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History – A Story of Northland New Zealand

The migration of Europeans to New Zealand came first with Able Tasman and then Captain Cook. Mostly the first pioneers came about 1820 – 1890. Some before that and others to this present day.

The first humans to arrive in New Zealand were the Maori people from close to Rarotonga or near the area. A Maori may know their ancestors down to the first canoe that arrived here in New Zealand. They know as “Aotearoa” Land of the Long White Cloud.

These are some of the artistic impressions of my husband, Warwick Julian. Who loves historic Northland. It is the memory of people’s hopes and dreams. A new land, a new start and the hardships of starting a new life. Any immigrant to any country will know what that means and it is not easy to begin, especially a long isolation of being 6 months away from your home land by ship.

History is a story, and this is a story to gather what it was like. The older people remember the days of what it was like, not always good and not completely bad. You don’t always miss the good if you take what you have for granted and tomorrow it is all gone.

Aotearoa Beginning

This is the legend of Maui fishing New Zealand out of the sea.

Acrylic painting done for the Maori New Year, Matariki. June.

These are some of the paintings of historical northland. New Zealand. Worth a visit and worth while seeing Warwick's paintings. 

Arrival at a Northland Wharf.

It may be a Schooner or a Barque, Im not sure. It's heading in to this wharf. The man is waiting but his hand is holding his fishing line. Fish were plentiful and were a very healthy dinner. The bird on the left is also looking for fish.

Oil painting by Warwick.

Kauri logging in Northland

The Kauri tree was excellent to build with, a strong, durable, golden wood. It is also an ancient forrest, and up in Northland a Kauri tree that is the oldest in New Zealand is 1,000 years old. It may be able to tell you much if it could talk.

Its called, "Tane Mahuta", God or Father of the forrest. I have seen this beautiful tree. Its under threat and the experts of nature are doing their best to save the life of this beautiful tree.

Warwick's oil painting. Original painting is sold.

Travel in Northland

Much like my ancestors they would go in a boat or ferry to a small New Zealand town to start again, begin a new life. They load their supplies on the boat.

It was not easy to go to a strange place, some of the wives sat down and cried. All the beauty and sophistication stripped away. But they came here to get a new chance that they could not have in Mother England. 

So mankind  boldy goes...where no man has gone before!

Pencil work by Warwick.

Piha Logging days

All that remains of that today is the rail way tracks of days gone by. Logging Kauri and now that logging has stopped

We farm  pine trees and they are now used instead. They grow quickly and are very good  in all weathers for building.

These memories are recorded as Warwick's Watercolour.

A Bush man dreams of Kauri logging days

This is like Tronson Park in Northland and the vision of the Kauri logging driving bullocks carrying Kauri logs to the ship that carries them.

The Kauri loggers were often from Croatia, or what we knew as Yugoslavia and they remain in New Zealand today. They also got Kauri gum which was used as a resin or varnish.

Warwick's oil. It is a large painting. 

The arrival of Supplies and News from Mother England

Here the pioneers are waiting. For supplies loaded and letters written over 6 months ago. The ship drops anchor in this harbour and they row out to it. 

We couldn't bear to part with it. Warwick's oil painting.

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11 Points

Written by Pamela Moresby

15 Comments

  1. The paintings and drawings in all kinds of medium are very appealing and beautiful, not only in their subject matter but in their subtle use of colors and tones. They really do reflect what life was like in the “good old days of yonder years”.