Tokoroa

Infobox Settlement
name = Tokoroa
population_total = 15,063
population_as_of = 2006
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = New Zealand
subdivision_type1= Region
subdivision_name1= Waikato
subdivision_type2= District
subdivision_name2= South Waikato district
pushpin_

pushpin_label_position = left
latd = 38
latm = 14
latNS = S
longd = 175
longm = 52
longEW = E

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.

History

Early history

.

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 1980's, 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:

*Hamilton (north north west)
*Tauranga (north east)
*Rotorua (south east east)
*Taupo (south)

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

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
*Amistfeild 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 300+. 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. [cite web| title=Tokoroa DHB |url=http://www.waikatodhb.govt.nz/]

Town facilities and attractions

Tokoroa has a number of Tourist and visiting attractions.

Talking Poles

Since 1998, Tokoroa has been "sprouting" Talking Poles, consisting mainly of carvings representing the many cultures in the town. This one, photographed shortly after its unveiling in 2004, is a chainsaw carving of an old tree which had suffered extensive damage from a storm and died. It is representative of the Greenman in Welsh mythology and is located on State Highway 1, immediately adjacent to the town's information centre.

Twenty-five talking poles are displayed around the town. Tokoroa Talking Poles symposium exposition happens every two years at the Te Wananga Institution. The main talking pole "The Chainsaw man" was carved in 2004 by Mr. Andy Hankcock. [cite web|title=Chainsaw man|url=http://www.newzealand.com/travel/destinations/regions/waikato/waikato-towns.cfm/nodeid/253.html]

Lake Moana-Nui

Tokoroa's man-made lake " Moana-Nui" was built in the late 1950's 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. [cite web|title= Lake Maona Nui|url=http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?wp=GC16FHT]

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 TVone as a program to built for Tokoroa's youth ahs been built for now 3 years (2005). 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 Moari 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.

porting

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 14,500 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
*Isaac John - rugby league player: plays for the New Zealand Warriors
*Richard Kahui - Waikato rugby union player, 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
*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

External Links

* [http://www.downtown.co.nz/SouthWaikato/ South Waikato Information]
* [http://www.swktodc.govt.nz/ South Waikato district council website]
* [http://tokoroa.dyndns.org/ Live Weather Report From Tokoroa]