Header photograph shows the Parihaka Reserve taken from the Coronation Scenic Reserve in the Western Hills.
THE PARIHAKA SCENIC RESERVES.
Several reserves combine to make up the Parihaka Scenic Reserves. In the early days of the City Of Whangarei, when this
picturesque city was merely a borough or county several leading citizens of the young city, donated tracts of land for the use of the citizens of Whangarei as parks and reserves. Later, as land became available to the Whangarei Council, these tracts were purchased on behalf of the city, and added to the existing areas of reserve, so that today Whangarei-terenga-paraoe is blessed with some of the finest bush reserves in Aotearoa-New Zealand. On this page we take a photographic look at the Parihaka Reserves, part of which the Hatea River Walk winds its way through.
THE DRUMMOND TRACK TO THE SUMMIT OF MOUNT PARIHAKA.
As mentioned before there are several access points to the Drummond Track. The tracks on the Mair Park side of the Parihaka Reserve are both entered from the Hatea River Walk that stretches from Ewing Road in the city, to Whareora Road. The track is steep and stepped in the toughest places, but is still a stiff climb and should not be tried by anyone not of a reasonable standard of fitness. There are several rest points along the track, comprising of a wooden form to sit on. There are several steep drops on this walk and it is not advised that you leave the track under any circumstances. You will see fine stands of fern and native trees, but at the top you are greeted by the finest views of Whangarei and out over the harbour, from within the inner city. After walking these tracks many times I can offer this tip. If you walk up the Hokianga/Dobbie track and down the Drummond track, not only is it a more leisurely walk, but you tend to notice more of the beauty looking down the Drummond track.
MR NORMAN McPHERSON DRUMMOND -1884-1943.
The park is named after Mr Norman Drummond, a lover of the New Zealand native flora. According to Florence Keene, Whangarei District Council records show that Mr Norman Drummond planted a number of native tree species along the Drummond track. It does not say that they were species that occurred naturally in the Whangarei area. He presented his 24 acres of native bush to the people of Whangarei. Mr Norman Drummond’s father founded a hardware business in Cameron Street, Whangarei, and his son joined him 10 years later. The firm operated under the name Drummond Brothers Limited. Mr Drummond was recognised as an authority on native flora and fauna. He devoted much of his time to preserving the native bush and planting and protecting pohutokawa (Metrosideros sp.) along the shores of the Whangarei harbour. He worked in education and was an auditor for the High Schools association. His son served in the Fleet air arm. Mr Normon Drummond died aged 59 and is buried in the Maunu Cemetary. His wife Nellie died on the 14th of June 1943, also aged 59.
THE HOKIANGA/DOBBIE TRACK TO THE SUMMIT.
MR HERBERT BOUCHER DOBBIE
MR HERBERT BOUCHER DOBBIE:1852-1940.
The park is named after Mr Herbert Dobbie who in 1910, presented the 55 hectares of land, the biggest parcel of which is 49 hectares part of which the Dobbie track runs through. The native bush area of the park is rich in kauri, some of which are a good size. The Deed of Gift states that it is to be held in trust as a public park and recreation ground, limiting the use of the land to uses that do not conflict with the protection of native fauna and flora. It states that no buildings are to be erected, or other structures other than seats and footpaths, which must be a maximum width of six feet. Deed dated 10th of March, 1910. This became the first reserve in the then borough of Whangarei for the purpose of scenic and environmental protection. Also included in Dobbie Park are two small parcels of land purchased from Mr J.H. Horn in 1914 and 1916. The block purchased in 1914 provided a link between Mair
Park and Dobbie Park. This led to the construction of the original footbridge over the Hatea River. In 1916, Mr Horn encouraged Council to purchase the block of land adjacent to a popular diving hole in the Hatea River, which was used extensively by the public.
