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Putāruru is a small town in the South Waikato District and the
Waikato The Waikato () is a region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato District, Waipā District, Matamata-Piako District, South Waikato District and Hamilton City, as well as Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsula, the nort ...
region of New Zealand's
North Island The North Island ( , 'the fish of Māui', historically New Ulster) is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but less populous South Island by Cook Strait. With an area of , it is the List ...
. It lies on the western side of the Mamaku Ranges and in the upper basin of the Waihou River. It is on the Oraka Stream 65 kilometres south-east of
Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: * Alexander Hamilton (1755/1757–1804), first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States * ''Hamilton'' (musical), a 2015 Broadway musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda ** ''Hamilton'' (al ...
. State Highway 1 and the Kinleith Branch railway run through the town.


Name

The town gets its name from a historic event which occurred nearby. Korekore a granddaughter of Raukawa, the founder of the Ngāti Raukawa iwi, was murdered by her husband Parahore. Her servant Ruru witnessed her murder and escaped into the forest where he hid and waited for Parahore and his men to give up their pursuit of him. The place where he exited the forest was named "Te Puta a Ruru" or "the exit of Ruru". This was eventually shorted to Putāruru.


History and culture


Pre-colonial history

There were several Māori settlements in the Putāruru district in pre-colonial times. Ngāti Raukawa is the main tribe or
iwi Iwi () are the largest social units in New Zealand Māori society. In Māori, roughly means or , and is often translated as "tribe". The word is both singular and plural in the Māori language, and is typically pluralised as such in English. ...
in the area and Ngāti Mahana is the
hapū In Māori language, Māori and New Zealand English, a ' ("subtribe", or "clan") functions as "the basic political unit within Māori society". A Māori person can belong to or have links to many hapū. Historically, each hapū had its own chief ...
(subtribe) within Putāruru. During Te Rauparaha's migration to the
Cook Strait Cook Strait () is a strait that separates the North Island, North and South Islands of New Zealand. The strait connects the Tasman Sea on the northwest with the South Pacific Ocean on the southeast. It is wide at its narrowest point,McLintock, ...
area in the 1820s, many Ngāti Raukawa people moved from these settlements to Rangitikei and Manawatu localities, and others followed after the Siege of Ōrākau in 1864. Te Kooti and his followers were pursued through the district early in 1870 by a force under Lt-Col. Thomas McDonnell.


European settlement

The Patetere Block, containing the future town site of Putāruru, was acquired from the Māori in the 1860s. In the early 1880s large areas in the Putāruru district came into the possession of the Patetere Land Company, and from 1883 much of this land passed into the hands of the Thames Valley Land Company. Roadmaking commenced in the late 1880s, but the
railway Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...
, begun by the Thames Valley and Rotorua Railway Co., was the most important factor in the progress of settlement in the area. The first
settler A settler or a colonist is a person who establishes or joins a permanent presence that is separate to existing communities. The entity that a settler establishes is a Human settlement, settlement. A settler is called a pioneer if they are among ...
in the district bought his section in 1892. In the 1880s Putāruru consisted of little more than a
hotel A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a re ...
and a
blacksmith A blacksmith is a metalsmith who creates objects primarily from wrought iron or steel, but sometimes from #Other metals, other metals, by forging the metal, using tools to hammer, bend, and cut (cf. tinsmith). Blacksmiths produce objects such ...
shop. Exotic
afforestation Afforestation is the establishment of a forest or stand of trees in an area where there was no recent tree cover. There are three types of afforestation: natural Regeneration (biology), regeneration, agroforestry and Tree plantation, tree plan ...
was begun in the district some time after 1910 by a land and
timber Lumber is wood that has been processed into uniform and useful sizes (dimensional lumber), including beams and planks or boards. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, window frames). ...
company with an outlet to the
Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: * Alexander Hamilton (1755/1757–1804), first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States * ''Hamilton'' (musical), a 2015 Broadway musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda ** ''Hamilton'' (al ...
-
Rotorua Rotorua () is a city in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand's North Island. It is sited on the southern shores of Lake Rotorua, from which it takes its name. It is the seat of the Rotorua Lakes District, a territorial authorities of New Zea ...
railway near Pinedale. Commercial tree planting with ''
Pinus radiata ''Pinus radiata'' ( syn. ''Pinus insignis''), the Monterey pine, insignis pine or radiata pine, is a species of pine native to the Central Coast of California and Mexico (on Guadalupe Island and Cedros island). It is an evergreen conifer in t ...
'' took place between 1924 and 1928 on the Pinedale Block. Milling began in 1940–41 and by 1951 the area had been cut out and replanted. Larger areas further south were planted in 1924 for future milling and to provide the raw material for pulp and paper manufacture. The town of Putāruru was surveyed in 1905 and on 18 December an area of 50,987 acres (206 km2), which had been acquired from the Thames Valley Land Co. by the Crown and included town allotments in Putāruru and Lichfield, was opened by ballot. The history of the local timber industry is preserved in the New Zealand Timber Museum. Much of the land in the Putāruru district suffered from a cobalt deficiency, which made
farming Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...
practically impossible, but since 1935 measures have been taken to restore fertility, and
farming Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...
has expanded. Putāruru was created a
town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...
district in 1926, and on 1 July 1947 it was constituted a
borough A borough is an administrative division in various English language, 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 ...
.


