Hurworth, New Zealand facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hurworth
Hurworth Location in Taranaki Region
Country	New Zealand
Region	Taranaki
District	New Plymouth District

Hurworth is a small place in Taranaki, New Zealand. It is about 8 kilometers (5 miles) south of the city of New Plymouth. This settlement was started in the 1850s.

History of Hurworth

How Hurworth Got Its Name

Harry Atkinson, who was the leader of New Zealand (called the Premier), named Hurworth. He named it after a village in England where he lived as a child. Atkinson helped to start the settlement. He even built a special house, now known as "Hurworth Cottage." He learned how to build it from a sawyer, who is someone who cuts wood.

Life in Early Hurworth

Hurworth became one of six busy settlements in the area. It was well-known for its excellent cheeses. Other families lived there too, including the Ronalds family.

The First Taranaki War

Sadly, many buildings in Hurworth were damaged during the First Taranaki War in 1860. The people living there had to leave their homes. They were forced to move to nearby New Plymouth for safety. After the war in 1861, Hurworth Cottage was the only building still standing in the area. However, its floor had been set on fire.

Hurworth Rebuilds

Atkinson did not return to Hurworth until 1865. After this, the area slowly grew into another small community. In 1967, Robert Brown, who owned Hurworth Cottage at the time, gave it to the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. Since then, the cottage has been carefully preserved and kept safe.

Fun Things to Do in Hurworth

The Pouakai Zoo is located in Hurworth. You can see many interesting animals there. These include lions, meerkats, and tammar wallabies. There are also black-handed spider monkeys and a female lar gibbon.