Tīnui, also spelled Tinui and formerly spelled Tenui, is a small village approximately 40 kilometres from

Masterton Masterton ( mi, Whakaoriori), a large town in the Greater Wellington Region of New Zealand, operates as the seat of the Masterton District (a territorial authority or local-government district). It is the largest town in the Wairarapa, a r ...

, in the

Wairarapa The Wairarapa (; ), a geographical region of New Zealand, lies in the south-eastern corner of the North Island, east of metropolitan Wellington and south-west of the Hawke's Bay Region. It is lightly populated, having several rural service t ...

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 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...

. The name comes from the Māori words , cabbage tree, and , many.

History

Tīnui was the first place in New Zealand to have an ANZAC Day cross: On 25 April 1916, the local vicar led an expedition to place a large metal cross to commemorate the dead on Tīnui Taipo, a 360 m (1200 ft) high promontory behind the village, and a service was held. In 2006, the 90th anniversary was commemorated with a 21-gun salute fired by soldiers from

Waiouru Army Camp Waiouru Military Camp is a camp of the New Zealand Army in the central North Island of New Zealand near Waiouru. All New Zealand Army soldiers complete their initial basic training, the All Arms Recruit Course (AARC), at Waiouru Military Camp ...

. In 2009, the

Air Force An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an ar ...

began promoting Tīnui as an alternative to travelling to Gallipoli. Veterans' Affairs Minister

Judith Collins Judith Anne Collins (born 24 February 1959) is a New Zealand politician who served as the Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the New Zealand National Party from 14 July 2020 to 25 November 2021. She was the second female Leader of the Nati ...

said of the promotion: "I would be delighted to see Tīnui become a place where people come to pay their respects and remember those who have fallen." Tīnui has been flooded often, as it is situated on the river flats next to the confluence of the Whareama River and the Tīnui Stream. The first recorded flood was in 1858, when water covered the river flats. In 1936, floods caused thousands of sheep to drown and floodwaters reached a depth of 450 mm inside the Tīnui Hotel. The 1991 floods devastated the village when 200 mm of rain fell over a 24-hour period, and the river flooded again in July 1992. Tinui Taipo (22602504893).jpg, Tīnui Taipo Church of the Good Shepherd, Tinui (1902) August 2008 (2782726105).jpg, Church of the Good Shepherd The Cross, Tinui, Wairarapa (23203463736).jpg, The cross on the hill Tinui, Wairarapa (22933825500).jpg, ANZAC walkway Tinui Hotel. Currently closed awaiting demolishion, relocation or a new owner - panoramio.jpg, Tīnui Hotel

Demographics

Tīnui is part of the Whareama statistical area.

Education

Tīnui School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students from the Mangapakeha, Tīnui, Annedale, Tīnui Valley, Whakataki, Castlepoint, and Mataikona areas. It has a roll of as of .

References

{{Authority control Populated places in the Wellington Region Masterton District Wairarapa