Te Aroha ( mi, Te Aroha-a-uta) is a rural town in the

Waikato Waikato () is a 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 City, as well as Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsul ...

region of

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

with a population of 3,906 people in the 2013 census, an increase of 138 people since 2006. It is northeast 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 ...

and south of

Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the R ...

. It sits at the foot of Mount Te Aroha, the highest point in the

Kaimai Range The Kaimai Range (sometimes referred to as the ''Kaimai Ranges'') is a mountain range in the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of a series of ranges, with the Coromandel Range to the north and the Mamaku Ranges to the south. The Kaimai R ...

History

The name Te Aroha derives from the

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 ...

name of Mount Te Aroha. In one version,

Rāhiri Rāhiri (estimated to have lived sometime between 1475-1585) is the ''tūpuna'' (ancestor) of Ngāpuhi of Northland and Ngāti Rāhiri Tumutumu of the Hauraki District in New Zealand. The Ngāpuhi today is the largest Māori '' iwi'' (tribe) in N ...

, the

eponymous ancestor An origin myth is a myth that describes the origin of some feature of the natural or social world. One type of origin myth is the creation or cosmogonic myth, a story that describes the creation of the world. However, many cultures have sto ...

Ngāti Rāhiri Tumutumu Ngāti Tumutumu is a Māori iwi of New Zealand, named after the eponymous ancestor Te Ruinga, son of Tumutumu. They live at Te Aroha in the Hauraki District. See also *List of Māori iwi This is a list of iwi (New Zealand Māori tribes). ...

, climbed the mountain and saw his homeland in the distance and felt a sense of love () for it. The town is properly named ; meaning 'inland', so the town is named "love flowing inland". In some

Tainui Tainui is a tribal waka confederation of New Zealand Māori iwi. The Tainui confederation comprises four principal related Māori iwi of the central North Island of New Zealand: Hauraki, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Raukawa and Waikato. There are ...

traditions, Rakataura, a

tohunga In the culture of the Māori of New Zealand, a tohunga (tōhuka in Southern Māori dialect) is an expert practitioner of any skill or art, either religious or otherwise. Tohunga include expert priests, healers, navigators, carvers, builders, teache ...

of the ''

'' waka, was one of the first people to leave the waka, settling at Rarotonga / Mount Smart. After a period of time, Rakataura decided to leave

Tāmaki Makaurau Tāmaki Makaurau is a New Zealand parliamentary Māori electorate returning one Member of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives. It was first formed for the . The electorate covers the Auckland area and was first held by Labour ...

and travel south, however during the journey his wife Kahukeke died. Eventually Rakataura settled at Te Aroha, naming the area after the love he felt for Kahukeke. The European settlement was established in the late 1870s. The population grew quickly during the 1880s as a result of a

gold rush A gold rush or gold fever is a discovery of gold—sometimes accompanied by other precious metals and rare-earth minerals—that brings an onrush of miners seeking their fortune. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, New ...

. A spa was founded in 1883 but popularity had declined by the 1930s. Te Aroha

Borough Council A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History In the Middle A ...

took over from the 1880 Town Board on 2 May 1898. Herriesville became part of Te Aroha Borough Council. The 1938 Council Chambers is now a Category 2 listed building.

Matamata-Piako District Matamata-Piako District is a local government area in the Waikato region of New Zealand. It lies to the east of the city of Hamilton. Geography The district encompasses the southern end of the Hauraki Plains and much of the Thames Valley, and ...

Council took over under the 1989 local government reforms. Created in 1888, Te Aroha and Lemon was New Zealand's first local

fizzy drink A soft drink (see § Terminology for other names) is a drink that usually contains water (often carbonated), a sweetener, and a natural and/or artificial flavoring. The sweetener may be a sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, fruit juice, a sugar ...

. It was produced up until the 1960s. On 17 February 1985 Te Aroha experienced a severe flash flood that washed boulders, mud, and trees through the town. Most shops and more than 50 homes were damaged, resulting in the death of three people.

Bridges

Coulter Bridge, over the Waihou River, on Kenrick St ( SH26) was rebuilt in 1910 and the present bridge was built alongside it in 1928. The railway bridge was rebuilt in 1912, replacing the 1895 swing bridge. It is now a footbridge, but will not be replaced.

Railway stations

The

Thames Branch The Thames Branch railway line connected Thames, New Zealand, with Hamilton and was originally part of the East Coast Main Trunk railway. Part of the line between Morrinsville and Waitoa remains open and is in use as the Waitoa Branch line, ...

reached Te Aroha in 1895 and the station opened on 1 March 1886. The station was described in 1902 as, "of wood, and include a ladies' waiting room, a public waiting room, a vestibule, stationmaster's office, ticket office, and parcels office. There is a long asphalted platform." The area west of the Waihou was named Herriesville from 1914, when a private railway siding was opened on 24 January 1914 to serve the A&P ground.