Mr Dobbie was an engineering draughtsman, botanist, stationmaster, orchardist and writer. He was born on the 13thFebruary 1852 at Hayes, Middlesex, England. Herbert Dobbie was the son of Herbert Main Dobbie who was an officer of the Madres Army. His mother was Ellen Locker. The family moved to Madras three months after young Herbert’s birth. Herbert Dobbie senior was killed in active service in Burma in either
1854 or 1855, after which his wife and her six children returned to England. They settled at Irthington, near Brampton, Cumberland, where young Herbert went to school. Later he was boarded at Philberd’s School near Maidenhead. While holidaying in Cumberland, Herbert developed an life-long interest in ferns.
After he had completed his engineering apprenticeship, Herbert went to sea, working on ships sailing to the West Indies, and then in a locomotive shop as a draughtsman. In 1875 Herbert Dobbie sailed to New Zealand in the Lutterworth, and began work in Auckland as a fitter
and turner with Fraser and Tinne. Two years later he took a similar position with the government railways, but soon transferred to the drawing office. He travelled the country, both on his penny-farthing bicycle and on foot, collecting ferns as he went.
Herbert Dobbie married Charlotte Anderson Gilfillan at Parnell in Auckland on the 31st of January 1880. It was to be an eventful year for Herbert, as he bought a house in Parnell, where he was joined ny his mother and sisters Mary and Bertha. Bertha married and shifted to Taranaki, however, while visiting her sister there, Mary was murdered.
The park is named after Mr Herbert Dobbie who in 1910, presented the 55 hectares of land, the biggest parcel of which is 49 hectares part of which the Dobbie track runs through. The native bush area of the park is rich in kauri, some of which are a good size. The Deed of Gift states that it is to be held in trust as a public park and recreation ground, limiting the use of the land to uses that do not conflict with the protection of native fauna and flora. It states that no buildings are to be erected, or other structures other than seats and footpaths, which must be a maximum width of six feet. Deed dated 10th of March, 1910. This became the first reserve in the then borough of Whangarei for the purpose of scenic and environmental protection. Also included in Dobbie Park are two small parcels of land purchased from Mr J.H. Horn in 1914 and 1916. The block purchased in 1914 provided a link between Mair
Park and Dobbie Park. This led to the construction of the original footbridge over the Hatea River. In 1916, Mr Horn encouraged Council to purchase the block of land adjacent to a popular diving hole in the Hatea River, which was used extensively by the public.
Mr Dobbie was an engineering draughtsman, botanist, stationmaster, orchardist and writer. He was born on the 13thFebruary 1852 at Hayes, Middlesex, England. Herbert Dobbie was the son of Herbert Main Dobbie who was an officer of the Madres Army. His mother was Ellen Locker. The family moved to Madras three months after young Herbert’s birth. Herbert Dobbie senior was killed in active service in Burma in either
1854 or 1855, after which his wife and her six children returned to England. They settled at Irthington, near Brampton, Cumberland, where young Herbert went to school. Later he was boarded at Philberd’s School near Maidenhead. While holidaying in Cumberland, Herbert developed an life-long interest in ferns.
After he had completed his engineering apprenticeship, Herbert went to sea, working on ships sailing to the West Indies, and then in a locomotive shop as a draughtsman. In 1875 Herbert Dobbie sailed to New Zealand in the Lutterworth, and began work in Auckland as a fitter
and turner with Fraser and Tinne. Two years later he took a similar position with the government railways, but soon transferred to the drawing office. He travelled the country, both on his penny-farthing bicycle and on foot, collecting ferns as he went.
Herbert Dobbie married Charlotte Anderson Gilfillan at Parnell in Auckland on the 31st of January 1880. It was to be an eventful year for Herbert, as he bought a house in Parnell, where he was joined ny his mother and sisters Mary and Bertha. Bertha married and shifted to Taranaki, however, while visiting her sister there, Mary was murdered.