Marae

The Putāruru area has two marae, affiliated with the hapū of Ngāti Raukawa: * Mangakāretu Marae and Ngā Hau e Maha meeting house are affiliated with Ngāti Ahuru * Whakaaratamaiti Marae and Korōria meeting house are affiliated with Ngāti Ahuru and Ngāti Mahana In October 2020, the Government committed $1,259,392 from the
Provincial Growth Fund Shane Geoffrey Jones (born 3 September 1959) is a New Zealand politician and a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives for the New Zealand First party. Jones' political career began 2005 New Zealand general election, in 2005 as a l ...
to upgrade Mangakāretu Marae, Whakaaratamaiti Marae and 6 other Ngāti Raukawa marae, creating 18 jobs.


Bent St. Skate Park

One of Putaruru’s most prominent features is it historical skate-bowl park. It was built in the 1980s, as one of the first skate parks in the country, and was recently chosen for a major refurbishment project. This community-led project is set to receive $550,000 from the South Waikato District Council in order to facilitate its upgrade. Intended upgrades include additional skating features, court area, and seating area.


Demographics

Stats NZ describes Putāruru as a small urban area, which covers . It had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2. Putāruru had a population of 4,455 in the
2023 New Zealand census The 2023 New Zealand census, which took place on 7 March 2023, was the thirty-fifth national census in New Zealand. It implemented measures that aimed to increase the Census' effectiveness in response to the issues faced with the 2018 census, i ...
, an increase of 141 people (3.3%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 510 people (12.9%) since the 2013 census. There were 2,151 males, 2,295 females, and 9 people of other genders in 1,692 dwellings. 2.2% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 43.1 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 888 people (19.9%) aged under 15 years, 729 (16.4%) aged 15 to 29, 1,764 (39.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,074 (24.1%) aged 65 or older. People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 74.0% European (
Pākehā ''Pākehā'' (or ''Pakeha''; ; ) is a Māori language, Māori-language word used in English, particularly in New Zealand. It generally means a non-Polynesians, Polynesian New Zealanders, New Zealander or more specifically a European New Zeala ...
); 37.2% Māori; 3.8% Pasifika; 4.8% Asian; 0.3% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.0% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.5%, Māori by 9.4%, Samoan by 0.1%, and other languages by 5.2%. No language could be spoken by 1.8% (e.g. too young to talk).
New Zealand Sign Language New Zealand Sign Language or NZSL () is the main language of the deaf community in New Zealand. It became an official language of New Zealand in April 2006 under the New Zealand Sign Language Act 2006. The purpose of the act was to create rights ...
was known by 0.7%. The percentage of people born overseas was 13.1, compared with 28.8% nationally. Religious affiliations were 29.8%
Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
, 0.8%
Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
, 0.3%
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
, 3.0%
Māori religious beliefs 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 Co ...
, 0.8%
Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
, 0.5%
New Age New Age is a range of Spirituality, spiritual or Religion, religious practices and beliefs that rapidly grew in Western world, Western society during the early 1970s. Its highly eclecticism, eclectic and unsystematic structure makes a precise d ...
, 0.1%
Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
, and 0.9% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 54.7%, and 9.4% of people did not answer the census question. Of those at least 15 years old, 342 (9.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 1,941 (54.4%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 1,284 (36.0%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $30,100, compared with $41,500 nationally. 156 people (4.4%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 1,416 (39.7%) full-time, 432 (12.1%) part-time, and 156 (4.4%) unemployed.


