Muarangi te maunga                       Muarangi is our mountain

Te Wairoa te awa                            Te Wairoa is our river

Kaipara te moana                            Kaipara is our ocean

Pouto te wahi                                 Pouto is our place

Waikaretu te marae                         Waikaretu is our meeting house

Hakiputatomuri te tangata              Hakiputatomuri is our ancestor

Te Uri o Hau te hapu                       Te Uri o Hau is our sub-tribe

Ngati Whatua te iwi                        Ngati Whatua is our tribe

Naumai Haere mai                           Welcome here

Ki te wahapu o te Kaipara               To the entrance of the Kaipara

Kaipara takahuri waka                     Kaipara that overturns ships

Kaipara whakarere wahine              Kaipara that makes women widows

Kaipara taniwha e                           Kaipara guardians here

	Click to enlarge

Welcome to the official website of Waikaretu Marae, Pouto.

Technology is a rapidly increasing part of this world. Thanks to the many people involved in creating and maintaining this site, we are totally pleased to be able to virtualy give you a piece of home, no matter how near or far you maybe.

Please feel free to scroll through, if you have any suggestions, comments or shout-outs, please do so by registering yourself in our Guest Book.

Click to enlarge

So far we have managed to track down alot of friends and whanau through the use of this site. This has been an awesome result, something we initially hoped will happen.

If there is someone out there you maybe looking for or maybe a special family  occasion coming up, please dont hesitate to let us know, kohatuproductions(at)xtra.co.nz .

Hope this message finds you all in good health, Take care & safe surfing,

Pouto.Net Crew

	Click to enlarge

The Pouto Peninsula is a coastal peninsula of land some 55 km long, which is bounded on three sides by water. On the western side the Tasman Sea beats along an unbroken surf beach (Ripiro). The Coast here is a rounded line of broken sandstone cliffs and dunes, girded by an apron of sandy beach. On the eastern side the waters of the Kaipara Harbour ebb and flow over large tidal mud flats and sand banks and through deep inlets. On the southern boundary the peninsula forms one side of the entrance to the Kaipara Harbour, offshore, swift tides mark the meeting place for the harbour waters and rollers from the open sea.

Click to enlarge

An energetic 15 minute climb up sand dunes leads to this three storey wooden lighthouse built in 1884 and now protected by the Historic Places Trust. The lighthouse is situated on the last outcrop of sandstone and is 278 feet above sea level. Erected in 1884 by Mr D Scott. First operated on 1st December 1884. The cost of building the lighthouse was 5571 pounds. To accommodate the lighthouse keepers two small cottages and tool sheds were built nearby. The lighthouse switched to automation on 17th November, 1947 and on that day the harbour was closed to ships

	Click to enlarge

Maori habitation of Pouto goes back to ancient times and in recent years relics have been found of a civilisation thought to pre-date Maori settlement of the area.

.At one time this harbour was the busiest in New Zealand with sailing ships carrying out the regions valuable kauri timber and gum.

Its infamous mouth and sandbar and the coast nearby were treacherous. An area of Pouto is called The Graveyard because of the many ships which went down there. In certain tidal and sand conditions, the remains of wrecks may be partially exposed offshore or in the sand.

Piripi, the 'Pouto.Net Website Developer' on top of a summit in his home land, Germany.

 The Hau-Kainga would like to take this opportunity to extend great thanks and gratitude to Philip for making our web-site become a reality.

We have been totally blessed to have you part of our community & absolutely proud to have you part of our family.

There is so much you have done for us in the short time that you've spent with us, that words just can not express.

Once again, Piripi, thank you very much for all your time, patience & aroha ( love ) you have shown & shared with us.

Arohanui,

Pouto