William Herries Sir William Herbert Herries (19 April 1859 – 22 February 1923) was an English-born New Zealand politician. Biography Herries was born in London, the son of Herbert Crompton Herries, a barrister, and his wife, Leonora Emma Wickham. His g ...

had been a local landowner. Seven railway cottages were built in 1924. Both stations closed to passengers on 11 September 1967 and to freight on 11 July 1986, though Herriesville was only open for racecourse traffic.

Demographics

Te Aroha covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km². Te Aroha had a population of 4,554 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 549 people (13.7%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 744 people (19.5%) 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 1,776 households, comprising 2,214 males and 2,337 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.95 males per female, with 849 people (18.6%) aged under 15 years, 639 (14.0%) aged 15 to 29, 1,839 (40.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,221 (26.8%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 84.8% 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 Z ...

, 17.7%

, 3.9% Pacific peoples, 6.4%

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 2.0% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas was 17.1, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 48.6% had no religion, 37.2% were Christian, 0.7% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.1% 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 ...

, 0.7% were

Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

, 2.0% 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 1.7% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 384 (10.4%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 1,095 (29.6%) people had no formal qualifications. 450 people (12.1%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,506 (40.6%) people were employed full-time, 498 (13.4%) were part-time, and 126 (3.4%) were unemployed.

Geography

The

Waihou River The Waihou River is located in the northern North Island of New Zealand. Its former name, Thames River, was bestowed by Captain James Cook in November 1769, when he explored of the river from the mouth. An older Māori name was "Wai Kahou Roun ...

runs through Te Aroha. Close by to the east is the base of the

, and the town is overlooked by the 952-metre Mount Te Aroha. To the north of the town is the low-lying, swampy land of the

Hauraki Plains The Hauraki Plains are a geographical feature and non-administrative area (though Hauraki Plains County Council existed from 1920 to 1989 and a statistical Area Unit remains) located in the northern North Island of New Zealand, at the lower ( ...

Hot springs

Thermal A thermal column (or thermal) is a rising mass of buoyant air, a convective current in the atmosphere, that transfers heat energy vertically. Thermals are created by the uneven heating of Earth's surface from solar radiation, and are an example ...

and mineral springs are both found close to the centre of the town. The springs have been used by the Māori for many years before becoming popular in the 1870s with European settlers. The New Zealand Herald writes that the site was gifted to New Zealand by chief Mokena Hou in the 1880s. The hot spring water emerges from the source at a range of 75 °C /167 °F to 85 °C / 185 °F, and is cooled before reaching the soaking pools. Te Aroha has a hot soda-water geyser, which is the only one of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.

Economy

Te Aroha is at the centre of a

dairy farming Dairy farming is a class of agriculture for long-term production of milk, which is processed (either on the farm or at a dairy plant, either of which may be called a dairy) for eventual sale of a dairy product. Dairy farming has a history th ...

community and much of its economic activity is in serving that community. Tourism is increasing in Te Aroha. The mineral baths are a very popular spot for tourists and locals alike. Hinemoa Hotel at Te Aroha, circa 1916

Historically mining played a role in the area, and has left some legacies – not all of them positive, such as toxic residues leaking from the abandoned

Tui mine The Tui mine is an abandoned mine on the western slopes of Mount Te Aroha in the Kaimai Range of New Zealand. It was considered to be the most contaminated site in the country, following the cleanup of the former Fruitgrowers Chemical Company ...

tailings dam. Miners' cottages are in evidence.

Attractions

Te Aroha is the location of the Mokena Hou Geyser, the only natural soda water geyser in the world. The geyser complex, the most intact

Edwardian The Edwardian era or Edwardian period of British history spanned the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910 and is sometimes extended to the start of the First World War. The death of Queen Victoria in January 1901 marked the end of the Victori ...

spa A spa is a location where mineral-rich spring water (and sometimes seawater) is used to give medicinal baths. Spa towns or spa resorts (including hot springs resorts) typically offer various health treatments, which are also known as balneoth ...

in New Zealand, is located in the Te Aroha Domain. The first sections of the

Hauraki Rail Trail The Hauraki Rail Trail is one of the Great Rides of the New Zealand Cycle Trail system, using parts of the abandoned ECMT and Thames Branch railways in the Hauraki Gulf plains and the Coromandel Peninsula. The trail officially starts from K ...

opened in 2012, connecting the town to

Paeroa Paeroa is a town in the Hauraki District of the Waikato Region in the North Island of New Zealand. Located at the base of the Coromandel Peninsula, it is close to the junction of the Waihou River and Ohinemuri River, and is approximately 20 k ...

Waihi Waihi is a town in Hauraki District in the North Island of New Zealand, especially notable for its history as a gold mine town. The town is at the foot of the Coromandel Peninsula, close to the western end of the Bay of Plenty. The nearby re ...

