Captain Alexander MEIKLEJOHN A.k.a. SandyHere is Sandy's Story:------------------------------------------Born: 17 JUL 1835 • Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, CanadaDied: Whangateau, 29 January 1868 Buried: Matakana Cemetery------------------------------------------The Quiet VikingThe Meiklejohn Family arrives in Big Omaha on 18 May 1858 after nearly 2 years at sea. Trading and travelling the world on their family-built brig the “Union”. This vessel was sold in Sydney and they arrived in New Zealand on the schooner “Sybil”. James Meiklejohn and his 6 sons immediately started to build boats following their successful boatbuilding on the Cardigan River, Prince Edward Island. First the Pioneer followed by the Ruby, Victoria, Excelsior. This family built over 21 Boats on the banks of the Omaha River. Almost one a year until 1891.  Alexander (a.k.a.Sandy) James’s 3rd son was 22 years old with years of experience building, sailing, and living aboard ships. A gentle, kind man of huge stature and a long golden beard. A Viking of a man. According to family history his quietness was different from his brothers who had the reputation for being contrary, arguing into the night without settling. Sandy was the big, quiet, shy one.  His sister-in-law Charlotte, brother John’s wife recalls that he was also very fond of children and used to toss his wee niece Eva high up into the air asking her if she could see London. The family archives reveal that Sandy was an astute boatbuilder and one story tells that during the launching of a vessel from the family boatbuilding yard, Sandy was to cut the tethers that secured the boat upright on its launching cradle. However, he suddenly felt apprehensive about the other man chosen to sever the ties on the opposite side. With seconds to go Sandy called out to his father and asked him stand by with his axe. On the order being given, Sandy chopped his rope clean and true, but the other man missed his blow. Jim swung his axe and finished the cut, thus averting what might have been a nasty accident.  Between 1859 and 1864 Sandy would help his father sail the small coastal traders that his brothers built on the banks of the Whangateau estuary. Sandy was 29 with approximately 20 years of boatbuilding and sailing experience when his father asked him to command the “Rapid”. A small schooner of 32 tones, the 6th boat to be built by the family at the Omaha location. She was launched early February 1864 and it was on her first voyage that she capsized in the Hauraki Gulf with the loss of 6 lives including Sandy’s young brother Lemuel.  This second tragedy devastated the family and James stayed angry with his son Sandy for the rest of his life and Sandy didn’t enter the shipyard or aboard a boat for several years instead taking to farming. (You can read about this tragic disaster by following the links below).Painting of the Day Dawn However, in 1866 to solve a problem of transporting his farm produce and firewood to the Auckland Market, Sandy returned to the family boatbuilding yard and built a beautiful 16-meter schooner called the “Day Dawn”. Upon her launching in February 1867, he returned to sea and captained the “Day Dawn” on several journeys after which he returned to the farm and boatbuilding. His younger brother William captained the "Day Dawn" until Sandy’s sudden death on 29th January 1868. Sandy, our Viking of the Sea. Rest in peace young man.--------------------------------------------------------You can find Alexander's grave in the Meiklejohn Family Plot in the Matakana Cemetery.Obituary for Captain Alexander Meiklejohn. Daily Southern Cross. 5 February 1868Further info https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/new.../DSC18640331.2.26...

