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| Tokoroa | |
  Tokoroa
|
|
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Region | Waikato |
| District | South Waikato district |
| Population (2006) | |
| - Total | 15,063 |
Tokoroa is the third 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, close to the foot of the Mamaku Ranges, it is mid-way between Taupo and Hamilton on State Highway One. Its 2006 census population was 15,063, virtually unchanged from the 1996 figure of 15,096. Other notable South Waikato settlements are Putaruru, Tirau and Arapuni.
Contents |
History
Early history
It is traditionally recorded that one of the great fighting chiefs of the Ngati Kahupungapunga, Tokoroa by name, was slain by Ngati Raukawa during the siege of Pohuturoa, a high rocky eminence 27km south of Tokoroa on the main Taupo highway. It is probable that some early surveyor applied the name Tokoroa as a tribute to the old chief's memory. The name 'Tokoroa' first appeared on the early maps of the 1860s.
Growth
Tokoroa is one of the most recent towns in New Zealand history. It first developed around 1948, as a residential satellite for Kinleith Mill, New Zealand Forest Products Limited's timber, pulp and paper mill at Kinleith, 8km south of Tokoroa. In 1948 the town could boast a population of 1100. By the time NZFP began to downscale its operations at Kinleith in the early 1980s, Tokoroa had a population of 18,000 - just 2,000 below the number necessary to be proclaimed a city. In recent years however, the downscaling at Kinleith and in other industries has resulted in a drop in population, and only 14,175 people resided in Tokoroa as of 2001.
Geography
Location
Surrounding the township are many dairy farms and plantation forests. There are many scenic reserves around the town - the artificial lake 'Moana-Nui' (formed by damming the Matarawa Stream) lies within a popular recreational park. The lake has many ducks and contains much weed (partially due to its shallowness). Signs have been put up warning people not to swim in the water due to health concerns.
The town's location in the centre of the central North Island and its developed transportation network provide plenty of potential for warehousing and distribution. Tokoroa lies in the centre of a triangle made up of the popular tourism destinations of Rotorua, Waitomo and Taupo. There are about forty five lakes within a forty-five minute drive of Tokoroa.
One can travel to four major centres, each less than a one hour drive:
Township
As well as the central business district, the township is made up of many subdivisions, each built in different stages of the Kinleith complex's development. These subdivisions are:
- Parkdale
- Paraonui
- Papanui
- Matarawa
- Aotea
- Strathmore
- Amisfield
- Tokoroa West
- Tokoroa City
- Kinleith
Many of the street names of the town were named by the first managing director of N.Z. Forest Products Ltd.(builders of the Kinleith mill), Sir David Henry (1888–1963), after places near his home town of Edinburgh, in Scotland. There is even a Sir David Henry primary school.
Economy
The main industries that support Tokoroa are forestry, centred on Kinleith Mill, and dairy farming. Recently, due to an increase in dairy prices, much of the surrounding forest is being converted into farmland.
The main rural activities of the district are sheep raising and dairying. Forestry is, however, the most important primary industry. Timber is milled and processed at Kinleith, but most of the Kinleith workers live in Tokoroa. Tokoroa is a marketing and servicing centre with associated industries. These include the manufacture of cheese, wooden boxes, and joinery; sawmilling, general engineering, and the quarrying of building stone.
Education
- Further information: List of schools in Waikato, New Zealand#South Waikato district
Education and research are important to Tokoroa, through the Te Wananga o Aotearoa Institute and the Tokoroa Polytech Institute. As well as state and private primary, intermediate and high schools, it also notably includes the Te Kura Kaupapa Māori primary school offering education in the Māori language.
Tertiary education
- Tokoroa Polytech Institute
- Te Wananga o Aotearoa
Secondary schools
- Forest View High School
- Tokoroa High School
Intermediate schools
- Tokoroa Intermediate School
- Tainui full primary school
- Amisfield Full Primary School
- Te Kura Kaupapa Moari o Te Hiringa
Primary schools
- Tokoroa East School
- David Henry School, Tokoroa
- Strathmore School, Tokoroa
- Tokoroa North School
- Bishop Edward Gains, Tokoroa
- Tokoroa Central School
Kindergartens
- Clyde Street Kindergarten
- Balmoral Kindergarten
- Paronui Kindergarten
- Arohanui Kindergarten
- David Henry Kindergarten
Tokoroa Hospital
Tokoroa currently has a hospital with 300+ beds, and a staff of around 85. Tokoroa also has a hospital helicopter pad for transportation to Waikato Hospital.
Tokoroa Hospital is made up of about 9 wards. Each with a different subject. Tokoroa has a separated Pregnancy ward with 20 rooms. The hospital also has a well maintained carpark with easy access for the injured and visitors. This is called the 'In and Out' stages.1
Town facilities and attractions
Tokoroa has a number of Tourist and visiting attractions.
Talking Poles
Since 1997, Tokoroa has been "sprouting" Talking Poles, consisting mainly of carvings representing ethnic culture, sport & recreation and industry in the town. This one, photographed shortly after its unveiling in 2004, is a chainsaw carving of a deodar cedar which died from natural causes. It is representative of the Greenman in Welsh mythology and is located on State Highway 1, immediately adjacent to the town's information centre.
