The rain that had threatened all week was nowhere to be seen as more than 500 people gathered on a hilltop in the Bay of Islands yesterday to celebrate the bicentenary of Pakeha settlement in New Zealand.
The occasion was marked by the official opening by the Governor-General, Sir Jerry Mateparae, of the Rangihoua Heritage Park, dominated by the soaring structure Rore Kahu (soaring eagle) on the hill of the same name overlooking Rangihoua Bay.
It was 200 years ago today that the brig Active dropped anchor in the bay.
On board was the Rev Samuel Marsden, who brought with him the three settler families of Thomas Kendall, John King and William Hall - the first Europeans to come to these islands to stay.
They had come at the invitation of the local Ngapuhi leader Ruatara, who had stayed with Marsden on his farm at Parramatta, west of Port Jackson (modern Sydney), and was keen to set up a school and establish trading links with New South Wales.