What it is
The Church Missionary Society established the Te Papa mission here in 1838 under Alfred Brown, who lived on the site for the rest of his life. The small library building dates from the mission's first years and still holds Brown's collection of books, and the mission house was completed in the 1840s. It is among the oldest surviving European buildings in the region and is a listed historic place.
The house later took its name from the elm trees planted around it. The grounds on Mission Street include the gardens, outbuildings and a replica of the original mission chapel, and the site is run by a trust as a heritage attraction.
Getting there by bus
Routes 7, 60, 72a and 72b stop on Willow Street at Willow Street - Brown Street (stop 2145) and Willow Street - Armitage Hotel (stop 2387), both about 200 metres away, roughly a three-minute walk.
On the harbour side, routes 2 (Papamoa - Bayfair - Tauranga City) and 5 (Bayfair - Mt Maunganui - Tauranga City) stop on Dive Crescent near Marsh Street (stops 1511 and 1414), about 230 metres away.
