Historic Akaroa

Whaling station and sawmill sites from the early years of European colonisation dot the bays of the penninsula, as do Maori pa sites. Today the Ngai Tahu iwi (tribe) maintains a presence on the peninsula at Onuku, just south of Akaroa. Perhaps the most significant pa site, and certainly one of the most significant, is Onawe, in the heart of the harbor. Read about its dramatic history at the Akaroa Museum.