The Waipu Museum

Once called the House of Memories, the UNESCO-recognised Waipu Museum is the historical hub of Bream Bay. It was established in 1953 after a call-out at a local reunion saw an influx of historical artefacts, photos and records. Manager Fiona Mohr studied Gaelic at university and found her dream job here in Waipu, surrounded by the genealogy of 50,000 names, several thousand photos, shipping artefacts, a talking Scottish apparition and a 156-year-old doll. The museum features the history of the Scottish settlers, from the dark days of the Highland Clearance, to the famine of Nova Scotia and chaos of Gold Rush Australia, before charting their progress to their Northland home. 36 The Centre, Waipu. (09) 432 0746, waipumuseum.com