Matamata Matamata () is a town in Waikato, New Zealand. It is located near the base of the Kaimai Ranges, and is a thriving farming area known for Thoroughbred horse breeding and training pursuits. It is part of the Matamata-Piako District, which tak ...

and

Events

* Waihou and Te Aroha Cobras play an annual rugby match for the Dr Dunn memorial trophy. This is one of the biggest days on the calendar of Te Aroha. * A Day in the Domain was started in Te Aroha in 1977 by the Arts Council and continues to be a fun, affordable day out. The day attracts artists and performers from far and wide with a variety of stalls and foodies on display. Entertainment is free with competitions and games all day. * The King and Queen of the Mountain and Bald Spur Derby have been annual events in Te Aroha since the 1950s. Held the weekend before Christmas, the challenge is to be the first man or woman up Mt Te Aroha and back down again. This has been achieved in under one hour. The Bald Spur Derby offers competitors a shorter but still challenging course. * Te Aroha AP & H Show has been running since the 1890s. Boasting one of the most extensive home industries sections, it has full agricultural and equestrian sections and the usual country fair activities such as the gumboot throwing competition and cattle dogs. Te_Aroha_Cruise_2014

* Te Aroha Cruise In (car event) started 2008.

Education

Te Aroha College is the town's state secondary school, with a roll of . There are two state primary schools in the town: Te Aroha Primary School, with a roll of ; and Stanley Avenue School, with a roll of . St Joseph's Catholic School is a state integrated Catholic school, with a roll of . All these schools are co-educational. Rolls are as of

Notable people

* Olympic Gold Medalist Peter Snell * All Blacks

Don Clarke Donald Barry Clarke (10 November 1933 – 29 December 2002) was a New Zealand rugby union player who played 89 times (31 of these were test matches) as a New Zealand international from 1956 until 1964. He was best known for his phenomena ...

, Kevin 'Herb' Schuler,

Carl Hoeft Carl Henry Hoeft (born 13 November 1974, in Auckland) is a former rugby union footballer from New Zealand, currently working as coach. His usual position was at loosehead prop. He was a part of the New Zealand national rugby union team squad at b ...

, Keith Robinson and Kevin O'Neill * Ian S. Ardern of the First Quorum of the Seventy of

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a nontrinitarian Christian church that considers itself to be the restoration of the original church founded by Jesus Christ. The ch ...

was born in the town * Robert Coulter, Mayor of Te Aroha and

Labour Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...

MP *

David Cunliffe David Richard Cunliffe (born 30 April 1963) is a New Zealand management consultant and former politician who was Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition from September 2013 to September 2014. He was Member of Parl ...

, former leader of the New Zealand Labour Party, was born in Te Aroha. *

Stuart Farquhar Stuart James Farquhar (born 15 March 1982 in Te Aroha, Thames Valley) is a male javelin thrower from New Zealand. He was the silver medallist in the men's javelin at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Farquhar is a twelve time New Zealand National ...

, Olympic javelin thrower *

Jack Body John Stanley Body (7 October 1944 – 10 May 2015) was a New Zealand composer, ethnomusicologist, photographer, teacher, and arts producer. As a composer, his work comprised concert music, music theatre, electronic music, music for film and da ...

, New Zealand composer *

Don Beard Donald Derek Beard (14 January 1920 – 15 July 1982) was a New Zealand cricketer who played in four Tests from 1952 to 1956. Early life and career Don Beard grew up in the country near Palmerston North, cycling 15 miles a day to attend Palmer ...

, New Zealand cricketer and principal of Te Aroha College from 1961 to 1982 *

Todd Muller Todd Michael Muller (; born 23 December 1968) is a New Zealand politician who served as the Leader of the New Zealand National Party and the Leader of the Opposition from 22 May to 14 July 2020. Muller entered Parliament at the 2014 general el ...

, Member of Parliament for

Bay of Plenty The Bay of Plenty ( mi, Te Moana-a-Toi) is a region of New Zealand, situated around a bight of the same name in the northern coast of the North Island. The bight stretches 260 km from the Coromandel Peninsula in the west to Cape Runaw ...

, was born in Te Aroha.

Fauna and flora

In 2020 a report was produced on the moths of Mount Te Aroha outlining important species that inhabit the area.

References

External links

Te Aroha i-SITE Visitor Centre

Te Aroha Museum Website

Te Aroha College
Photos - * Main stree

* Railway station - [http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll?BU=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aucklandcity.govt.nz%2Fdbtw-wpd%2FHeritageImages%2Findex.htm&AC=QBE_QUERY&TN=heritageimages&QF0=ID&NP=2&MR=5&RF=HIORecordSearch&QI0=%3D%22AWNS-18991013-3-1%22 1899]
1903
[http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll?BU=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aucklandcity.govt.nz%2Fdbtw-wpd%2FHeritageImages%2Findex.htm&AC=QBE_QUERY&TN=heritageimages&QF0=ID&NP=2&MR=5&RF=HIORecordSearch&QI0=%3D%22AWNS-19050713-16-1%22 1905]
1908 (new station)1910

{{Matamata-Piako District Populated places in Waikato Spa towns in New Zealand Hot springs of New Zealand Geysers of New Zealand Landforms of Waikato Matamata-Piako District