The Kawakawa Star Hotel
The old Kawakawa Star Hotel is now 141 years old and was first opened on April 19th 1879. 3 years later an application for an accommodation licence was filed and granted because travellers who passed through the town had nowhere to stay. Duncan Fraser who at that period of time was the licensee and from what I've read of it's history it seems it has a rather chequered history.
(Photo taken by Vera Jane Ellis from Heritage Images)
In 1896 there were various burglaries, 1899 the hotel also included a horse riding school, in 1900 a Maori man was found on a beach in Awanui after spending the previous night drinking at the hotel - the enquiry around his death was found to be a homicide, in the same year whoever was the hotel keeper at that time was found guilty of perjury (not sure what that was about), an updated licence was granted to the new licensee named Mr McCullough on the proviso that a stable would be provided for visitors horses and lastly a license was granted to provide wholesale liquor.
These days the hotel has much quieter existence, looks well looked after and has a tidy appearance in the town.
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