Ardersier, Inverness-shire, Scotland to Matakana – the beginning of the life and times of George Young. September 1853Tossed from wave crest to deepest troughs, gunwale to gunwale, awash with white foaming sea, the little cutter bound for Matakana was miles off course. The severe gale had blown her far south into the Colville Channel, and with reefed sails, she was not making any headway. The 6 passengers were sick and frightened, crew desperate for relief. The captain holds fast to the wheel in search of a safe harbour, his only option is to run before the wind towards land to the southwest, a turn of the tiller and Port Charles Bay in his sights. Although exposed to the northerly, and little shelter Port Charles Bay at least has a sandy shore to be wrecked upon and possible lives saved.By late afternoon with the beach well to stern, the anchor was lowered, and they rode out the storm through the night, no soul at rest with heavenly sleep. The dawn brought disaster as they realized the perils of the close-breaking surf. The orders to weigh the anchor echoed aboard. They pitched and heaved against the wind and surf, then realized the anchor chain had broken. The cutter lurched ahead then swung to starboard, caught by a wave which lifted her high, then she tumbled into a trough, hitting hard broadside. With no sails above, she floundered and was driven onto the rocks.Nevertheless, all survived, gathering around a fire on the beach, relieved that they were alive, but dismayed at the loss of everything. They spent the next 23 days searching for food and trying to attract rescuers. They hoisted a distress flag on a make-shift flagpole to inform passing ships of their plight; a few seen but no help came. From the timbers of the cutter, they made a small punt, sturdy enough to dash through the surf and possibly take them to civilization, or a passing vessel.An opportunity arose on day 24 with the sighting of the "Hori Paia" as it made its way from Tauranga to Auckland with a cargo of pigs. The captain spotted the punt coming out of the surf and noticed the distress flag on the beach. He laid up the schooner and greeted the punt with an offer to take the castaways back to Auckland.The offer however would cost each person 2 pound in advance, bringing all to a halt as all was lost. Fortunately, George Young was the only person with money, and he reluctantly paid the 16 pounds. Within a couple of days, they were all safe and sound in Auckland.As a result of the public outcry over the extortion of castaways, several newspaper articles were published about the wreck and rescue, with George Young being most memorable for his recollection of the events and scathing criticism of the rescuers' behaviour.Within days of arriving back in Auckland, George Young sets out again to settle on his new farm in Matakana where he would reside for the next 26 years. This has been the first episode of George Young's Matakana life - he rests in an unmarked grave in our Cemetery and is now remembered by us.Source:https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newsp.../NZ18531008.2.3...https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/news.../DSC18531007.2.3...https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/.../NENZC18531203.2.3.3...

1812, April 6th - 10pm - the people of the fortress village of Badajoz, southwestern Spain, 10kms from the Portugal border, are preparing for sleep, when the sound of thundering canon and gunshot echoed through the bastion - this was the beginning - Duke of Wellington’s 3rd Siege of Badajoz one of his Peninsular War efforts to drive Napoléon from Spain.When dawn broke, the horror of the slaughter revealed. 5,000+ bodies and wounded men piled high, blood flowing like rivers. This 8-hour battle was the bloodiest and most shameful for the Duke and it was here at this dawn that the stoic Wellington wept, uttering the words “our losses fell most heavily on the best and the bravest”.The story of our connection to this Siege begins….In the Matakana Cemetery a grey granite headstone is dedicated to the memory of Robert Jocelyn Phillips of “Somerville Farm” Whitmore Road at Bishops Corner, Lower Matakana. Remembered here after losing his life from “dysentery”, an infection of the intestines, on 29th of June 1871, he was 49 years old. Originally buried on the family farm and reinterred at the Matakana Cemetery in 1911 when the Phillip’s farm was sold . He was mourned by his wife Emma Jane (nee Bellingham) and his children William Henry and Lucy.Robert Jocelyn Phillips Junior - Photo taken Dublin c1859A descendent of Lord Jocelyn, Chancellor of Ireland 1739-1756, Robert Jocelyn Phillips (Junior) was born in 1822 at Somerville Castle, County Cavan, Ireland, approximately 100kms northwest of Dublin. Robert’s father Robert Jocelyn Phillips (Senior) is our connection to the 3rd Siege of Badajoz. A career soldier with the 27th (Inniskilling) Foot Regiment with rank of Ensign his responsibility during the siege