As many townships and boroughs around Hawke’s Bay are celebrating their birth a hundred and fifty years ago, one village in picturesque Central Hawke’s Bay hasn’t changed too much from then. Michael took a wander through history along Ongaonga’s walking trail, taking some photos and reporting back on how things have or have not changed.
Ongaonga might just be New Zealand’s best-kept secret. With a name that’s as fun to say as it is to explore, this village feels like stepping into a time capsule that someone forgot to seal properly. You can practically hear the horse carts, feel the wooden wheels creaking and smell the faint whiff of kerosene from long-abandoned lanterns. Fortunately the Ongaonga Historical Society has created a walking trail through the town and kept their treasures intact, and they’ve done a remarkable job, considering the village looks like a set from a Hollywood movie.
It might be small, but Ongaonga is packed with historical significance. The town began to take shape in the mid- 19th century, being a crossroads for transporting goods when roading systems were few and far between.
Through Ongaonga passed wool, timber and agricultural products, making their way from the hinterlands to the bustling markets of Napier and Hastings. In 1872, founder H.H. Bridge subdivided this land into dozens of parcels, built a school, church and recreational area, and Onga Onga (as it was spelled back then, named after a nearby stream) became a social and commercial hub for local farmers.
The Ongaonga Museum is a highlight of the heritage trail, preserving artifacts and stories from the village’s early days. The restored buildings, including the original schoolhouse, offer a glimpse into colonial life in New Zealand that’s both educational and slightly spooky. It’s wonderful to not only view the many artefacts, here you can immerse all your senses. You can go into the tiny but efficient settler cabin and smell the old fire, walk on the creaky floorboards in the jail, pretend you are a sheep shearer and get up close and personal with some very interesting old things.
The star attractions in the trail are the old buildings. Because what’s an historical village trail without a solid line-up of wooden façades that have seen better days? Ongaonga boasts several 19thcentury structures that might have you checking your phone for a signal just to be sure you haven’t gone back in time.
Coles Bros factory, sitting in the heart of the village, is a Category 1 historical building constructed in 1878 and was once a bustling hub of industry. The Coles brothers were responsible for much of the building of Southern and Central Hawke’s Bay back in the day, their various businesses including carpentry, surveying, interior decorating and even coffin building and the local undertaker business.
These days, it’s more likely to serve as a backdrop for tourists with overenthusiastic tripods. Still, it’s hard not to be impressed by the mere fact that it’s still standing.
Ongaonga is not the place for highspeed anything, unless you count the wind rushing past you as you cycle down the deserted roads. Life here ambles along at a pace that makes molasses seem fast. The beauty of the village is that it’s a reminder of what life was like before we were all obsessed with swiping right or left.
The few who call Ongaonga home are proud custodians of their village. They’ll happily give you a history lesson if you’re willing to listen (and you should be – it beats reading plaques). With a population that would fit comfortably into your average café, it’s safe to say that everyone knows everyone, and yes, they’ll know you’re new here.
Ongaonga’s charm lies in the details. The quirks. It’s the kind of place where you can imagine a postman still delivers letters by hand, possibly while whistling a tune from 1892. The village is small but mighty, packed with stories that are just waiting for a witty observer to capture them – thankfully, that’s your job.
The village name ‘Ongaonga’ isn’t just a quirky mouthful – it’s actually the Māori word for native stinging nettle, Urtica ferox, a tall woody plant with fine poisonous hairs on the leaves and stems. So, while the village may look like a sleepy relic, its namesake plant suggests that it’s not to be underestimated.
In the end, Ongaonga is a village that wears its history on its sleeve – well, on its walls, in its streets, and in the air itself. Visiting here is like taking a breath of the past, with just enough modernity to remind you to check your car’s petrol tank before you go. It’s quirky, it’s charming, and it’s far from ordinary. Plus, where else can you find a place whose name literally means ‘stinging nettle’ yet feels like a warm embrace?
So next time you’re passing through Hawke’s Bay, take the scenic route. Ongaonga might just surprise you – if it doesn’t prick you first.
