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The restored battle site at Ōhaeawai in Te Tai Tokerau has been officially opened today.
Te Pakanga o Ōhaeawai near Kaikohe, one of the key sites of the Northern Land Wars, is where Te Ruki Kawiti led a successful defence of the pā against British bombardment in the 1845 Battle of Ōhaeawai.
The site has undergone a $1.79 million restoration.
“The restoration of the Battle Site allows the descendants of those involved in the war and the wider public to learn about this significant battle as well as the wider community to benefit from the restored infrastructure," Economic and Regional Development Minister, Stuart Nash, said in a statement Sunday.
Ōhaeawai Community Cultural Centre received the funding to restore the site which includes St Michael’s Church, the Te Haara farm and the Ōhaeawai Native School.