In the first foray inland in the Northern war, on 8 May 1845 British troops attacked the site of a new pā being built by Hōne Heke on the shore of Lake Ōmāpere. After an initial artillery bombardment, the British sent a storming party towards the pā which was ambushed by a separate force lying in wait led by Te Ruki Kawiti. The British retreated, with a number of dead and wounded on both sides.

The area is now covered by farmland but can be seen from the roadside. The exact site of the pā is the subject of some uncertainty.

Learn more

• Te Ruapekapeka British withdraw at Pukututu (Te Kahika Pā)
• A Challis The location of Heke's Pa, Te Kahika, Okaihau, NZ. A field analysis