Heritage Talk - Hukerenui Hub of the North

Talk date: 26 November 2025.

The Jack Morgan Museum which opened in 2010, celebrates the rich history of the Hukerenui District. Three museum committee members: Kay Mason, Debbie Sturmfels and Shirley Blake, presented a talk about the early days of Hukerenui — from the arrival of the first settlers in the 1860s to its vibrant heyday in the 1910s when Hukerenui was a thriving community with the northern railway terminus and a busy centre serving the surrounding district.

The image above is of Hukerenui in 1926. Jack Morgan Museum.

The speakers

Kay Mason

Niece of Jack Morgan; grandchild of Alice Wilson and Joe Morgan, a long term resident of Hukerenui, volunteer and committee member of the Jack Morgan Museum. Kay's family are integral to the Hukerenui story as farmers, blacksmiths, gum diggers and hotel proprietors.

Shirley Blake

Great-grandchild of early settlers Thomas and Sarah Rouse and Thomas and Mary Baylis. Born in the district, Shirley is a volunteer and committee member of the Jack Morgan Museum. She has stayed closely connected to the district throughout her life, both as a resident and family support person. The Rouse family continue to farm in the district.

Debbie Sturmfels

Debbie delights in telling the stories of the past and serves as a volunteer and Secretary of the Jack Morgan Museum. She is a newcomer to the Hukerenui District however, has recently discovered that her grandparents lived in the district in the early 1930s when her father attended Towai School.