Northland heritage

The Northland Room, located on the first floor of the Whangārei Central Library, contains materials relating to the Northland area comprising Whangārei, Kaipara, and Far North districts, with particular emphasis on the Whangārei area.

This collection has evolved into a heritage collection which includes the indexed Florence Keene Collection.

Material in the Northland Room may be photocopied for a small charge.

The Northland Room Collection is kept in an environmentally controlled setting, thus certain conditions of use apply. Ask at the Information Desk on the first floor for access to this room.

The Florence Keene collection

A special collection of material bequeathed to the Whangārei District Library by noted Northland historian and writer Florence Keene (1908 - 1998). The collection includes scrapbooks made up of newspaper cuttings with a historical content. These are thoroughly indexed.

View Florence Keene collection online

Early historical photographs and maps including topographical, land inventory maps and aerial photographs of Whangārei.

Maps on Recollect

Photographs on Recollect

Full copies of the Whangārei Photo News from 1962 to 1966 can be viewed online at the Recollect website. (Not all issues are available).

View Whangārei Photo News

The Northern Advocate dates from 1885. These are available on microfilm in the Genealogy Room, first floor, Whangārei Central Library.

Later years are available in paper form bound into large volumes.

Editions of The Advocate from 1887 to 1949 are available online on Papers Past.

View The Northern Advocate on Papers Past

• Bream Bay News
• Dargaville News
• Hokianga Gumboots Express
• Kamo Clarion
• The Northern News
• Northern Star
• Northern Holiday
• Northland Review
• Weekend Magazine
• Weekend Report
• Whangārei City News
• Whangārei Leader
• Whangārei Report
• Whangaroa Whispers.

• Auckland - Waikato Historical Journal 1968 -1996
• Focus
• Gardening in Northland
• Northlander 1960 -1977
• Northland Magazine 1958 -1972
• PhotoNews 1962 -1981
• Russell Review 1977 onwards
• Savy
• Scene Magazine
• Tane 1972 onwards
• High School magazines - Whangārei Boys High School begins at 1920

• Bay of Islands 1853 - 1992
• Dargaville 1971 - 1977
• Hikurangi 1962 - 1980
• Hobson 1960 - 1988
• Hokianga 1971 - 1980
• Kaikohe 1974 and 1980
• Kaipara 1978 - 1994
• Kaitaia 1974 and 1980
• Kamo 1965
• Mangonui 1868 - 1908
• Marsden 1866 - 1969
• Northern Division 1855
• Northern Māori 1972 - 1994
• Northland 1995 to present
• Otamatea 1974 - 1980
• Rodney 1963 - 1995
• Te Tai Tokerau 1995 to present
• Warkworth 1974
• Whangārei 1915 to present
• Whangaroa 1971 and 1980.

Electoral areas have changed their names over the years. For instance the Whangārei area has been known as Northern Division, Marsden and finally Whangārei.

To check the electoral boundaries for the years  1853 to 1987 please refer to New Zealand Electoral Atlas by Alan McRobie (328.3345 MCR) available in the Genealogy Room.

The electoral rolls from 1987 onwards have a boundary map on the back of each cover.