Takamatua

Takamatua, with an initial European name of German Bay, is a small town situated in Akaroa Harbour on Banks Peninsula in New Zealand. The main road to Akaroa (State Highway 75) passes through this locality. It is 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) north of Akaroa township.[1]

Takamatua
Takamatua Bay
Takamatua Takamatua
Coordinates: 43°47′0″S 172°58′15″E
Country	New Zealand
Unitary authority	Christchurch City
Postcode	7581

Takamatua Co-operative Dairy Factory on Takamatua Valley Road

History

At the time of French settlement in August 1840 in Akaroa, a small number of German families settled in this bay.[2] Five German men, four of them single, chose to have land in Takamatua rather than Akaroa. The men were Breitmeyer, Hahn, Hettich, Waeckerle, Walther and Woll. [3] The bay was named German Bay up until 1916 when the residents called on the Minister for Internal Affairs, George Warren Russell, to change the name to Takamatua, as a patriotic reaction to World War I.[4] The German Bay Dairy Co-operative Factory was established in 1893.[5] The Factory's cheese won first prize at the Dunedin Agricultural Show in 1901 and 1902.[5][6]

German Bay Co-operative Dairy Factory

References

1. Reed New Zealand atlas (2004) Auckland: Reed Publishing. Map 83. ISBN 0 7900 0952 8
2. Reed, A. W. (1975). The Reed Dictionary of New Zealand Place Names. Auckland: Reed. p. 481. ISBN 0-7900-0761-4.
3. Tremewan, Peter (1990). French Akaroa. Christchurch: Canterbury University Press. p. 145. ISBN 978-1-877257-97-1.
4. "Deleted from map: German Bay, Akaroa". Evening Post. 5 January 1916. Retrieved 17 September 2018 – via Papers Past.
5. "German Bay". The Cyclopedia of New Zealand. 3 Canterbury Provincial District. 1903. Retrieved 17 September 2018 – via NZETC.
6. "Otago Winter Show". The Akaroa Mail. 1 July 1902. Retrieved 17 September 2018 – via Papers Past.

Further reading

• Dykes, G.A. A History of the German Bay / Takamatua School 1876 - 1936 (history of both the school and the wider Takamatua community)