The Hukerenui Hotel

Many times I've driven past this building on state highway 1 on the way to Whangarei and finally stopped last week.  The Hukerenui Hotel is apparently still open at selected times however to me it always looks closed. 

It was originally built in 1880 and has been moved twice over the years. It closed in 1889 when it was moved more than 20 kilometres up the road before reopening in 1890. Mr A. Carruth, a Whangarei lawyer appeared before the licensing committee on behalf of Carl Jorgen Rasmussen of Hukerenui. Carl and his wife Sarah owned the hotel for 4 years, they combined it with  a store and butchery and between November 1893 to May 1894 included a local post office. Sarah passed away in and Carl transferred the license to William Woods.

William and his wife Catherine owned the hotel for 8 years, they expanded the accommodation part to man and beast and before they sold it built on a large stable at the back of the building. They then sold it to a Mrs Keatley in 1902 who moved to Hukerenui to Hikurangi and with her high reputation plus the backing of the Hikurangi miners she started 70 years of Keatley family ownership of the hotel.

During this time was the move to where it now stands using bullock teams and timber jacks. It took several weeks and cost 500 pounds (a huge amount in those days). To avoid a lapse in the liquor licence the hotel was kept over during that time. Information from Elisha Blake and taken from the book "Hukerenui in the beginning". 

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