Rural surrounds

Putāruru Rural statistical area, which includes Arapuni, Waotu and
Lichfield Lichfield () is a city status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in Staffordshire, England. Lichfield is situated south-east of the county town of Stafford, north-east of Walsall, north-west of ...
, covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2. Putāruru Rural had a population of 2,538 in the
2023 New Zealand census The 2023 New Zealand census, which took place on 7 March 2023, was the thirty-fifth national census in New Zealand. It implemented measures that aimed to increase the Census' effectiveness in response to the issues faced with the 2018 census, i ...
, an increase of 165 people (7.0%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 315 people (14.2%) since the 2013 census. There were 1,287 males, 1,242 females, and 6 people of other genders in 930 dwellings. 1.9% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 36.6 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 603 people (23.8%) aged under 15 years, 399 (15.7%) aged 15 to 29, 1,176 (46.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 363 (14.3%) aged 65 or older. People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 86.6% European (
Pākehā ''Pākehā'' (or ''Pakeha''; ; ) is a Māori language, Māori-language word used in English, particularly in New Zealand. It generally means a non-Polynesians, Polynesian New Zealanders, New Zealander or more specifically a European New Zeala ...
); 19.7% Māori; 2.2% Pasifika; 4.3% Asian; 0.6% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.4% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.8%, Māori by 4.6%, Samoan by 0.1%, and other languages by 6.7%. No language could be spoken by 2.4% (e.g. too young to talk).
New Zealand Sign Language New Zealand Sign Language or NZSL () is the main language of the deaf community in New Zealand. It became an official language of New Zealand in April 2006 under the New Zealand Sign Language Act 2006. The purpose of the act was to create rights ...
was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 13.4, compared with 28.8% nationally. Religious affiliations were 30.4%
Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
, 0.5%
Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
, 0.8%
Māori religious beliefs 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 Co ...
, 0.2%
Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
, 0.4%
New Age New Age is a range of Spirituality, spiritual or Religion, religious practices and beliefs that rapidly grew in Western world, Western society during the early 1970s. Its highly eclecticism, eclectic and unsystematic structure makes a precise d ...
, 0.1%
Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
, and 1.2% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 56.3%, and 10.4% of people did not answer the census question. Of those at least 15 years old, 318 (16.4%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 1,176 (60.8%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 444 (22.9%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $47,700, compared with $41,500 nationally. 198 people (10.2%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 1,125 (58.1%) full-time, 267 (13.8%) part-time, and 33 (1.7%) unemployed.


Economy

Putāruru's economy is based on
farming Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...
,
forestry Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests and woodlands for associated resources for human and Natural environment, environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and ...
and
timber Lumber is wood that has been processed into uniform and useful sizes (dimensional lumber), including beams and planks or boards. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, window frames). ...
production. The nearby Blue Spring is the current source of about 70% of New Zealand's
bottled water Bottled water is drinking water (e.g., Water well, well water, distilled water, Reverse osmosis, reverse osmosis water, mineral water, or Spring (hydrology), spring water) packaged in Plastic bottle, plastic or Glass bottle, glass water bott ...
. Much of the town's water comes from the spring, which is on the Waihou River to the north east.


Railways


New Zealand Railways Rotorua Branch

Construction of the Rotorua Branch line was started by the New Zealand Thames Valley Land Company (NZTVLC). The line reached Oxford ( Tīrau) on 8 March 1886 and Putāruru and
Lichfield Lichfield () is a city status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in Staffordshire, England. Lichfield is situated south-east of the county town of Stafford, north-east of Walsall, north-west of ...
, further south-east, on Monday 21 June 1886. The
New Zealand Railways Department The New Zealand Railways Department, NZR or NZGR (New Zealand Government Railways) and often known as the "Railways", was a government department charged with owning and maintaining Rail transport in New Zealand, New Zealand's railway infrastruc ...
(NZR) took over the line on 1 April 1886. The Putāruru- Ngātira section of the line to
Rotorua Rotorua () is a city in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand's North Island. It is sited on the southern shores of Lake Rotorua, from which it takes its name. It is the seat of the Rotorua Lakes District, a territorial authorities of New Zea ...
was built by contractor Daniel Fallon, and work was underway by April 1887. The branch opened on 8 December 1894. Putāruru was then served by the Rotorua Express.


