News & Events

Auckland Branch had the fulfilment of a two year dream occur on the 27^thJanuary with the unveiling of a commemorative board on Queen’s Wharf, Auckland, to mark the 175^thanniversary of the first organised arrival of settlers aboard the vessels “Jane Gifford” and “Duchess of Argyle”, to Auckland, on 9^thOctober 1842. 

The Barque Blenheim set sail from Greenock, Scotland on the 25^th of August 1840 with 197 Scots, most in family groups, arriving in Port Nicholson [Wellington] at Kaiwharawhara on the 27^th of December 1840.

To mark this 175 years of settlement in New Zealand arrangements are in place to hold dinners In Auckland on the 22^nd & Wanganui on the 25^th of August to mark the Blenheim’s departure, and a picnic at Kaiwharawhara Park in Wellington on the 27^th of December 2015 to mark the arrival.