About | Kiwi North: Museum, Kiwi House and Heritage Park
Come and see a kiwi and unique Victorian heritage buildings and explore the museum at Kiwi North.
Most New Zealanders can’t say they’ve even seen a kiwi, yet, it’s what us, kiwis, are known for! Seeing a kiwi for the first time is a truly special experience and not one that you don’t get to see every day.
The kiwi house is very dark, let your eyes adjust and see if you can spot a kiwi. It’s pretty cool to see the bird that us kiwis are known for – yet most of us haven’t seen – especially out in the wild. Watch as the kiwi/s go about doing their usual things, not knowing you’re even there. No cameras are allowed in this area.
Continue on through the museum and learn about the early settler history and natural history displays. See a Maori kauri waka (canoe) that is over 200 years old. And read about stories, one that tells the story of lots of Moa skeleton bones being found in a cave that are over 2,000 years old, their finder presumably being the first to enter that cave.
Head outside and visit the heritage buildings such as the Whangarei Women’s Jail, the school, the train station, chapel, blacksmith workshop, a homestead and much more. There are also lots of different clubs – over 10 – and on certain days of the month, they operate. They operate tractor rides, train rides and some will open up their sheds for the public to view – find out when they will be operating.
Nearby
Claphams National Clock Museum
Location
Photos
NOT PICTURED – seeing a kiwi for the very first time! The kiwi house is very dark, let your eyes adjust and see if you can spot a kiwi. There were two when we visited and though the lady at the front said they weren’t always able to see them, we saw both! One was right by the glass so we got an up-close look and another one was scuttling back and forth in the back of the space. We’d see it come out, poke its beak into the ground a few times then quickly scurry back to the far wall. It was so amazing to see and I could have honestly stayed there much longer if it wasn’t for the kids who wanted to see what was next – though they were amazed at seeing them, they were ready to move on.
We came because we wanted to see a kiwi but we got way more than we expected. There was a whole little village nestled in there – you could visit the Whangarei Women’s Jail, the school, the train station, chapel, blacksmith workshop a homestead and much more. We were delightfully surprised.
We had an absolute blast at the women jail – you can go inside and so they enjoyed locking them in and peeping through the peephole.
Then it was to the Blacksmith Shop where they pretended to be blacksmiths and tried out the tools.
Off to the small chapel for Sunday worship. It was so cute!
This was the Riponui Pah School, which opened in 1898 and was furnished with old desks, blackboards and books.
We found the homestead at the back where we could take a look into the different rooms to see how they lived.
And then there was the museum, as well.
We really enjoyed our time at Kiwi North, there was so much to discover. Our favourite part would have to have been seeing two kiwi’s roaming around, oblivious to us. And we really enjoyed walking through and past all of the heritage buildings they had there. The jail was lots of fun as the kids imagined what it would have been like!