As at October 2008, 42 Talking Poles are displayed around the town. Tokoroa Talking Poles symposium happens every two years at Te Wananga o Aotearoa Training Institution. The Greenman was carved in 2004 by Mr. Andy Hankcock.2
Lake Moana-Nui
Tokoroa's man-made lake " Moana-Nui" was built in the late 1950s by the community. It now has many ducks and is hazardous to the people. It is still in use but people as not to swim in it. There are picnic tables built around the lakes arc and there are four playgrounds. On the rear end of "Moana-Nui" are gardens placed there from Tokoroa's local children. 3
Town Library
The town library is located by the police station. With 30 shelves and more then 1500 books it hosts the libraries for Putaruru and Tirau.
Youth Park
Tokoroa's No Opportunity Wasted (N.O.W) park built in 72 hours and was screened on TV one as a program to built for Tokoroa's youth was been built for now 3 years (2006). Tokoroa's youth park is located next to the indoor heated pools. There is a playground, volleyball court and barbecue area, but no public toilet.
Culture and sports
Tokoroa hosts a number of sporting, cultural and music events every year. With the Polynesian festival only once a year.
Polynesian Festival
Tokoroa Polynesian Festival occurs every once a year around September. Performing on our stages are Tokoroa's local schools with Maori performances, Samoan Dances, Cook-Island Dancing and many other exciting actions. The Polynesian festival also has a special guest every year whether it will be a famous singer, dancer or another school from a different area performing.
Sporting
The local rugby union teams are the Chiefs (Super 14). The local colours are red, yellow and black hoops, and the provincial mascot is Mooloo, an anthropomorphic cow. Both teams play at Waikato Stadium. Tokoroa also host Gwynne sheild every year playing Tokoroa's team the " Tritons ".
Memorial Sports Ground
The sports ground is used every weekend and is in use throughout the week-days.
Y.M.C.A sports centre
Tokoroa's Y.M.C.A host a number of indoor and outdoor events. Such as :
- Indoor skating
- Outdoor Archery
- Indoor and Outdoor soccer
- Basketball
- Netball
- Indoor Hockey
Transportation
Cycling
Tokoroa has extensive cycleways which link the town center with the outlying subdivisions. These cycleways consist of a mixture of dedicated cycle lanes and mixed use cycle/walk ways
Road
Private cars are the transport medium of choice in this area, spread-out town.
While walking has been gaining in popularity in recent years, the relative lack of congestion compared to other towns, ample availability of parking and inconvenient improved weather shelters. New Zealand's main road artery State Highway 1 runs through Tokoroa's eastern suburbs. Tokoroa is a non-traffic light town.
Busing
Buses run to:
- Hamilton
- Putaruru
- Tirau
- Auckland
- Wellington
- Taupo
- Te Kuiti
- Rotorua
Radio stations
There are two local radio stations in Tokoroa
- Classic Hits Radio Forestland and 96.4
- Raukawa FM 89.6
Demographics
Tokoroa is a slow growing town of over 15,000 people, with around 1.5 million people – 40% of New Zealand's total population – living within a 250 km (155 mi) radius.
Tokoroa is a multicultural town, with about 35% of the population being Maori and another 20% from the Pacific Islands (mainly the Cook Islands). The remaining 45% of the population is made up of people from dozens of countries around the world. Tokoroa has New Zealand's largest Pacific Island community outside of Auckland and Wellington.
Notable residents
- Isaac Boss — Ireland rugby union international
- Dan Buckley - Founder of clothing label "Huffer"
- Pero Cameron — basketball player and Tall Black
- Adrian Cashmore - rugby union player
- Quade Cooper - Australian rugby union player
- John Davies - teacher, public relations man, bronze medal-winning athlete (1964 Summer Olympics), and coach
- Stella Duffy - novelist
- Ben Hana - Wellington identity: better known as Blanket Man
- Tommy Hayes - Cook Islands rugby union representative
- Geoff Hines - All Black
- Isaac John - rugby league player: plays for the New Zealand Warriors
- Richard Kahui - Waikato rugby union player, All Black
- Paul Koteka - All Black
- Nicky Little - Fiji rugby union representative, nephew of Walter Little.
- Walter Little — All Black
- Linn Lorkin - piano-based singer / songwriter / entertainer
- Kendrick Lynn - rugby union player
- Keven Mealamu — All Black
- Jenny Morris - New Zealand / Australian singer / songwriter: member of Wide Mouthed Frogs, the Crocodiles; back-up singer for the Models and INXS; and solo artiste
- Brian Morrissey - All Black
- Henry Paul - New Zealand rugby league representative
- Robbie Paul - New Zealand rugby league representative
- The Politicians - rock/new wave/reggae band formed in 1981
- Paul Reeves - Anglican priest / diplomat / former Governor-General of New Zealand
- Brian Tamaki - founder of Destiny Church
- Maria Tutaia - New Zealand netball representative
Notes and references
- ^ "Tokoroa DHB".
- ^ "Chainsaw man".
- ^ "Lake Maona Nui".
- Reed, A. W. (2002). The Reed Dictionary of New Zealand Place Names. Auckland: Reed Books. ISBN 0-7900-0761-4.
External links
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 20 November 2008, at 17:06.
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