Walking tours of Akaroa
- January 3, 2001
- Rated 3 of 5 by
Quan from Seattle, Washington
Here I go, talking about walking tours again, but truly I don't think there is anywhere you can go in New Zealand where you are not drawn into walking. Akaroa in particular has numerous walks. You can obtain pamphlets at the Akaroa Civic Trust, and choose a number of walks. In particular, the Historic Village Walk takes you to narrow winding streets, past old colonial cottages and lovely gardens, as well as churches, and fine civic buildings such as the Town Hall and the Court House. The Historic Village Walk pamphlet points out all the points of interest on the way, and is definitely a must have before you set out for the walk.
Another recommended track is the Woodhills Track, which takes you past Akaroa's historic streets, but also behind Akaroa into open pasture and farmland, a herb farm with herbs for sale, only to take you back to Akaroa to wonderful views of the Harbour and the mountain peaks beyond.
From journal Banks Peninsula, New Zealand
Akaroa Museum
- January 3, 2001
- Rated 2 of 5 by
Quan from Seattle, Washington
Museum and Lighthouse
The Akaroa Museum has a 20-minute audiovisual presentation on the history of the peninsula, in particular the whaling industry which attracted settlers from Europe. In front of the museum, the small cottage is one of the oldest houses in New Zealand and partly made in France. The cottage has a French name. If you haven't noticed already, many of the streets of Akaroa have French names, denoting the fact that after the Maori, the first settlers of Akaroa are French. There are interesting stories of how Akaroa was first settled by the Spanish, but was beaten out by the French who actually staked claim to the area first. Or was it the French and English? I think it is the former, if the dominant French names of places are any indication.
From journal Banks Peninsula, New Zealand