The Tuia Mātauranga GeoTour is about having fun discovering the history of Aotearoa New Zealand by finding sites of significance in local communities from early Pacific voyaging and migration, European settlement to present day. The interaction between people, and people and the land have provided a rich history that the GeoTour invites you to explore.
Lying 15 kilometres southeast of Bluff and 32 kilometres northeast of Oban on Stewart Island/Rakiura, Ruapuke Island is one of the southernmost islands in New Zealand's main chain of islands. When James Cook discovered it in 1770 he named it "Bench Island", but it was rarely known as anything other than its Māori name, which means "two hills". The island covers an area of about 16 km2 or 3,500 acres. It guards the eastern end of Foveaux Strait.
The Ruapuke Village and J. Kelly's House was on the small pensulia seen at top of the photo near the island in top left corner
Ruapuke once was a strong hold for the local Māori, supporting a village of about 200, the largest settlement in the area and it was here that the famous Hone Tūhawaiki mostly made his home. It is perhaps difficult to image in today’s times that the South Island as far as north Canterbury, was ruled from Ruapuke Island and such chiefs as Taiaroa and Karetai were led by Tuhawaiki. It was off the shores of Ruapuke that Tuhawaiki boarded the Herald dressed in the regalia of a British aide-de-camp and 2 other chiefs to sign the Treaty of Waitangi on the 9th June 1840.
Tuhawaiki, born in Inchclutha in 1805, gained a reputation as a bold and intelligent military leader, as well as being shrewd and insightful in his non-military dealing with European settlers. Tuhawaiki was five when James Caddell was captured by Māori, Tuhawaiki may have grown up hearing stories of European wars and peacetime. The chief developed good relationship's with Europeans. John Kelly married his sister Hine Tuhawaiki. He was well liked by the European settlers, seafarers, sealer sand whalers along the southern coastline. He became involved in numerous land sales to settlers and entrepreneurs notably that of the Otago block to Fredrick Tuckett, Symonds and Clark for £2,400 in July 1844, and also gave support to the settler’s claims when disputed by the courts.
Sadly Tuhawaiki drowned, down the coast from Timaru, 10th October 1844. His remains were returned to Ruapuke 2 years later.
“Tuhawaiki was the last and greatest of the South Island chiefs. His military operations, however successful, were small in comparison to those of the North Islanders, but he was excelled by none in his friendly sentiments towards white man or in his guidance of his tribesmen into the white man’s way of life. Few if any New Zealand chief’s received such encomiums from their European contemporaries”
F.G. Hall-Jones, Historical Southland, 1945
Tuhawaiki asked Rev. Watkin from Waikouaiti for a missionary to be stationed in Murihiku. On the 17th May 1844 Rev Johann Wohlers set foot on Ruapuke for the first time. He established a church on the island, later taking over the school, encouraged Māori to cultivate their own gardens and introduced agriculture: sheep and cattle to the island. He travelled 5 years later to Wellington where he met and married Elizabeth. Together they worked to service communities from Timaru south along the coast around to Sounds in Fiordland, Stewart Island and the numerous settlements on surrounding islands, encouraging co-operation between Māori and European settlers. Wohler’s lived on Ruapuke Island for 41 years before shifting to The Neck, Stewart Island where he died 5 years later.
Ruapuke has had a varied and interesting history. Around the time the Wohler’s shifted to Stewart Island the population was sharply declining. Today the island is privately owned with no access to public. Its coastline and surrounds are a popular place to take shelter, fish for the local blue cod and dredge for the world famous Bluff oyster.
To be able to complete this Geotour and receive your special geocoin, remember to take a note of the codeword on the log book of the cache. This will need to be recorded in your passport which can be downloaded from here. If the passport is unavailable for any reason just keep a note of the codeword and try again later.
You may depending on the weather be able to see Ruapuke Island as you walk along this track. If you look beyond the island with the lighthouse (Dog Island) you will see Ruapuke. As will all caching please be aware of the weather, wear appropriate clothing and footwear, this is a coastal track that is exposed to some rough weather at times. Please do not cause damage to the cache location area, this is an easy to reach (for an adult).