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 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.
[edit] History[edit] Early historyIt 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 27 km 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. [edit] GrowthTokoroa is one of the most recent towns in New Zealand history. It was first developed around 1925 by the Matarawa land company as a potential farming area followed by residential redevelopment in 1948. Early pioneer farming family history details hardship for those whom first farmed Tokoroa as the soil had serious deficiencies that became known as "Bush Sickness" later to be found to be cobalt deficient. Tokoroa was then redeveloped as a residential satellite for Kinleith Mill, New Zealand Forest Products Limited timber, pulp and paper mill at Kinleith, 8 km south of Tokoroa. In 1948 the town could boast a population of 1,100. 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 down scaling at Kinleith and in other industries has resulted in a drop in population, and only 14,175 people resided in Tokoroa as of 2001. Famous for Maori and Pacific Islander Races and a Multicultural melting pot as all races and creeds attracted by seasonal employment at the mill. [edit] Geography  [edit] LocationSurrounding 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: [edit] TownshipAs 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:
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 David Henry primary school. [edit] 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. [edit] EducationFurther 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
Secondary schools
Intermediate schools
Primary schools
Kindergartens
[edit] Town facilities and attractionsTokoroa has a number of Tourist and visiting attractions, as well as many facilities for local use.     [edit] Talking PolesSince 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.[1] [edit] Lake Moana-NuiTokoroa's man-made lake " Te Moana-Nui" was excavated by large earthmoving equipment and a concrete dam wall with a drain valve control was built in the late 1970s by the community. The wooden bridge located on the south west end of the dam wall that supported and controlled the drain valve was a favorite "Bomb" spot and bare foot skiing down the spillway was an early extreme sport unique to Tokoroa. For the youth of 1970s Tokoroa "The Lake" was used extensively and was referred to in local parlance as "Tokoroa Beach". Summertime afternoon at Tokoroa Beach it was a common sight to see the 1970s youth lying on the footpath across the road drying out after an ice cold swim even on the hottest of those summer days. Lake Te Moana Nui now has many ducks and is claimed to be hazardous to the people. In the late 1970s people happily swam in it just after it was built but over a short period of time due to low rainfall and poor flows saw the lake weed overtake the swimming areas and eventually became a drowning hazard that claimed quite a few young lives over the preceding decade. in this sense the project was a failure to the community. In an effort to control these problems signs were erected banning access to the dam wall and hand rails that a baby could easily walk through were put up to prevent access. The Lake was subject to regular draining in an effort to control the weed and to flush out the old water. It did slightly improve things in the short term It is still in use but people are warned 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. [2] [edit] Town LibraryThe town library is located by the police station. With 30 shelves and more than 1,500 books it hosts the libraries for Putaruru and Tirau. [edit] Tokoroa HospitalTokoroa currently has a hospital with 20+ 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 4 wards. Each with a different subject. Tokoroa has a combined maternity ward with 6 rooms. The hospital also has a well maintained carpark with easy access for the injured and visitors.[3] [edit] Youth ParkTokoroa's No Opportunity Wasted (N.O.W) park was built in 72 hours and was screened on TV one for Tokoroa's youth, it has been built for now three 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. [edit] Culture and sportsTokoroa hosts a number of sporting, cultural and music events every year. With the Polynesian festival only once a year. [edit] Polynesian FestivalTokoroa Polynesian Festival occurs every year around September. Tokoroa's local schools give Maori and Cook Islands performances, where you hear the Cook Islands drumming and dancing and the Maori performance being displays and other actions. This year's host is NZ artist , J.Williams , Lavina Williams and Emily Williams . [edit] SportingThe 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 shield every year playing Tokoroa's team the " Tritons ". [edit] Memorial Sports GroundThe sports ground is used every weekend and is in use throughout the week-days. [edit] Y.M.C.A sports centreTokoroa's Y.M.C.A host a number of indoor and outdoor events. Such as :
It has just experienced a major upgrade , including heat pumps, which heats up the whole stadium and new stadium lights . These were all installed by Tokoroa Local Company. [edit] Transportation[edit] CyclingTokoroa 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 [edit] RoadPrivate 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. [edit] BusingAs Tokoroa is on State Highway One, buses run through the town, however there is now a free public bus service running within the town on a 30 minute cycle.[citation needed] [edit] Radio stationsThere are two local radio stations in Tokoroa:
[edit] DemographicsTokoroa 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. [edit] Notable residents
[edit] Notes and references
[edit] External links
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