Site 23
Whaling Museum, 1840's House & Gardens, Butler Point
Captain William Butler (1814 – 1875), an English whaler, settled with his family on this site in the late 1840s. He established a successful trading post for American and European whalers.
The Museum displays a restored and fully equipped whaleboat and a comprehensive collection of whaling artifacts.
The Butler Homestead is recognised as grade 1 listed property by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga.
Extensive grounds feature a certified Garden of Significance and notable trees, including a pohutukawa tree approaching 1,000 years old.
The Moehuri Pa site has been extensively investigated by archaeologists, and interpretative signs are provided.
Please note that Butler Point is open strictly by appointment only, and a charge applies. Book online at butlerpoint.co.nz/book or free phone 0800 MUSEUM.
To get there: travel south along State Highway 10 from Mangōnui for 6kms. Turn left on Hihi Road and head for Hihi township. Once you reach Hihi, bear left onto Marchant Road at the first roundabout. The gates to the property are at the end of Marchant Road.