The Story of The
White Swan
The year is 1862, and the S.S. White Swan sails from Napier to Wellington, carrying with her members of parliament and trunks packed with national documents for the first ever parliamentary meeting in our nation’s capital.
But, as the Swan rounds Uriti Point east of Greytown, they are engulfed by an approaching storm – and with a roar she is caught on a reef. Amidst rising swells, the captain calls to abandon ship, and, clutching only a few scant belongings, these desperate sailors clamber into lifeboats and head for shore.
Crew and passengers alike seek shelter in a nearby woolshed, where they are discovered by Mr. John Moore, a local farmer and homesteader. Delighted to take these new guests into his home, Moore provides these shipwrecked travellers with food, beer, and beds, and over four nights he and his wife Mary puts on such a grand show of warmth and generosity that it is a struggle for the members of parliament to head on their way.
A century and a half on, here at the White Swan Country Hotel we look to the spirit of Mr & Mrs John Moore as something of founding fathers. Their display of hospitality is one that we strive to uphold. While you might not arrive here shipwrecked and desperate, we hope to welcome you in such a way to make Mr & Mrs John Moore proud.