was to hold the regimental colours (flag). He was one of Wellington’s best and bravest. During the siege he was wounded on the right shoulder and consequently his arm was amputated. The connection to this Soldier and battle lives on in tangible items, in 1969 the great granddaughter of Robert Senior, Lucy Phillips (William Henry’s daughter), donated family items including china, portraits and Robert Seniors battle Sword to the Auckland Museum. Our connection is now physical and touchable.Robert Senior marries in 1815 and has several children, Thomas, Grace, Robert and William. It was in 1840 at the age of 18 that Robert Jnr decided to leave his beloved homeland and try his luck in Australia. The reasons for this decision are unknown, however if you examine the context of this decision the reasons become clearer.After the Irish Rebellion of 1798 the Acts of Union was passed in 1800 creating the United Kingdom - Ireland and England as one. Within a few years’ Irishmen were called to fight English wars in Spain and at Waterloo and by the 1830’s under the harsh hand of the English, Ireland had fallen into poverty, religious division, and rural unrest. All precursors to the potato crop failure in the 1840’s and the resulting 1+ million deaths (12.5% of the population) during this Great Famine.Robert’s Brother, Thomas was a Ships Surgeon and maybe he brought home tales of success and wealth in foreign lands. Consequently, on October 6th, 1840, together they took passage on the “Conrad” bound for Sydney, Australia, arriving January 31st 1841. Of note is that also on board are the Bellingham Family from Kent, England - Francis, his second wife Julia and 5 daughters, including Elizabeth and Emma Jane. We do not know what work Robert performed in Australia, however his brother Thomas continued to travel on the immigrant ships as a Surgeon and in 1844 married Elizabeth Bellingham in Sydney. However, tragedy struck and in May 1850 Thomas suddenly died of Rapid Consumption 2 months before the birth of his 2nd child. Both of their children died in infancy and are buried with their father at the Camperdown Cemetery, Sydney, Australia. The 12 years Robert spent in Sydney are currently a mystery. However, our research finds him in San Francisco in May 1852, when he marries Emma Jane Bellingham in the Grace Church on the 30th of May, Robert is 30 and Emma Jane 31. From San Francisco they return to Dublin, we presume to attend to Robert’s elderly parents. Robert Senior now Retired Captain Barrack-Master of the Dundalk Barracks a position he held for over 33 years is living in Springfield Cottage, Dublin. Robert Junior and Emma Jane settled in Dublin and in 1855 their son William Henry Phillips is born followed by daughter Lucy in 1856. In 1861 after the death of his parents Robert and Emma packed up their household including a piano and left for New Zealand on the 232-ton brigantine Tawera, arriving in Auckland on 16 July 1861. In 1869 they purchase Lot 11 in Matakana and settle into farming life. William Henry (14 years old) is helping on the farm and Lucy (13) is attending the Matakana School. Of comfort to the family would have been that William Buchanan from Tyrone, Northern Ireland is their neighbour. Lucy Phillips & William Henry Phillips - portrait taken c1859, Dublin, Ireland.Robert is active in the community and Emma Jane operates a school for girls from the family house. Then in June 1871 at the age of 49 he falls ill with “dysentery” and dies. He is buried on the farm and his 16-year-old son William takes over and farms the land for the next 40 years until 1911 when the farm is sold. Robert’s daughter Lucy passes away from illness in 1878 and that’s another interesting story, for later. Emma Jane dies in 1887 and is also buried on the farm. In 1911 just prior to the sale of the farm Robert and Emma Jane are reinterred at the Matakana Cemetery and in 1971 a new gravestone is installed paid for by their Grand-daughter Lucy Phillips, as stated in her will. Robert's son William Henry marries Susan Snell and their descendants still live in the district. ----ooo0ooo----For the past 5 months I have been held in the grip of Robert Jocelyn Phillips Jnr and my efforts to reveal his life has led me into unknown places - - The Irish Troubles and the role played by the English - The Peninsular Wars & Waterloo- The life and times of the Duke of Wellington & NapoleonI may never be free of Robert, and I will always remember him. Rest in Peace young man.References:Wikipedia contributors. (2021, February 4). Siege of Badajoz (1812). In Wikipedia Retrieved July 23, 2020 from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Siege_of_Badajoz_(1812)Muir, R (2013). Wellington: The Path to Victory, 1769-1814. Annie Burr Lewis Fund. Retrieved July 31, 2https://www.lifeofwellington.co.uk/.../chapter-27.../“The Exploits of Ensign Bakewell Ms: With the Inniskilling in the Peninsula, (1810-11; and in Paris 1815)” edited by Ian Robertson 2012. Frontline Books. 