AUTHOR OF A BOOK ON NEW ZEALAND FERNS
Herbert Dobbie’s collecting eventually became a book on New Zealand Ferns, consisting of full-size white silhouettes on
paper. The books were hand-made by mounting fern fronds on sheets of glass and directing sunlight through these onto sheets of home-made blueprint paper. The book appeared in at least three versions over the year. In 1881 Herbert Dobbie took up the position of stationmaster and manager of the short railway line between Whangarei and Kamo, where three trains a week ran. Dobbie had plenty of spare time so he established and ran a 17-acre citrus orchard situated between Mill Road and the Hatea River. He was the first and largest citrus orchard in the district, but during his 18 years in Whangarei he had a
number of disputes with his bosses in Wellington, and was transferred to Picton in 1899, and later to the Hutt workshops wirh a demotion to assistant workshop foreman, which prompted his resignation. In what was a varied career he worked his way to South Africa. His intention was to move his family there, but after 6 months as traffic manager on the Beira-Salisbury railway he was dismissed. After working as a district engineer for a while in 1902, he moved to Britain where he went on a bicycle tour of Scotland before returning to New Zealand in August 1903, taking the position as proof reader for the Auckland Star newspaper. He established a fernery in Market Road and built a house, where he lived for the rest of his life.
In 1921, Dobbie published ‘New Zealand Ferns’ a totally different book from his previous effort, with fine photographs of fern specimens, hints on collecting and cultivation and essays. In an effort to cater to the general reader, Dobbie unfortunately used popular, but inaccurate terminology in his fern descriptions. This was corrected in the 4th edition of 1951, revised by Marguerite Crookes, who rewrote the book for a new edition in 1963, incorporating Dobbie’s original illustrations and work. For 70 years in one edition or another, it was New Zealand’s favourite book on ferns. Dobbie wrote 16 unpublished novels and was a keen wood-carver until an accident with a chisel left him with a rigid finger. He played several musical instruments, was a member of a brass band in Picton and Whangarei, playing a French Horn he named ‘Dismal Jimmy’. He was also a member of the One Tree Hill Roads Board. On his death on the 8th of August 1940 he was buried in the Hillborough Cemetery. His wife, Charlotte died on the 18thof September 1952, ages 92 years. She was buried in Hillsborough Cemetery along with other family members.
paper. The books were hand-made by mounting fern fronds on sheets of glass and directing sunlight through these onto sheets of home-made blueprint paper. The book appeared in at least three versions over the year. In 1881 Herbert Dobbie took up the position of stationmaster and manager of the short railway line between Whangarei and Kamo, where three trains a week ran. Dobbie had plenty of spare time so he established and ran a 17-acre citrus orchard situated between Mill Road and the Hatea River. He was the first and largest citrus orchard in the district, but during his 18 years in Whangarei he had a
number of disputes with his bosses in Wellington, and was transferred to Picton in 1899, and later to the Hutt workshops wirh a demotion to assistant workshop foreman, which prompted his resignation. In what was a varied career he worked his way to South Africa. His intention was to move his family there, but after 6 months as traffic manager on the Beira-Salisbury railway he was dismissed. After working as a district engineer for a while in 1902, he moved to Britain where he went on a bicycle tour of Scotland before returning to New Zealand in August 1903, taking the position as proof reader for the Auckland Star newspaper. He established a fernery in Market Road and built a house, where he lived for the rest of his life.
In 1921, Dobbie published ‘New Zealand Ferns’ a totally different book from his previous effort, with fine photographs of fern specimens, hints on collecting and cultivation and essays. In an effort to cater to the general reader, Dobbie unfortunately used popular, but inaccurate terminology in his fern descriptions. This was corrected in the 4th edition of 1951, revised by Marguerite Crookes, who rewrote the book for a new edition in 1963, incorporating Dobbie’s original illustrations and work. For 70 years in one edition or another, it was New Zealand’s favourite book on ferns. Dobbie wrote 16 unpublished novels and was a keen wood-carver until an accident with a chisel left him with a rigid finger. He played several musical instruments, was a member of a brass band in Picton and Whangarei, playing a French Horn he named ‘Dismal Jimmy’. He was also a member of the One Tree Hill Roads Board. On his death on the 8th of August 1940 he was buried in the Hillborough Cemetery. His wife, Charlotte died on the 18thof September 1952, ages 92 years. She was buried in Hillsborough Cemetery along with other family members.