Live Day - History in the Baking

Come along this Live Day to discover the foods that were produced, grown, traded, cooked and shared in early Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.

Explore recipes and culinary traditions in displays throughout the site. Roll up your sleeves to help costumed Villagers at work, peeling potatoes and preparing the broth!

To mark the launch of the ‘Heritage Home Cookery’ book produced by The Howick & Districts Historical Society, meet David Veart - social anthropologist, cookbook collector and author of First Catch Your Weka. A Story of New Zealand Cooking - in an informal talk at 2pm.

Sip soup or sample bread and biscuits freshly baked in the oven and coal range. Churn cream into butter in interactive demonstrations at 11 and 1pm.

Watch the blacksmiths and woodturners at work. Attend a Victorian school lesson at 12 & 3pm. Don’t miss the sweet shop, filled with old-fashioned lollies and fudge!

With crafts, outdoor games and performances of Morris dancing (10:30 & 11:30) and bagpipes (12:30) there will be lots going on. Have brunch or lunch at the Homestead Café and make a day of it!


Admission: Adults $18 | Students/Seniors $16 | Children $10 | Family $46

Children under 5, HDHS members and annual pass holders - free