Ruapuke_Papanui_Pt_and_Swann_Access_Rd_carpark

Ruapuke is a small

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 ...

community (predominantly sheep and cattle farmers) in 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 on the slopes of

Karioi Karioi or Mount Karioi is a 2.4 million year old extinct stratovolcano SW of Raglan in the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. It was the earliest of the line of 6 calcalkalic volcanoes, the largest of which is Mount Pirongia (the ...

, between Raglan and

Kawhia Kawhia Harbour () is one of three large natural inlets in the Tasman Sea coast of the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located to the south of Raglan Harbour, Ruapuke and Aotea Harbour, 40 kilometres southwest of Hamilton, Ne ...

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

History

The introduction to 'Ruapuke' says, "The greater part of the Ruapuke District is of a sandy loam, and at one time carried a large population of Maoris, as is evidenced by old pas, great heaps of shells, warehouse sites and numerous

kumara Kumara may refer to: Places * Kumara (Mali), a province * Kumara, New Zealand, a town * Kumara (New Zealand electorate), a Parliamentary electorate Other uses * Kumara Illangasinghe, an Anglican bishop in Sri Lanka * Kumara (surname) * The Fo ...

storage pits. When the first Europeans arrived the sandy country was covered with patches of light bush, with a big proportion of Karaka,

Pūriri ''Vitex lucens'', commonly known as pūriri, is an evergreen tree endemic to New Zealand. History Pūriri was first collected (by Europeans) at Tolaga Bay by Banks and Solander during Cook's first visit in 1769. The plant was described by S ...

, and

Cabbage trees Cabbage, comprising several cultivars of ''Brassica oleracea'', is a leafy green, red (purple), or white (pale green) biennial plant grown as an Annual plant, annual vegetable crop for its dense-leaved heads. It is descended from the wild cabba ...

. The balance was covered with Tauhinu, Teatree, Flax and Fern. The clay portion of the district, (inland and on the slopes of Mt Karioi) was in heavy bush."Ruapuke: F J Trolove first printed 1970 lists 22 families living in Ruapuke in 1969, including chapters on Swann, Thomson, Jackson, Ward, Given and Trolove The archaeological map shows over 40 sites in the area. The European settlers, George Charlton and his sons-in-law, Captains Swann and Liddell, arrived in the 1850s. The Ruapuke block was bought by the government from Ngāti Whakamarurangi between 1854 and 1856 for £300. A

Waitangi Tribunal The Waitangi Tribunal (Māori: ''Te Rōpū Whakamana i te Tiriti o Waitangi'') is a New Zealand permanent commission of inquiry established under the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975. It is charged with investigating and making recommendations on c ...

report says, "'' McLean appears to have applied pressure on Māori sellers to induce them to accept a price they had previously rejected . . . We find that, in this way, the Crown failed to act honourably and in good faith''". Ruapuke had a school from 1877 till 1954. The school was rebuilt in 1937. It has been replaced by a school bus. Papanui_Point

There was a store at Motakotako from the 1860s. From about 1875 to 1883 it was run by

John William Ellis John William Ellis Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, MBE (1853 – 6 August 1918) was a New Zealand businessman and Mayor of Hamilton, New Zealand, mayor of Hamilton from 1917 to 1918. His progressive mother encouraged hi ...

, who later founded Ellis & Burnand. Another store opened briefly in the 1890s. From 1873 until the 1900s there were up to three flaxmills running.

Demographics

The area north of Ruapuke Beach Rd is in

meshblock Mesh blocks or meshblocks are a small geographic unit used in the census of several countries. New Zealand New Zealand's countrywide meshblock framework was first set up in 1976, although the term dates back to at least the 1916 census. The m ...

0861502 (N) and south of it in 0861800 (S). They had these census figures -

Roads

Ruapuke is about from Te Mata. of Ruapuke Road was

sealed Seal may refer to any of the following: Common uses * Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly: ** Earless seal, also called "true seal" ** Fur seal ** Eared seal * Seal (em ...

and some bends removed in 2011. It is often used for rally car competitions. The north end of Ruapuke Beach is about from Raglan via Whaanga Road and Te Toto Gorge, which is

gravel Gravel () is a loose aggregation of rock fragments. Gravel occurs naturally on Earth as a result of sedimentation, sedimentary and erosion, erosive geological processes; it is also produced in large quantities commercially as crushed stone. Gr ...

, winding, mountainous and described as 'iconic' in descriptions of

Rally New Zealand The Rally New Zealand is an annual rally race in New Zealand. It was first included as a round of the World Rally Championship in 1977. The race is famous for its fast flowing gravel roads which carry the competitors through forests and alongsid ...

Roading History

Until 1864 settlement was along the coast and relied on access by boat. Then a track was cut along what is now Waimaori Rd. Ruapuke Rd (originally known as Ruapuke Mountain Rd) was built as a shorter route from 1902 and was

metalled A road surface (British English) or pavement (North American English) is the durable surface material laid down on an area intended to sustain vehicular or foot traffic, such as a road or walkway. In the past, gravel road surfaces, macadam, ho ...

in 1935.

Surfing

Until the 1990s the beach largely remained unknown, used by local residents and a few

surfing Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suita ...

and

surfcasting Surf fishing is land-based game fishing while standing on the shoreline or wading into the surf zone. A general term, surf fishing may or may not include casting a lure or bait, and refers to all types of shore fishing – from sandy and rocky be ...

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment (Freshwater ecosystem, freshwater or Marine ecosystem, marine), but may also be caught from Fish stocking, stocked Body of water, ...

enthusiasts. Ruapuke beach is sometimes used as a backup beach for events such as the Billabong Pro Junior Series (2007), and the Backdoor Oceanbridge Manu Bay Pro (2019), due to conditions.

References

External links

BBC Profile
{{Waikato District Populated places in Waikato Waikato District