stone store - kerikeri mission station

Evocative setting for early settler activity. The architecture so aptly captured the Colonial period. The river crossing is as it must have appeared to the early settlers. The garish modern footbridge upstream somewhat ruins the overall scene.

For people who appreciate the historical significance of a property or location, then you must see this.Visually stunning and superbly located adjacent to the inlet, it offers a treat of olde worlde charm. We explored the the Stone Store, the adjacent building (now a cafe), church, and gorgeous inlet gardens and thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. Like Waitangi, this is a part of NZ early history so don't pass it by. Stop and enjoy! Definately worth a visit.

The Stone Store is a very interesting building and shop, by the river, on the outskirts of Kerikeri, near the Bay of Islands. We spent an enjoyable afternoon exploring the olde worlde store, cafe and riverside. The sun was shining and we walked over the river from the car park by way of the stepping stones, which was very pleasant.

If you enjoy history, you'll enjoy this place. The Stone Store is the first store in NZ & staff dress in period costume. At the door they've detailed what it took in material to build the store & prices of the day. You can buy odds n ends, but not at period prices. Times they have a changed!

Is a bit of history, if the trip to kerikeri is really a must, I really doubt. The store is nice in time, nice ambience, is just an old store not much of an attraction and kerikeri doesnt deserve the time.

$10 paid for a guided tour of the very old Kemp homestead - fascinating & well guided . This also gave entry to the museum in the stone store - upstairs .NOT TO BE MISSED Many do not venture upstairs - we were alone there & amazed & fascinated by the audio- visual presentations & all the old stuff on show . 2 hours later we got hungry !!!!! - and we are not generally history buffs or lengthy perusers of journals & old photos - it was fascinating !!!!I HIGHLY RECOMMEND

The stone store just gives you a taste of what it must have been like. Staff were interesting. Gifts on offer were different.

Firstly reading some of the previous reviews I would say that some people should consider spending their entire holidays within the confines of a suburban shopping mall because if its not surrounded by flashing lightbulbs and overflowing with tat and bling then its 'boring' and 'theres nothing to do'.Actually theres plenty to do at Kerikeri Mission Station but it does require an appreciation for history and culture. The Mission Station comprises several different buildings - the Stone Store and Kemp House being the most obvious - but there's an Anglican church (up on the hill, a nice church but not anywhere near as old as Kemp House and the Stone Store). Theres also Rewa's Village across the river which is a small reproduction of a Maori settlement with a garden with examples of botanic species and their applications in traditional Maori culture.Theres also a nice café overlooking the river and a more upmarket restaurant. Why KeriKeri Mission Station is so important is that it’s the original Pakeha settlement in New Zealand - as in, it’s the first. Kemp House is the first private residence, and the Stone Store is the first commercial building. These buildings are amongst the most important historical structures in existence in New Zealand, so try not to whinge about the distance from the carpark or the lack of shopping and just spend some time contemplating what it would have meant for both Maori and Pakeha 175 years ago when they coexisted for the first time.The $10 tour was well worth it as Kemp House is only opened for tours, along with the upper floors of the Stone Store. It was well worth it, the displays were informative and well thought out. The ground floor of the Stone Store was a clever mix of vintage and Kiwiana stock which was interesting and well priced and I left with a bag of K Bars to gnaw my way through.The staff were friendly and approachable, they were dressed in vintage wardrobe which personally I always thought was a bit gimmicky but on the other hand I probably spent more time than I expected talking to them - so maybe it does work - they certainly knew their history and were quite proud to relate the significance of the Mission Station to visitors.Would I go back? Yes, I would. I'd certainly include a meal because the options were very good, it was a nice place to visit and spend time at.

There's little else to do here other than go, oooh old stone house, but everyone does it, so why can't you! You can play for the tour ??? or sit outside and enjoy the very pleasant view with an ice cream

The Stone Store is an absolute delight- the bottom floor is an eclectic mix of gifts and wares many that relate to the history of the area. Upstairs is a beautifully set out historic museum that one can spend time reading accounts from the original diaries of the Pakeha settlers of the area and get a sense of the evolution of the settlement. The staff are dedicated and knowledgeable and the guided tours of the Store and Kemp House are fun. Highly recommended for a slow paced, intelligent dip into history and then have a walk in the beautifully cared for gardens. Highly recommended

Kia ora, we are sorry that you were disappointed on your recent visit, and thank you for your feedback. Yes, the road signs direct visitors to a larger carpark across the river because the wharf and turnaround area near the Stone Store gets very congested, especially in summer. However the short stroll across the footbridge is easy, with great views. Off the footbridge the Honey House Café is in the first building you come to but there is a signposted shell path leading past the café to Kemp House, or for the more intrepid, an un-signposted mown path that wends its way along the riverbank. Because of their authenticity the shell paths flow around Kemp House in either direction and through the gardens, however there is an area where one of the paths makes its way across what is called ‘the kitchen walk’, an area of flat stones placed there in the early 1820s. There is also an area of lawn to be crossed to reach the Stone Store. Because of your feedback we are going to review our signage on the site. Thank you.

I liked that the Old Stone Store hasn't changed since I first visited it as a child in the 1950s.That's the way it should stay!

Much nicer now that the main road does not go past the front of the Stone Store. There's a great little shop and two lovely cafes either side. Plenty of parking and a nice river that you can walk through (or there's a bridge) to get to Rewa's village, the Maori village museum. You can pay to go inside or just look around the grounds which is equally as good.

Stunning building in a stunning location, with an excellent museum and gift shop. The guided tour of the close by Kemp House/mission house was really worthwhile and our guide, Louise, full of information. The gardens are lovely and the whole experience gave us much more understanding of the role of missionaries and the response of the Maori. A great experience but give it time to really appreciate the mass of information.

These two well maintained and historic buildings are in a beautiful location and well worth a visit which can be combined with a walk along the river.