoner by the fearsome bird-woman Kurangaituku, but managed to escape from her lair. Kurangaituku gave...
08.30.2011
Geothermal power at Wairākei
When completed in 1963, Wairākei was one of just two geothermal power stations in the world. However, it has adversely affected the surrounding thermal area - tourist attractions such as the famous Wairākei geyser and Champagne Pool have come to...
08.30.2011
The rushing waters of Huka Falls
At Huka Falls, up to 220,000 litres of water rush through a narrow gorge on the Waikato River each second. Just a handful of thrill-seeking kayakers have navigated the foaming turquoise waters of the falls, which were also the site...

What's Roadside Stories about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Roadside Stories episodes:

Gold fever in Hokitika

Precious pounamu

The dangers of coal

Punakaiki's Pancake Rocks

Conflict at Addisons Flat

Murchison and Īnangahua quakes

Brunner on the Buller

Matakohe kauri

Dargaville – from kauri gum to kūmara

Waipoua Forest, home of giant trees

Opononi, home of Opo

Kupe in the Hokianga

Missionaries and muskets at Kerikeri

Waitangi, home of the treaty

Big-game fishing in the Bay of Islands

Russell, former 'hellhole of the Pacific'

Ruapekapeka, site of Kawiti's pā

Kawakawa's colourful loos

Underwater wonders of the Poor Knights

Waipū, a Scottish settlement

Chowing down on the Matakana coast

Peacocks and zebras on Kawau Island

Pūhoi, up the boohai

Creating a sanctuary – Tiritiri Matangi

Rangitoto, Auckland's youngest volcano

Tales of the Auckland waterfront

Auckland's 'coat-hanger' bridge

Reclaiming Bastion Point

Maungakiekie - One Tree Hill

Eden Park - from swamp to sports ground

Bombay to Bombay

Mercer's unusual memorial

Rangiriri pā

Coal and clay from Huntly

Tūrangawaewae - a place to stand

Rocky horror in Hamilton

Hamilton's rugby wars

The equine stars of Cambridge

Lake Karapiro

Maungatautari, volcanic sanctuary

Tīrau, corrugated-iron capital

Luxury spa at Rotorua

Whakarewarewa - thermal and cultural attractions

Island romance in Lake Rotorua

The eruption of Mt Tarawera

The big cheese of Lichfield

Tokoroa, timber town

Hatupatu's Rock

Geothermal power at Wairākei

The rushing waters of Huka Falls