Ngāruawāhia () is a town in the
Waikato
Waikato () is a Regions of New Zealand, local government region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato District, Waipa District, Matamata-Piako District, South Waikato District and Hamilton, New Zealand, Hamilton City ...
region of the
North Island
The North Island, also officially named Te Ika-a-Māui, is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but much less populous South Island by the Cook Strait. The island's area is , making it the world's 14th-largest ...
of New Zealand. It is located north-west of
Hamilton Hamilton may refer to:
People
* Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname
** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland
** Lord Hamilt ...
at the confluence of the
Waikato
Waikato () is a Regions of New Zealand, local government region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato District, Waipa District, Matamata-Piako District, South Waikato District and Hamilton, New Zealand, Hamilton City ...
and
Waipā River
The Waipā River is in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand. The headwaters are in the Rangitoto Range east of Te Kuiti. It flows north for , passing through Ōtorohanga and Pirongia, before flowing into the Waikato River ...
s, adjacent to the
Hakarimata Range
Hakarimata Range is a range of hills on the western edge of Ngāruawāhia township, Retrieved 2016 in the Waikato region of New Zealand, overlooking the confluence of the Waikato and Waipā Rivers. The Hakarimata Range is separated from the Tau ...
. Ngāruawāhia is in the
Hamilton Urban Area
The Hamilton Urban Area is a New Zealand Urban areas of New Zealand, urban area in the Waikato region. It is the fourth-largest urban area in the country with a population of . At its centre is Hamilton, New Zealand, Hamilton City, New Zealand's ...
, the fourth largest
urban area
An urban area, built-up area or urban agglomeration is a human settlement with a high population density and infrastructure of built environment. Urban areas are created through urbanization and are categorized by urban morphology as cities, t ...
in New Zealand. The location was once considered as a potential capital of New Zealand.
Demographics
Ngāaruawāhia covers
and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km
2.
Ngāruawāhia had slightly smaller boundaries in the 2018 Census, covering .
It had a population of 6,621, an increase of 1,257 people (23.4%) since the
2013 census, and an increase of 1,287 people (24.1%) since the
2006 census
6 (six) is the natural number following 5 and preceding 7. It is a composite number and the smallest perfect number.
In mathematics
Six is the smallest positive integer which is neither a square number nor a prime number; it is the second small ...
. There were 1,962 households, comprising 3,234 males and 3,384 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.96 males per female, with 1,914 people (28.9%) aged under 15 years, 1,434 (21.7%) aged 15 to 29, 2,661 (40.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 606 (9.2%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 54.2% European/
Pākehā
Pākehā (or Pakeha; ; ) is a Māori term for New Zealanders primarily of European descent. Pākehā is not a legal concept and has no definition under New Zealand law. The term can apply to fair-skinned persons, or to any non-Māori New Ze ...
, 58.7%
Māori
Māori or Maori can refer to:
Relating to the Māori people
* Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group
* Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand
* Māori culture
* Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the C ...
, 5.9%
Pacific peoples, 3.1%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, and 1.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 8.6, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 53.5% had no religion, 30.4% were
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
, 6.1% had
Māori religious beliefs, 0.6% were
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
, 0.2% were
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
and 1.4% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 579 (12.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 1,155 (24.5%) people had no formal qualifications. 468 people (9.9%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 2,391 (50.8%) people were employed full-time, 558 (11.9%) were part-time, and 348 (7.4%) were unemployed.
History
Early history
![Ngaruawahia Newcastle Butchery building](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Ngaruawahia_Newcastle_Butchery_building.JPG)
The name ''Ngāruawāhia'' means "the opened food pits", which derives from a great feast in the 17th century.
Te Ngaere, a Ngāti Tamainupō chief, and Heke-i-te-rangi, a
Ngāti Maniapoto
Ngāti Maniapoto is an iwi (tribe) based in the Waikato-Waitomo region of New Zealand's North Island. It is part of the Tainui confederation, the members of which trace their whakapapa (genealogy) back to people who arrived in New Zealand on th ...
woman, had eloped and settled at Ngāruawāhia, causing a rift between their tribes. When their first child was born, Ngāti Maniapoto were invited to the celebration in an attempt to reconcile the tribes. Te Ngaere's father named the boy Te Mana-o-te-rangi in honour of Ngāti Maniapoto. Peace was established between the tribes, and Te Ngaere shouted "''Wāhia ngā rua''" (break open the food pits).
