Beautifully written stories describe mana, kidnappings, shootings, rough justice, mistaken identity, high politics, missionaries - and even New Zealand's first dairy farm.
"The App is like seeing history through new eyes," says Heritage New Zealand chief executive, Bruce Chapman.
"The trails enable people to tour sites in Northland where some of New Zealand's earliest historical events occurred during one of the most frenetic and fascinating periods of our history - events that ultimately led to the establishment of a nation like no other."
Besides big moments - like the signing of He Whakaputanga (the Declaration of Independence) and the 1831 letter to King William IV signed by 13 rangatira - the tours tell of lesser known people and events.
For example, the kidnapping of Tuki and Huru, two young rangatira who were taken against their will to Norfolk Island where they were expected to teach convicts flax-weaving.
Being young rangatira - and men - they knew very little about working flax, which was traditionally women's work. Embarrassed, Governor Philip King personally ensured that the two rangatira were returned safely home.
There are also some more light-hearted stories, though serious at the time. Stories like missionary Hannah King who - down to her last thimble - saw her worst nightmare come true when the family's sole remaining turkey devoured her thimble after she dropped it.
Facing the prospect of not being able to mend clothes, and with supplies long overdue from Sydney, Hannah grasped the turkey in one hand, made a neat slot in its crop, retrieved the thimble and then stitched up the greedy bird with her trusty needle and thread.
"The app tours contain a really great collection of remarkable stories that cleverly convey a sense of wild frontier, which was the reality of life in New Zealand at that time," says Chapman.
"The tours make this incredible period of our history come alive, tell stories in an engaging and accessible way. Many of the stories centre around some of our fantastic Heritage Destinations in Northland, so people get to see where these people lived, and interacted."
Material was researched and written by a former Heritage New Zealand staff member, Stuart Park, with input from professor Manuka Henare and his team at the University of Auckland School of Business.
Providing a Maori cultural and historical perspective, the tours incorporate audio using actors like Tui Ruwhiu and Michael Hurst, as well as sound effects to bring the era to life.
A built-in "share function" also allows people to take a selfie on the road and share it with friends, family and fellow travellers.
"We're sure people will really love the experience of taking these tours and hearing the stories - and if people can't get to Northland to see the places first hand, they can still download the app and enjoy the stories anywhere they happen to be," says Chapman.
"We're proud to be able to offer these high quality app tours free of charge."
There's useful trip advice and additional information for further reading for people hooked on learning more about this period of history.
Tours look at the contact and interaction between Maori and a diverse group of Pakeha who arrived in New Zealand - including missionaries, whalers, traders, vagabonds, soldiers, governors, land-grabbers, politicians, gentle-folk and even a few Aussie convicts.
This contact and interaction ultimately led to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, and the path to nationhood.
Key moments are incorporated in the tours, such as a 1831 letter to King William IV, signed by 13 Northland Rangatira petitioning the king for help to protect their land against colonisation by the French, and to bring order to lawless settlers - among other things.
The signing of He Whakaputanga (Declaration of Independence) in 1835, is part of the story of an enterprising rangatira, Ruatara, whose chiefly mana enabled Samuel Marsden to establish the first Christian mission at Hohi in the Bay of Islands in 1814.
The bicentennial of Marsden's Christmas sermon will be celebrated on-site at Hohi on Christmas Day this year.
You can download the Path to Nationhood suite of Northland tours for free, visit heritage.org.nz/apps or search for Heritage Trails through your online app store.
There's five land-based tours and a sea-based one, covering the Bay of Islands and the Hokianga. The tours work for both Android and Apple format smartphones and tablets.
Visit heritage.org.nz/apps or search for Heritage Trails through your online app store.
