Dargaville

About

Established in 1872, Dargaville was a busy river town built on its trade in the kauri gum and timber industry. Inhabited mostly by Croatian immigrants, the town was known for kauri gum digging, the process of extracting fossilized resin from kauri trees, and manufacturing it into jewellery. At the Dargaville museum there’s a replica gumdiggers camp which showcases the rich history of the trade, including actual kauri artefacts and the machinery used to power the plant. Here you’ll also see Māori Waka exhibitions, displaying expertly crafted Māori canoes, and feature rooms that tell the story of how Dargaville developed over the years. Now, the town produces around two thirds of the country’s sweet potato (kumara). The Kumara Box is a family-focussed attraction aimed to educate about the industry history and farming methods. Dargaville has an abundance of art shops, galleries and independent eateries, many housed in well-maintained 19th century buildings that add to the towns quaint charm.