[Swarbrick, Nancy.]
Waikato places – Ngāruawāhia
. ''Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand''. Updated 8 December 2011.
Invasion
![Pioneer gun turret](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Pioneer_gun_turret.jpg)
When
Rangiriri pā was taken by
General Cameron after a white flag of truce was flown, Cameron informed Māori that Governor Grey would only come to talk peace if his forces were allowed to enter Ngāruawāhia unopposed. Cameron entered a deserted Ngāruawāhia on 8 December 1863, but Grey never came to talk peace. Despite Māori protest, sales of
confiscated land went ahead in 1864, shortly after the
invasion
An invasion is a Offensive (military), military offensive in which large numbers of combatants of one geopolitics, geopolitical Legal entity, entity aggressively enter territory (country subdivision), territory owned by another such entity, gen ...
. During the 19th century, Ngāruawāhia was named Queenstown and then Newcastle. However, the town returned to the original name in 1878.
[Retrieved November 2016]
20th century
A gas power station was built in Herschell St in 1913 by the Town Board for lighting. It used
Glen Massey coal, which was converted to gas in a Cambridge Patent Gas Producer (many were used about this time in Australasia) and used to drive a 2-cylinder gas engine. It closed in 1924. Much of the machinery was removed in 1950 and from 1954 the building was used as a scout hall.
Officers from the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
visited Ngāruawāhia during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
and would share food at
hāngi.
Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...
has visited Ngāruawāhia on two occasions (1953 & 1974). On the latter occasion, then Māori Queen
Dame Te Ātairangikaahu and her husband
Whatumoana Paki
Whatumoana Paki (1 February 1926 – 22 September 2011) was a New Zealand Māori royal elder. Paki was the husband of the Māori Queen, Te Atairangikaahu, who reigned from 1966 to 2006. He and Te Atairangikaahu were the parents of the present M ...
welcomed
Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...
to the local
marae
A ' (in New Zealand Māori, Cook Islands Māori, Tahitian), ' (in Tongan), ' (in Marquesan) or ' (in Samoan) is a communal or sacred place that serves religious and social purposes in Polynesian societies. In all these languages, the term a ...
.
The Great Ngaruawahia Music Festival
The Great Ngaruawahia Music Festival was the first large outdoor music festival in New Zealand. It was held on a farm at Ngāruawāhia on the Waikato River, 19 kilometres north-west of Hamilton, for three days from 6 to 8 January 1973.
Manag ...
was held in 1973, and featured many music acts, including some that went on to become internationally famous such as
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy met ...
and
Split Enz
Split Enz were a New Zealand rock band formed in Auckland in 1972 by Tim Finn and Phil Judd and had a variety of other members during its existence. Originally started as a folk-oriented group with quirky art rock stylings, the band built ...
. It was the first large outdoor music festival in New Zealand.
In 1980, Mayor Latta released a book about the history of the town titled 'Meeting of the Waters'.
In March 1998, a
freight train
Rail freight transport is the use of railroads and trains to transport cargo as opposed to human passengers.
A freight train, cargo train, or goods train is a group of freight cars (US) or goods wagons (International Union of Railways) haul ...
derailed on the local
North Island Main Trunk
The North Island Main Trunk (NIMT) is the main railway line in the North Island of New Zealand, connecting the capital city Wellington with the country's largest city, Auckland. The line is long, built to the New Zealand rail gauge of and se ...
line's rail bridge across the Waikato River. The incident caused structural damage to the bridge.
Water supply
Until 1923 springs in Waipa Esplanade and Market Street were used.
In April 1923 a reticulation scheme was opened, supplied by a dam on the Quarry Creek
(now Mangarata Stream), away, in the Hakarimatas. The concrete dam is long and high
and now accessible by the Waterworks Walk from Brownlee Avenue, alongside Mangarata Stream.