To read our first story on Tyler LOCAL BOY - Tyler King’s need for speed – his journey to Grand Prix Last Saturday Tyler competed in the 3rd and final round of the Victoria Motorcycle Club Summer series at Manfield Racetrack, Fielding. Conditions were less than perfect with a damp track from rain the night before. His first session was on dry tyres which saw him qualify 2nd fastest! A Wellington local, Rhys Lindsay, beat him to qualify in position 1. Leaving Tyler in position 2 of the front row for the day. A great start! Due to changeable weather - tyre changes and how to deal with them became the theme of the day. Five minutes before Race 1, saw a massive downpour leaving his team to scramble changing over to wet tyres. Unfortunately, Tyler’s mechanic couldn't make the trip, so his dad was pit crew for the day. They ran out of time fitting the rear tyre. An issue Rhys his top contender also experienced, instead he chose not to race. When it was GO time, Tyler dropped the clutch and instantly lost traction in the rear, due to it being super slippery! He recovered well and managed to come through the pack to finish in second. A great learning lesson for him to experience the slide going into corners. This new skill will come in handy for him no doubt! Race 2, Tyler had both wets fitted and had a clean race. Rhys came in 1st and Tyler 2nd . The last race of the day was dry (finally!), but the track was cold, so they chose to run wet tyres again. This was nervous decision they didn’t know would pay off as they were the only ones with wets on. Well, it paid off, booyah!! Rhys took off leading the race, but Tyler managed to pass him. After 6 back and forwards, Rhys’s rear tire let go and crashed out. Tyler won the race by about 800m! His race results of the day were 2,2,1. Which gave him the overall win for the day! A very happy result! He won 3rd place overall in the Championship, despite missing the first round. Tyler would like to give a big thank you to his dad and team behind him: Moto Benzina Bramble Cafe Matakana Mackisack ContractorsM&M Adventures Arai NZPirelli NZTitus TransportMad Mike MotorsportR&R Powersports Sloan FrostThe Matakana App  To follow Tylerhttps://www.facebook.com/TylerKing128https://www.instagram.com/mxtyler128/The Matakana App will get behind any kid/teen/young person that has talent, energy, and drive to get to the top and needs promotion or a helping hand. We will be following Tyler’s journey with regular updates here on the Matakana App. Join us!  

Tyler King is not like many other 15-year-old boys…or maybe he is?! He likes riding bikes…fast!However, he is exceptionally good at it and seems to have a knack for becoming good at anything he sets his mind to.A Waiwera local, from the wee age of 15 months (yes that’s right!) he has been riding Motorcycles. He rode his first Motocross (MotoX) at age 4; age 8 was his first MotoX season where he didn’t lose a single race. At age 10 he was on a bigger bike and won 3rd at the NZ MotoX Nationals. He has a shelf full of trophies and is still a teenager!From embryo to his first bike, to now racing - Tyler has always had a need for speed!What is Motocross? An off-road bike sport that has you flying over high jumps on tracks shaped from natural terrain. It is fast, close, and exciting.Aside from racing motorcycles, Tyler has also raced off-road trucks and side by sides.Six months ago, Tyler’s family acquired a Kayo 150 mini-GP bike. This is an inspired Grand Prix racing bike for ages 7 to 13. Countless hours have been spent after school and at nights training on it to improve Tyler’s road riding skills, needed for his next foray into Superbikes.What is a Superbike? A sports bike with a large engine, usually between 800 to 1200cc, used for racing. This is a sport not for the faint-hearted! In 2021, Tyler achieved a NZ 3rd in his first ever ride on a road bike.Tyler currently races:2019 Yamaha R15 in the 150 Supersport class.2021 Yamaha R3 in the 300 Supersport class. Last weekend, for the first time, he raced on a much bigger 300cc machine. Unfortunately, he dropped his bike on the first qualifying lap. This meant he had to start at the back in all three races. He managed to come through the field finishing 3rd, then 1st in his last 2 races! This won him overall for the day. Pretty amazing accomplishment on his first day driving a more powerful bike, and after a major setback at the start of the day.Tyler will be entering both the 150 and the 300 Supersport classes at the New Zealand Superbike Competition (NZSBK). His goal is to win both! This will stand him in good stead to race in the Australian Superbike Championship and/or the Asian Talent cup. If this is achieved, it would act as a gateway to MotoGP (Grand Prix). This is his ultimate goal – to represent his family and New Zealand. Tyler’s dad Shawn and step mum Vicky are passionately involved in every aspect of Tyler’s career and are utterly devoted to him achieving his dreams. One can only imagine the amount of time, energy, passion, drive, and perseverance his whole family would need being on the journey they have set for themselves.Shawn and Vicky are inviting you to come along for the ride with Tyler, by supporting and following his budding career. Funding is sought to help with racing expenses (flights & accommodation, entry fees, bike development, safety apparel). As you can imagine this is an expensive sport to be involved with especially at the top level. Investors can see where their contribution has been allocated, everything is transparent.Whether you are a business, bike fan, or just like to support locals, we invite you to contact Shawn King via Tyler’s Facebook page.Tyler is very appreciative of all his current sponsors who have made it possible for him to get this far.Bramble CafeMotoBenzina R&R PowersportsMackisack Contracting M&M AdventuresArai NZPirelli NZMad Mike Motorsports Frost IndustriesTitus TransportSloan Frost To follow Tylerhttps://www.facebook.com/TylerKing128https://www.instagram.com/mxtyler128/Tyler’s next race will be the final round of the Vic Club TSS Motorcycles Summer road race series in Manfeild, Fielding on the 21st May.The Matakana App will get behind any kid/teen/young person that has talent, energy, and drive to get to the top and needs promotion or a helping hand. We will be following Tyler’s journey with regular updates here on the Matakana App. Join us!     

