The Stone Store and Kemp House in Kerikeri are New Zealand's oldest standing European buildings but head south-west a little and another staunchly Pakeha feature of the Far North can rightly claim to be New Zealand's oldest. The Waimate Pastoral and Industrial Show this month celebrates its 170th birthday. The area is steeped in local history.
The Bedggood family built and ran the first flour mill in the area but that's not its only claim to fame. It was visited by Charles Darwin in 1835. Seven years later the first P & I show was billed as an 'agricultural demonstration' and held on local land until a permanent site was established at Grove Cottage Farm - the estate of the lay missionaries George and Martha Clarke who arrived in Kerikeri from Norfolk in 1824.
They settled in Waimate North where Mr Clarke started a school that housed around 80 pupils in a small 40 x 2 building that had taken six week to construct 'by local natives'. One of their numerous children, Edward Blomfield Clarke, became the second Archdeacon of Te Waimate in 1831 and, in fact, he was the first child to be baptized in the school building. This family now celebrates 188 years in the district.
The first show hall was completed by 1891 and cost 78 pounds, one shilling and seven pence - to be exact - and the nikau and pole structure that formed the first hall can still be seen today. In 1918 in the midst of the deadly influenza epidemic it was used as a temporary hospital and isolation ward. This building is now awaiting registration with the Historic Places Trust.
The Mountain family took over Grove Cottage from the Clarkes and Lance Mountain still farms all the surrounding land. His wife, Lynn, is the Patron of the local Riding For The Disabled. Today, Grove Cottage is owned by Mark and Lorraine Jobbit who have renovated the property.