The population was then 1100 in 240 houses.
By 1965 the population was 3,630, so water was instead pumped from the Waikato and from a deep bore, with a new reservoir and water treatment plant opened in 1965.
21st century
By April 2001, the damaged rail bridge was mended.
In 2008, Ngāruawāhia set a world record for the
largest haka and by 2010 the town had its own community news.
In 2011, murals were installed for Ngāruawāhia's 150th anniversary in 2013
Ngaruawahia High School
Ngaruawahia High School (often abbreviated ''NHS'') is a state co-educational school situated in Ngāruawāhia, New Zealand. The school was opened in 1963 and the current principal is Rebecca Hodgson. Mr. Chris Jarnet retired at the end of 2022 ...
(which opened in 1963) celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2013.
In May 2016, Heather du Plessis-Allan (an
NZME
New Zealand Media and Entertainment (abbreviated NZME) is a New Zealand newspaper, radio and digital media business. It was launched in 2014 as the formal merger of the New Zealand division of APN News & Media, APN New Zealand; The Radio Net ...
broadcaster) claimed that the "town is rotting".
The broadcaster later accepted a challenge to visit the town and an article relating to the incident appeared on a
Waikato Times
The ''Waikato Times'' is a daily newspaper published in Hamilton, New Zealand and owned by media business Stuff Ltd. It has a circulation to the greater Waikato region and became a tabloid paper in 2018.
The newspaper has won the title of Ne ...
front page. According to
Waikato District Mayor Allan Sanson, du Plessis-Allan "really upset locals". In June 2016, local mayor Allan Sanson said du Plessis-Allan spent around three hours in the town, apologizing to residents.
In 2019, the name of the town was officially gazetted as Ngāruawāhia.
Infrastructure
Waikato River crossings
![1875_punt_and_flour_mill,_Ngāruawāhia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/1875_punt_and_flour_mill%2C_Ng%C4%81ruaw%C4%81hia.jpg)
Until the Waikato invasion the rivers were the main transport routes, but, after the
Great South Road and
main trunk line were built, the rivers became barriers, which needed crossings.
As early as 1870 a public meeting called for a bridge, but a
punt continued to be the main means of crossing the river until the
road-rail bridge opened for traffic in 1876. So long as there were few trains, there was little complaint that gates closed 10 minutes before a train was due. However, by the 1900s road and rail traffic was increasing, averaging 20 trains, 275 pedestrians, 43 equestrians, 29 light vehicles, 18 milk carts, 6 wagons, and 55 stock a day in 1910.
1921 single-lane road bridge
A survey for a road bridge was done in 1911. Test borings for
piles were done in 1912. The Ngāruawāhia Town Board and Waikato, Waipa, and
Raglan County Councils agreed to share the cost in 1914. The State Advances office lent £2,500 for the bridge in 1915. Wartime shortages caused further delays, but by 1917 the new bridge was taking shape. Further delay occurred when additional piles had to be driven. The Minister reported the work well in hand in 1919, but then a temporary bridge, used in construction, was hit by a steamer. Work got under way again, £3,000 was in the Public Works Estimates and the bridge was reported complete in 1920, except for its approaches. The bridge opened in 1921 and, on 28 July 1921, was officially opened by the Minister of Public Works,
J. G. Coates. It was wide
and long, made up of 3 x , a and a span. Two piers were in the river on concrete cylinders sunk below normal water-level. The others were
reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete (RC), also called reinforced cement concrete (RCC) and ferroconcrete, is a composite material in which concrete's relatively low tensile strength and ductility are compensated for by the inclusion of reinforcement having hig ...
on concrete piling and the deck and trusses of Australian hardwood.
Complaints had been made about a single-lane bridge since before it was built,
so, when the new NIMT bridge was built, the Main Highways Board leased the old one and added decking. The conversion was completed in early November 1931, allowing 2-way traffic. Single lane traffic was reinstated for a few months in 1936 to allow a truss on the 1921 bridge to be replaced. Traffic was still increasing. In 1935 traffic between Ohinewai and Ngāruawāhia averaged 660 vehicles a day. By 1938 it had risen to 1,329.
