Akaroa is a quaint, picturesque coastal town in Aotearoa. You must be thinking, where is Aotearoa? Aotearoa is the Maori name for New Zealand. Previously, the North Island was known as Aotearoa, and the whole country was known as Aotearoa me Te Waipounamu by the Maori. Footlooseinme will take you to this historic town built on the volcanic land by the sea. So, let’s travel to Akaroa and explore the beauty of the place.
In my previous post, I discussed the Pohatu Penguin tour in the same Akaroa region. Today, I will take you through the history and geography of the place while exploring its natural treasures. Akaroa is a town situated on the Banks Peninsula. During the first circumnavigation of New Zealand in 1770, Captain James Cook described this area as “of a circular figure … of a very broken uneven surface and [having] more the appearance of barrenness than fertility.” (Read my previous post to know more about Captain James Cook.)
The volcanic Banks Peninsula is a larger volcanic feature than the Dunedin volcano in its southwest. This landmass was created approximately in the Miocene Era due to intraplate volcanism on the continental crust. Intraplate volcanism is a volcanic activity within the tectonic plate away from the plate boundaries.
Today, the geological feature of the landmass shows the eroded remains of two large composite shield volcanoes and the smaller Mt Herbert Volcanic group. Shield volcanoes are formed by the eruption of highly fluid lava that spreads far and wide, in contrast to stratovolcanos, where the viscous lava solidifies considerably near the vent of the volcano. Multiple eruptions led to the accumulation of the lava sheets and, thus, the formation of shield-like landmasses. The composite shield volcanoes that are the major part of Banks Peninsula are the Lyttleton and the Akaroa volcanoes.
Banks Peninsula was established as a whaling base by various European settlers. French whaler Captain Jean Francois Langlois decided Akaroa would be an ideal whaling base to service the whaling ships and set up a settlement there. He made arrangements for the purchase of the land from the native Maori settlers. He returned back to France to bring new settlers for Akaroa. With a group of some French and a few German families, he set sail to form the new settlement in Akaroa in New Zealand.
By the time Captain Langlois in his ship Comte de Paris reached Akaroa, the treaty of Waitangi was already signed by the Maoris and the British Crown on 6 February 1840. William Hobson was the representative of the British Crown who signed the treaty. He declared British sovereignty over the whole of New Zealand and became the first governor of New Zealand.
Meanwhile, Captain Lagloise, along with the other settlers, had to anchor their ship on the Pigeon Bay on the other side of Akaroa Harbour due to high winds. Learning about the French settlement plans, the British raised their Union Jack flag in Greens Point between Akaroa and Takapūneke, declaring their sovereignty over the land.
The French were in shock to see the Union Jack unfurl over their proposed land for settlement. Taking into consideration that the French had set sail with an assumption that they owned the land, the New Zealand authorities granted 30,000 acres to the Nanto-Bordelaise Company (of which Captain Langlois was a part owner). In exchange for £4,500, the French ceded all rights to the peninsula.
In my previous post, I shared my Pohatu Penguin tour experience that started in Akaroa. A 90-minute drive from Christchurch, this charming town offers stunning views of the bay, harbour, lighthouse and the sea. Rue Jolie and the Rue Lavaud are two of Akaroa’s main streets, lined with pretty houses and their vibrant gardens.
This town radiates a French vibe as you walk down the streets. Restaurants and Cafes offer various authentic French cuisine. You may be mistaken to believe you are in some part of France. The nifty houses, the small and unique churches, all nestled within this ancient volcanic landscape, what a sight to behold. The churches worth mentioning are the Onuku Church and St Patrick’s Church.
The Onuku church is situated in the Onuku Maori Reserve near Akaroa. This tiny timber Church was built in 1878 primarily for the Maoris. This church sits beautifully by the Bay on the Akaroa Harbour. The perimeter of this church has an interesting feature of a disorganised picket fence, which adds to its rustic charm. (https://www.heritage.org.nz/list-details/265/Listing)
The Akaroa Museum, depicting its rich history and the idyllic lighthouse are the other two attractions here. There is also an old cheese factory – the Barry’s Bay Cheese Factory. This factory specialises in handcrafted cheese, and its specialities include Havarti, Maasdam, Aged Gouda, Rinded Cheddar, and Peninsula Blue. You can see the cheese-making process, taste the cheese and definitely purchase some to carry back home.
We kept the best part for the last – meeting the Hector’s Dolphins. Here, we can better call them Akaroa Dolphins. Hector’s Dolphins are endemic to New Zealand. It has two subspecies – the more abundant South Island Hector’s Dolphin and the critically endangered Maui Dolphin found in the West Coast of the North Islands. Hector’s Dolphins are the smallest in the world, with the adults ranging from 1.2 – 1.6m.
A 2 hours nature cruise on the Akaroa Harbour gave us an amazing opportunity to see the interesting landforms by the bay and also the opening to the Pacific Ocean. While the cruise moved on with its commentary, Hector’s Dolphins emerged from nowhere. Dolphins, in general, are not afraid of people, and the Akaroa Dolphins were no exception. They came and swam around our ship, popping their heads up to say ‘Hello!’
Before we returned back to the harbour, we did see a few fur Seals playing in the puddle of water formed on the rocky shores of the bay. A few little penguins, too, made an appearance. We were delighted to see these beautiful creatures in their natural habitat. After completing the cruise, it was time to say goodbye to the lovely French town of Akaroa.
Read my post on Pohatu Penguins.
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