From secluded coves to exotic wildlife, Lisa Toi, long-time Rodney resident and healthcare consultant, offers her highlights package for Leigh.Daniel's ReefI came to the Matakana region in 1997 and moved out to Leigh in 2007. It’s a sanctuary. Three days a week, I work from home, and I also commute into Auckland. We live on what is probably the best street in the Rodney district and have great access to Daniel’s Reef. You can see the swells from the road and be down there in two minutes. You look out and see Hauturu / Little Barrier, Aotea / Great Barrier, Coromandel and Tāwharanui. It’s an amazing view. And we see all the ships coming into Auckland as well.The Cove WalkThis is the place that has the most meaning for me. We’ve walked this track many, many times – we used to run it when we were fitter! – and taken so many friends and overseas visitors there.Such memories. From Leigh Wharf, you walk right around Leigh Harbour, across a little bridge over an estuary, onto a clifftop and down to a cove. You’re walking among native bush, and we’ve seen ruru / morepork and other amazing birdlife.You come out of the track onto a little beach that is super private and has incredible sea life. One night, we saw five massive stingrays, but we didn’t see any other people. In the height of summer, you’ll see maybe 10 groups, but at other times, we’re so lucky we have it to ourselves.'The Nordic'Just to the right of the cemetery used to be this old goat track that all the teenagers would go down to get to big rock pools and massive rocks that you can jump off.Locals call it ‘The Nordic’ after a ship that sank out from Leigh Harbour. It’s a place our family has spent a lot of time swimming at in the past 10 years. Auckland Council has now built stairs, which is awesome, as that makes it so much more accessible.Matheson BayA quintessential New Zealand bay. There’s a paddock where people can camp, and also a beautiful walk. We used to do it when you had to scramble over gravel, rocks and roots. Now, it has boardwalks and stairs. There’s a waterfall and a couple of places to sit as you weave your way up to Leigh Road. Over summer, we often put our beanbags, blankets and drinks in the truck and go down to Matheson Bay. We either cook our own food or get fish and chips.Ti Point Reptile ParkAs my kids have grown up, we’ve done ‘forced family fun’ – walks, or picnics, or taking them to the Ti Point Reptile Park. It’s been going for years. It’s a family business, and they’re very involved in the community. They’ve got alligators, tuatara, skinks, tortoises, turtles, geckos, tarantulas and iguanas.Goat Island Marine ReserveAs locals, we tend to stay away in peak season, but we really love birds, so sometimes during the week we’ll head down, sit up in the car park and watch the kawau / shags going nuts in the pōhutukawa trees. It’s definitely one of Leigh’s main attractions.