1956 bridge
On 13 March 1953 a contract was let for a new steel truss bridge.
An April 1955 photo shows two piers in the river. On 20 August 1955 the centre span was placed
and a 1955 photo shows the bridge almost finished. The first car drove over the bridge on 19 October 1956.
By 2008 17,392 vehicles a day were crossing the bridge. No more recent counts have been published, but, after the opening of the
Taupiri link in 2013, traffic on the Great South Rd in Ngāruawāhia, was 12,467 in 2015, suggesting that traffic on the bridge has been reduced by about 5,000 vehicles a day.
Listed buildings
Ngāruawāhia's history is reflected in the number of its
Listed Buildings
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
–
Category 1 Turangawaewae House built in 1912–1919 as
Te Kauhanganui
The Whakakitenga, formerly known as the Kauhanganui, is a Māori parliament established by King Tāwhiao of the Kīngitanga in 1889 or 1890. Members of Te Whakakitenga are elected for three year terms, with each marae electing two members.
B ...
building in a fusion of
Arts and Crafts and traditional Māori styles;
Category 2 – Band Rotunda, Delta Tavern, Doctor's House, former bakery, former Flourmill Store, former Māori pā – Puke i Ahua, Grant's Chambers, 13 Lower Waikato Esplanade, 2 Old Taupiri Rd, Pioneer Gun Turret, Riverdale, St Paul's Church, War Memorial.
Community
Māori King Movement
![Flag of the Māori King, 1863](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/Flag_of_the_M%C4%81ori_King%2C_1863.jpg)
Ngāruawāhia is home to the
Kīngitanga.
[ Retrieved October 2016] The first Māori King,
Pōtatau Te Wherowhero
Pōtatau Te Wherowhero (died 25 June 1860) was a Māori warrior, leader of the Waikato iwi (confederation of tribes), the first Māori King and founder of the Te Wherowhero royal dynasty. He was first known just as ''Te Wherowhero'' and took th ...
, was crowned at Ngāruawāhia in 1858 and was living there when he died two years later. The current Māori King is
Tūheitia Paki
Tūheitia Potatau Te Wherowhero VII (born Tūheitia Paki; 21 April 1955), crowned as Kīngi Tūheitia, is the Māori King. He is the eldest son of the previous Māori monarch, Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu, and was announced as her successo ...
; he obtained the throne at
Tūrangawaewae Marae immediately following his mother's passing in 2006.
Marae
Ngāruawāhia has two
marae
A ' (in New Zealand Māori, Cook Islands Māori, Tahitian), ' (in Tongan), ' (in Marquesan) or ' (in Samoan) is a communal or sacred place that serves religious and social purposes in Polynesian societies. In all these languages, the term a ...
affiliated with the
Waikato Tainui
Waikato Tainui, Waikato or Tainui is a group of Māori ''iwi'' based in Waikato Region, in the western central region of New Zealand's North Island. It is part of the larger Tainui confederation of Polynesian settlers who arrived to New Zealand ...
hapū of
Ngāti Mahuta
Ngāti Mahuta is a sub-tribe (or hapū) of the Waikato tribe (or iwi) of Māori in the North Island of New Zealand. The territory (rohe) of Ngāti Mahuta is the Kawhia and Huntly areas of the Waikato region.
History
Ngāti Mahuta is descended ...
and
Ngāti Te Weehi:
Tūrangawaewae
Tūrangawaewae Marae is located in the town of Ngāruawāhia in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand. A very significant marae, it is the headquarters for the Māori King Movement (''Te Kīngitanga'') and the official residence ...
and its Mahinaarangi or Turongo meeting house, and Waikeri-Tangirau Marae.
Tribal Huk
A local gang is Tribal Huk, who have been seen as heroes by the community for providing lunches to schoolchildren in Ngāruawāhia,
Hamilton Hamilton may refer to:
People
* Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname
** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland
** Lord Hamilt ...
and
Huntly
Huntly ( gd, Srath Bhalgaidh or ''Hunndaidh'') is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, formerly known as Milton of Strathbogie or simply Strathbogie. It had a population of 4,460 in 2004 and is the site of Huntly Castle. Its neighbouring settlement ...