Taupo Totara Timber Company Railway

In the early 1900s the Taupo Totara Timber Company (TTT) acquired bush blocks north and north-west of Lake Taupō and erected a sawmill at Mokai. The company built a railway between Mokai and Putāruru, where it connected with the NZ Government Railway. The TTT railway opened in 1905 as a private carrier, carrying TTT staff and their families, guests, freight, and mail between Putāruru and Mokai. From January 29, 1908, the TTT Railway opened its freight and passenger services to the public.


New Zealand Railways Kinleith Branch

The NZ Government purchased a section of the TTT Railway, from Putāruru to the "19-Mile Peg", near the present-day location of the Kinleith Paper Mill south of
Tokoroa Tokoroa is the fourth-largest town in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand and largest settlement in the South Waikato District. Located 30 km southwest of Rotorua and 20 km south of Putāruru, close to the foot of th ...
. From Tuesday, 10 June 1947, the NZ Government took over the operation of this part of the TTT line. This section of railway was reconstructed under a NZ Government scheme for development of the Waikato River basin and surrounding areas. The project was completed on 6 October 1952.


Putāruru Railway Station

Putāruru railway station was near the junction of Arapuni and Princes Streets, north of the junction of the Kinleith Branch with the former Rotorua Branch. In August 1886 the station had a by shelter shed, three cottages, a by goods shed and an incomplete station master's house. Putāruru was still a flag station in 1890, when the daily train took about 3 hours to cover the between Putāruru and Frankton (Hamilton). About the time of the Rotorua Branch's completion, the station was rebuilt and extended to about long. It had a
refreshment room A railway refreshment room is a catering facility attached to a railway station that was formerly common in United Kingdom, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries that were formerly part of the British Empire. They were opened in the ...
and a bookstall and, from 1907, the railway yard had a turntable and handled much livestock, as well as timber. The refreshment room, run by the hotel until 1919, burnt down in 1925 and was replaced by a room to the south of the main building, which closed in 1968. Putāruru railway station closed to passengers on 12 November 1968 and freight on 10 December 2002, though it was served by the
Geyserland Express The ''Geyserland Express'' was a long distance passenger train operated by the Tranz Scenic division of Tranz Rail (previously the New Zealand Rail Limited division InterCity Rail) between Auckland and Rotorua in New Zealand's North Island. I ...
from 1991 to 2001. The station was demolished during March and April 2013. Only a signals equipment shelter and a passing loop now remain on the station site.


Taumangi railway station

Taumangi (or Taumanga) was a flag station north of Putāruru and south of Tīrau. It was just south of Taumangi Road. In 1923 Taumangi Road was diverted north, when a bridge replaced the former level crossing. Taumangi opened on the same day as Putāruru, 8 March 1886. By August 1886 there was a by shelter shed and two cottages and by 1896 there was also a platform and cart approach. In 1925 it was noted that inwards traffic was of timber, shingle, gravel, coal, 13 loads of manure, a wagon of lime, hardware and small goods. The public siding closed on 8 September 1941, as it was in a poor condition, but the station remained open for passengers until 22 November 1948, and for parcels, and roadside traffic until 30 July 1951. There is now only a single line through the station site.


Climate


Education

Putāruru Primary School is a state primary school on the main street, with a roll of . The school opened in 1906. Putāruru College is a state secondary school at the northern entrance of the town, by the Oraka River, with a roll of . It opened as Putaruru High School in 1929, and adopted its current name on merging with Putaruru Intermediate in 2003. Te Wharekura o Te Kaokaoroa o Pātetere is a Māori medium composite school, with a roll of . It opened in 2006. St Mary's Catholic School is a state-integrated primary school, with a roll of . The school opened in 1944. All these schools are co-educational. Rolls are as of


Notable people

* Grant Fox (born 1962), former All Black * Honey Hireme (born 1981), former New Zealand rugby player * Glen Mitchell (born 1972), Olympic cyclist * Lorraine Moller (born 1955), Olympic athlete * Gareth Morgan (born 1953), economist, philanthropist * Jennifer Robyn (Jenny) Shattock, former South Waikato mayor * Wayne Smith (born 1957), former All Black and former All Black coach


References


Further reading

*


External links


1914
an
2011
photos of railway station

* ttp://www.nztimbermuseum.co.nz/ New Zealand Timber Museum {{DEFAULTSORT:Putaruru Populated places in Waikato South Waikato District