Plans to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Captain Cook's arrival on the Endeavour in Te Whanganui A Hei (Mercury Bay) are now beginning to take shape.

Taking place in November 2019, the sestercentennial celebrations are being organised by the newly established Mercury 250 Anniversary Trust which features a who's who of the Mercury Bay community.

With the establishment of the Mercury 250 Anniversary Trust, planning is now underway to mark the 250th anniversary of Captain Cook's arrival in Te Whanganui A Hei (Mercury Bay). Image: TCDC

The Trust is chaired by Mercury Bay Community Board chairman Paul Kelly and features Ngati Hei kaumātua Joe Davis, Mercury Bay Area School Principal John Wright and Mercury Bay Museum Trustee Richard Gates.

Sir Michael Fay is the trust's patron, with Thames-Coromandel District councillors Tony Fox and Murray McLean acting in an advisory role.

Its primary role is to work with central and local government, plus inform and engage the public, community organisations and other interested parties who want to participate.

Council says celebrating this milestone and the significance of what took place during Cook's 12 day stay in Mercury Bay will be the focus of local, national and international attention.

'Not only did Cook establish the geographic coordinates of New Zealand while in the bay, of equal importance was the shared Māori and Pākehā experience at Te Whanganui A Hei at that time.

'It was here where mutual respect between Europeans and local iwi evolved. It could truly be said Mercury Bay is a formative meeting place of our now multicultural nation.”

The trust has identified three key project themes which will be integral to commemorative events that recognise Cook's on-going legacy in Mercury Bay.

These are ‘Navigation and Exploration – Crossing Place (Kupe to Cook)', ‘Scientific Discoveries – Transit of Mercury' and ‘Meeting Place – Sharing of Cultures'.

Council adds these themes will be relevant and enduring, for both the wider Coromandel Peninsula area and the nation as a whole.

'Given the involvement of many overseas interests work is going on behind the scenes with central government – funding being a key element in the discussions,” says council. 'The trust is also liaising with similar regional organisations which have been established in Gisborne, the Bay of Islands and Queen Charlotte Sound.

'These were all key sequential stopovers during Cooks 1769/70 circumnavigation of New Zealand.”

A priority for the Mercury 250 Anniversary Trust will also be to encourage public support and participation in staging the commemorative events.

A public meeting will be held early in 2016 to update the local community on what is being planned for the anniversary and to call for volunteers who want to contribute and assist.

For more information visit the Thames-Coromandel District Council's Mercury Bay 250 Commemorations project page or call Paul Kelly on (07)-866-4430 or 0274-466-094.

A portrait of Captain James Cook painted by Nathaniel Dance-Holland, c. 1775. Image: Wikipedia