. In particular, they have been known for making sandwiches, which earned them the nickname "Sandwich Gang".
In October 2016, Tribal Huk president Jamie Pink started a movement against
methamphetamine, known in New Zealand as "P".
Waikato District Mayor Allan Sanson supported Pink's message to Ngāruawāhia methamphetamine dealers to either leave the town within 24 hours or "visits" would begin.
The demand was also supported by members of the community who had gathered at a local meeting. According to a gang source, Ngāruawāhia became P free, but the Police Association stated that there was no evidence that P dealers had left Ngāruawāhia. There is additionally concern Pink has damaged the work that Tribal Huk did feeding a thousand Waikato schoolchildren.
In November 2016, another community meeting was held. Pink was not present.
Christianity
In the 1996 census, the majority of residents identified as
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
. A
Bible
The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...
is traditionally used during the crowning of a Māori monarch.
In 1995, the Holy Trinity Anglican Church burned down, and a new church had been built in its place by 1998.
On the northern side of the Waipā River is the Christian Youth Camps (CYC), the largest youth camp site in New Zealand. CYC started in the early 1960s with large Easter conventions. Today there are two separate camp sites on 38 hectares of land. The camp offers school holiday camps throughout the year. During the terms, the camps are used by various groups, including schools, churches and sporting organisations.
Sport and recreation
Football (soccer)
Ngaruawahia United
Ngaruawahia United AFC is an association football club based in Ngāruawāhia, New Zealand. They compete in the NRFL Division 2, following promotion from the WaiBOP Premiership in 2021. Ngaruawahia United AFC play their home matches at Centennia ...
, known as "The Green Machine", is the local
football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
club, founded in 1968. Centennial Park serves as the home ground for the club, and has been the home venue for
ASB Premiership
The New Zealand Football Championship ( mi, Te Whakataetae Whutupaoro a Aotearoa) was a men's association football league at the top of the New Zealand league system. Founded in 2004, the New Zealand Football Championship was the successor to a m ...
side
Waikato FC in past seasons.
Rugby league
The town's
rugby league
Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...
teams are Ngaruawahia Panthers and Tūrangawaewae.
The 'Ngaruawahia Rugby League Club' is the oldest such club in the Waikato. Early games were played on varying venues, for instance
Taupiri paddock and Paterson Park. The first major match for the town was held in August 1911 when they lost to
Auckland
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...
22 – 36 at the Caledonian Ground in
Frankton. Ngaruawahia did however beat Hamilton United 27 – 4 in the first ever Northern Union game to be played at Hamilton's Steele Park in 1912. The senior team were Champion of Champions in 1956 and 1957.
Ngāruawāhia is the home of the rugby league team Turangawaewae RLC, which is named after the marae opposite the clubrooms. The club currently holds the record for the first team to win consecutive titles in the annual Waicoa Bay Premiers Competition, consisting of all teams in the Waikato, Coast and Bay Of Plenty regions.
'Ngaruawahia Rugby League Club' (Panthers) are 2011 champions, Premiers, U17, U14, U13 are all champions.
River activities
The local
regatta
Boat racing is a sport in which boats, or other types of watercraft, race on water. Boat racing powered by oars is recorded as having occurred in ancient Egypt, and it is likely that people have engaged in races involving boats and other wate ...
has been a fundamental event for the region for well over a century. An event is held every year in March on the
Waikato River
The Waikato River is the longest river in New Zealand, running for through the North Island. It rises on the eastern slopes of Mount Ruapehu, joining the Tongariro River system and flowing through Lake Taupō, New Zealand's largest lake. It th ...
.