Trish Allen is a passionate gardener and permaculturist who believes in working with nature, not against. Trish and her late husband, Joe Polaischer, co-founded the iconic, award-winning Rainbow Valley Farm in Matakana in the late 1980s.  The farm became an education centre and inspired thousands of people over 25 years in sustainable living and demonstrated the principles of permaculture in action.  Trish has now moved on and established a new eco-home and edible landscape in the village and shares her knowledge by teaching permaculture-related courses, composting and waste minimisation in New Zealand and overseas. She is involved in her local community garden and Greenswap.During the first lockdown, as the Greenswap couldn't go ahead, Trish ended up with 'boxes and boxes and boxes worth of fruit.'Her first instinct was to start making up boxes of her homegrown harvests to share with neighbours, friends and family. “I’d send out a text or an email. Sometimes people would say they didn’t need it but they would pass it along to someone else who was doing it tough.”One friend suggested she start weighing the apples, pears, bananas, feijoas, persimmons, grapes, tomatoes and zucchini which she was sharing, so she did. By the time the 2020 restrictions had lifted, she had distributed more than 140kg of fresh food.When the lockdowns rolled out again in 2021, Allen didn’t have fruit to swap but her vegetable garden was packed with winter crops. “I had masses of broccoli, cauliflower, kale, silverbeet and French sorrel. So I gave out a lot of parcels of those to anyone I knew who needed it.”Trish is offering another Permaculture workshop from July to December 2022. For more information, check out her socials below https://www.facebook.com/TrishRainbowValley/

One Mahurangi Business Association is hosting a thank you dinner to acknowledge the hard work from our local emergency services over a very busy summer. The dinner will be held at the Warkworth Town Hall on Wednesday the 11th of MayThey want to give a big community thank you to our emergency services, including local Fire departments from Warkworth, Snells Beach, Matakana, and Leigh, as well as local Police, St Johns, Coastguard, and Surf Lifesaving.Support for the evening from local businesses has already begun and One Mahurangi Business Association would like to extend the invitation for involvement to the wider community.Possible ways you can be involved and support the success of this event:- Donation of funds to help cover the costs of the evening: Account 06 0483 0113551 04 (Any leftover funds will be donated evenly to the local emergency services.)- Help on the night with set up, prep food, service of food and drinks, clean up, and pack down.One Mahutangi welcome your involvement in this great community event and look forward to hearing from you. Join them in thanking our local heroes! One Mahurangi is still focused at growing the list - WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHEROne Mahurangi would like to thank all the generous support that has been shown by local businesses already. Following is a list of Local Businesses supporting the Emergency Services dinner.Aquaworks, Heron's Flight Vineyard, Dixon Manufacturing, Barfoot & Thompson, Gaby's, Chocolate Brown. Mahurangi River Wines, Carlton Party Hire Pacific Linen, Composite Joinery, Warkworth Town Hall, Bayleys Real Estate, Charlies Icecream, LJ Hooker, Savans Bakery, Warehouse StationerySTIHL Shop, Aldo’s Restaurant, Runner Duck Wines, The Bridgehouse, Bams Bakery, Golden Boat, Source Kitchen, Warkworth Hotel, BamBoo Asian CanteenITM Warkworth, Cafe Fresh, Viet Q, Asahi Sushi, Countdown Warkworth, New World Warkworth, Sawmill Brewery, 8 Wired, Mahurangi OystersFor more information on how you can be involved contact:Murray Chapman [email protected] 0274966550Alex Hayward [email protected] 0275278869TO SIGN OUR VIRTUAL THANK YOU CARD, COPY THIS LINK AND PASTE INTO YOUR BROWSER >https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/G2RBFZC...

'The Matakana App' is appreciative that local Andrienne Millar knows much of the history of Matakana and loves to share it. Andrienne has agreed to work alongside TMA so we can share many of the old stories of people and events with you. I know first-hand what an amazing storyteller Andrienne is. When I approached Andrienne and communicated with her that I’d like to use TMA to share our local history Andrienne suggests the Matakana Cemetery was a good place to start. Many of those who rest at the cemetery their families are still in the Matakana district today. Below is an excerpt from a piece written by Steph Mellors. Steph is an ex-copy editor at the Rodney Times and is also a trustee of the Matakana Cemetery Trust. Andrienne has gained her permission to use these excerpts from an article she wrote in 2015.“Walking through the Matakana Cemetery is by no means a doleful experience. If you’ve got an hour to spare and want to explore a bit, you might like to don some comfortable shoes, perhaps take a walking pole, and make your way up the steepish short track to acquaint yourself with some of the locals. Many of their descendants still live in the district.Don’t’ let the uphill pathway deter you from discovering Matakana Cemetery, there’s a rope hand hold to make the path easier. It’s an interesting place where lie many of the early local settlers. Each has made a contribution to this village.  Their laughter and tears, vision and hard work will echo for you if you allow it. Sit awhile and pay your respects, enjoy the bush backdrop and be at peace”.  - Steph Mellors Matakana Cemetery Trust - 2015

Work is underway on a new visitor attraction at the entrance to Warkworth on SH1.Morrison's Heritage orchard is building a rustic, architectural cafe and playground with monthly farmers markets planned alongside a fruit and produce shop highlighting the many heritage varieties grown by the family over the last 150 years.The family plan to add a hands-on educational experience to the venture for schools and families with pick your own fruit, animal petting and camping.The facility will be linked to a walkway and cycleway into Warkworth village.Bevan Morrison is project managing the building work, likely to be ready for opening in 2024.Resource consent is currently being prepared.Other local growers will be encouraged to use the farmers market to showcase their produce.