Te Kauwhata

Te Kauwhata is a small town in the north of the Waikato region of New Zealand, situated close to the western shore of Lake Waikare, some 40 km north of Hamilton.

Description

Te Kauwhata had a population of 1,473 at the 2013 New Zealand census, an increase of 279 people since the 2006 census. There were 672 males and 801 females.[1] 82.0% were European/Pākehā, 20.6% were Māori, 3.0% were Pacific peoples and 3.3% were Asian.[2]

Te Kauwhata may translate as "the empty storehouse",[3] possibly referring to food storehouses in the original ancient Māori settlement.[4] Te Kauwhata can also translate as "the spiritual medium" or "the frame".[5]

The original name of the research farm and railway station was Wairangi, changed to Waerenga in 1897. Waerenga means a bush clearing for farming.[6] The name Te Kauwhata was used for the settlement from 1910,[7] Te Kauwhata was surveyed for a township in 1912.[8]

Te Kauwhata is the site of a range of farms, including dairy and dry stock, as well as extensive horticulture. Of note is that Te Kauwhata, or "TK" as the locals say, is bordered by the Whangamarino Swamp.

Viticulture
Grapes growing at the Te Kauwhata wine research station, c. 1939

Te Kauwhata lies at the centre of one of New Zealand's smaller wine-producing regions, which stretches from Pukekohe, just south of Auckland, across to Thames and Paeroa at the foot of the Coromandel Peninsula. The region is particularly notable for its Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc wines.[9]

A government research station was set up in 1886 to explore different crop options. Romeo Bragato took over the running of this station in 1901,[10] with the first wine produced there in 1903.[11] The research station was in private hands, as part of Rongopai wines, and has been subsequently bought out by Babich Wines, but the original buildings are still in use as a cellar door. In February 2016, Invivo Wines, producer of Graham Norton's Own Sauvignon Blanc, announced it had secure a 10-year lease of this winery.[12]

Marae

The local Waikare Marae and Ngāti Hine meeting house is a traditional meeting ground for the Waikato Tainui hapū of Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Naho, Ngāti Pou and Ngāti Taratikitiki.[13][14]

Education

Te Kauwhata Primary School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 6 students,[15][16] with a roll of 255 as of March 2020.[17]

Te Kauwhata College is a co-educational state secondary school for Year 7 to 13 students,[18][19] with a roll of 511.[20]

The town also has three early childhood education centres.

Transport

Between 1877 and 1995, the Te Kauwhata railway station was served by trains running on the North Island Main Trunk. A new service branded Te Huia and connecting Auckland and Hamilton will commence in August 2020. At a later stage, it will be considered to reactivate the Te Kauwhata railway station.[21]

References
  1. 2013 Census QuickStats about a place : Te Kauwhata
  2. 2013 Census QuickStats about a place (Cultural diversity) : Te Kauwhata
  3. "Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori - Māori Language Week". nzhistory.govt.nz. Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
  4. Ngatai, Sonny (9 September 2018). "Aotearoa: Stories behind names". New Zealand Media and Entertainment. New Zealand Herald.
  5. Moorfield, John. "kauwhata". maoridictionary.co.nz. Te Ipukarea.
  6. "TABLE TALK. AUCKLAND STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 24 May 1897. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  7. ""WAERENGA." AUCKLAND STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 15 January 1910. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  8. "COUNTRY NEWS. Te Kauwhata surveying work NEW ZEALAND HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 26 December 1912. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  9. "Te Kauwhata Travel Guide". Jasons Travel Media.
  10. Welcome to Te Kauwhata
  11. Waikato Bay of Plenty Regional Wine Guide
  12. Winter, Chloe (2016). Stuff.co.nz. Invivo Wines to make Graham Norton wine at historic 114-year-old winery. http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/76559911/invivo-wines-to-make-graham-norton-wine-at-historic-114yearold-winery
  13. "Te Kāhui Māngai directory". tkm.govt.nz. Te Puni Kōkiri.
  14. "Māori Maps". maorimaps.com. Te Potiki National Trust.
  15. "Te Kauwhata Primary School Official School Website". tkp.school.nz.
  16. "Te Kauwhata Primary School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
  17. "Te Kauwhata Primary School Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
  18. "Te Kauwhata College Official School Website". tkcoll.school.nz.
  19. "Te Kauwhata College Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
  20. "Te Kauwhata College Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
  21. Piddock, Gerald; Wilson, Libby (19 December 2018). "Hamilton-Auckland train trial gets tick fro NZ Transport Agency". Stuff. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
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