The first regatta was an unofficial event in 1892, involving both Māori and
Pākehā
Pākehā (or Pakeha; ; ) is a Māori term for New Zealanders primarily of European descent. Pākehā is not a legal concept and has no definition under New Zealand law. The term can apply to fair-skinned persons, or to any non-Māori New Ze ...
festivities. The regatta provided a means of association between two ethnic groups, socially and culturally. The first official regatta took place in 1896 and since then has grown to become one of New Zealand's largest aquatic festivals. During the centennial regatta in March 1996, over 48,000 people visited the town to see thousands of performers from a number of countries.
For many years, jumping off the rail bridge has been a tradition. However, organisations such as
KiwiRail
KiwiRail Holdings Limited is a New Zealand state-owned enterprise responsible for rail operations in New Zealand, and operates inter-island ferries. Trading as KiwiRail and headquartered in Wellington, New Zealand, KiwiRail is the largest rail ...
want the practice to end.
Hopuhopu
Hopuhopu is north of Ngāruawāhia. From 1853 Hopuhopu had a boys'
mission school
The Mission School (sometimes called "New Folk" or "Urban Rustic") is an art movement of the 1990s and 2000s, centered in the Mission District, San Francisco, California.
History and characteristics
This movement is generally considered to have ...
, which lost most of its pupils in 1862 and, by 1863, was reported as in disrepair. The mission house burnt down in 1886. An army camp was built on the mission site in the 1920s, including its own water supply, ammunition dumps and a railway siding. A 1925 photograph showed only one building and many tents, but a 1955 aerial photo showed the extent of building, which was largely complete by 1927. In 1993 the camp was returned to
Waikato-Tainui
Waikato Tainui, Waikato or Tainui is a group of Māori people, Māori ''iwi'' based in Waikato, Waikato Region, in the western central region of New Zealand's North Island. It is part of the larger Tainui confederation of Polynesian settlers who ...
, who converted it to their headquarters and Waikato-Tainui College for Research and Development.
Education
Ngaruawahia High School
Ngaruawahia High School (often abbreviated ''NHS'') is a state co-educational school situated in Ngāruawāhia, New Zealand. The school was opened in 1963 and the current principal is Rebecca Hodgson. Mr. Chris Jarnet retired at the end of 2022 ...
is the town's co-educational state secondary school,
with a roll of as of .
The town has two English-language state primary schools: Ngaruawahia School,
with a roll of ;
and Waipa School,
with a roll of .
St Paul's Catholic School is a co-educational state-integrated primary school,
with a roll of .
Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Bernard Fergusson is a co-educational Māori-language state primary school,
with a roll of .
Former residents
*
Kelvin Cruickshank, television personality
Kelvin Cruickshank is Sensing Murder? I'm sensing comedy
/ref>
* Martin Donnelly, cricketer
* Shaun Kenny-Dowall
Shaun Kenny-Dowall (born 23 January 1988) is a New Zealand international rugby league footballer who plays as a and er for Hull Kingston Rovers in the Super League. He is the current club captain.
He previously played for the Sydney Rooste ...
, rugby league player
* Inia Te Wiata
Inia Morehu Tauhia Watene Iarahi Waihurihia Te Wiata (10 June 191526 June 1971) was a New Zealand Māori bass-baritone opera singer, film actor, whakairo (carver) and artist.
Early life
Inia Te Wiata was born in Ōtaki, New Zealand, into the ...
, operatic singer and traditional carver
* Richard Tomlinson
Richard John Charles Tomlinson (born 13 January 1963) is a former officer of the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6). He argued that he was subjected to unfair dismissal from MI6 in 1995, and attempted to take his former employer to a ...
, MI6 officer
* Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (born 17 August 1995) is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who plays as a er or for the New Zealand Warriors in the NRL and New Zealand at international level.
He previously played for the Penrith Pant ...
, rugby league player
See also
* Ngaruawahia Railway Station
* Glen Massey Line
Notes
References
External links
1861 drawing
* Auckland Weekly News photo
* ttps://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1926/I/1674 1926 photos of Hophopu
Photo of 1936 tar sealing of Great South Rd
* Whites Aviation Collection, Alexander Turnbull Library photos of Waikato river bridge
1946
an
1947
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ngāruawāhia
Waikato District
Populated places in Waikato
1863 establishments in New Zealand
Māori culture
Populated places on the Waikato River