Captain Wlliam Bazire Messenger's homestead at Pukearuhe/White Cliffs Redoubt

I went for a field trip today, taking Captain Messengers Medal to the redoubt at Pukearuhe 'White Cliffs', where he once lived. All thats left of his homestead are some steps and a hearthstone for the fireplace. It took some time to find as it's not clearly signposted, I asked a local farmer, who gave me directions. I spent half an hour and cleared some weeds as it was overgrown. At the redoubt, Captain Messenger commanded 150 Taranaki settlers who came from Melbourne in 1864. A massive ancient Pa was leveled and a substantial military complex was constructed there.
At the cessation of the war, Messenger settled on his land grant at Mihi. Lt Gascoigne (who had taken over command from Messenger) and his family, and a missionary Reverend Whitely were massacred at the Pukearuhe Redoubt/settlement in 1869. Messenger had left the Redoubt shortly before the massacre.
Captain Messenger returned to Pukearuhe a couple more times over his military career until the Messengers left White Cliffs in 1885 and settled nearby to farm, eventually retiring to New Plymouth.
It's all about the history for me, one day the cliffs and pohutukawa tree will be lost to the ocean below and nothing will remain. I felt privileged to walk on the same ground.