Early Maritime Tauranga

Some of the most interesting and important events in Tauranga's history took place before its occupation by the British and colonial forces, and the battles of Gate Pa and Te Ranga in 1864. In this book, historian Trevor Bentley brings Tauranga's colour and dramatic, pre-colonial, maritime history to light.

It is a fascinating history of daring Polynesian migrant-settlers and resident iwi, who, for hundreds of years, plied the harbour waters and seas of Tauranga Moana in a variety of waka. It is also the story of visiting European explorers, whaling skippers, pirates, sea-traders, hydrographers, shipwreck survivors, fugitive convicts and sailors.

Describing Tauranga's seas, seagoing vessels and seafarers, it reveals the sailing skills, arrival and impacts of invading tribal waka fleets, whaler-musket trading vessels, missionaries, flax traders, colonial officials and boat builders. It details the enterprise of local hapu during Tauranga's shipbuilding and Auckland's provisions booms, and the courage and seamanship of the captains and crews of Tauranga's early trading fleets.