Oldest Church, Newest Technology

Oldest Church, Newest Technology

Visitors to the Bay of Islands are now offered a digital tour of New Zealand’s oldest churchyard at Christ Church in Russell. Fascinating stories of the people buried there have been developed by social enterprise, Hikoi Tahi Walking Tours, a company which aims to share local stories with using App-based technology as its platform.

Thousands of people visit this historic church each year and wander through the cemetery, reading the headstones and wondering about the people named. Here are Māori leaders, first European settlers and itinerant mariners. Here are generations of families as well as those who died alone and far from their loved ones. From the town's first grog-seller to a local hero of the Second World War, these are moving stories that give an intriguing insight into some of the characters that made our country what it is today.

A map assists with navigation through the cemetery. This digital tour is rich with images, text and sound that enable visitors to gain a far better insight into life in Kororāreka, or Russell as it’s known today.

"We're delighted with the result " said Roger Wyatt, Administrator for the Christ Church Russell Local Shared Ministry Unit, . " Cemeteries have fascinating stories behind many headstones and we are glad to share them with our visitors, many from overseas".

The Hikoi Tahi Walking Tours App is free to download from Google Play or the iTunes store but the individual walks carry a small fee, approximately NZ$6.50. A percentage of this fee is shared with Christ Church to help the Church Council to maintain the cemetery.

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