Opoutere facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Opoutere
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 Opoutere
Location in North Island
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Waikato |
| District | Thames-Coromandel District |
Opoutere is a beautiful place in New Zealand. It is on the eastern side of the Coromandel Peninsula. This area is famous for its lovely beach and calm surroundings. You can find Opoutere south of Pauanui and north of Whangamatā. It is also near State Highway 25. The name "Opoutere" means "place of floating posts."
Contents
A Look Back: Opoutere's History
Early Settlers and Māori History
Long ago, the first people to live in the Opoutere area were the Ngāti Hei tribe. Later, around the mid-1600s, the Ngāti Hako tribe took over. After that, the Ngati Hikairo tribe became the main group in the area. They gained control of the land through battles. The Marutuāhu group gave Ngati Hikairo control over these lands. This helped Ngati Hikairo spread their influence, called mana whenua, across places like Wharekawa, Tairua, Pauanui, and Opoutere.
Gold, Kauri, and Gum
In the 1870s and 1880s, people started looking for gold near the Wharekawa Harbour. They found gold in several places. This led to about half a dozen big gold finds. By the 1890s, a few mines were set up.
At the same time, people were also cutting down giant kauri trees. Kauri logging was a big industry back then. After the kauri trees became scarce, people called gum-diggers arrived. They dug for kauri gum, which was used to make varnish and other products.
A Village Grows and Shrinks
At the start of the 1900s, about 50 people lived near the harbour's mouth. This small village had a store, a bakery, and a post office. An Anglican church was built there. However, it was later used by Ringatū worshippers. Ringatū is a Māori religion.
As the forests disappeared and the gum industry slowed down in the 1920s, the village also became smaller. By the late 1930s, the shops had closed. The church was no longer used. Over time, farming and planting pine trees helped the land recover. These pine trees were part of the Tairua State Forest.
Modern Times and Holiday Homes
After World War II, some families from Auckland and Hamilton built holiday homes, called baches, by the harbour. In the 1950s, a holiday store and a camping ground opened. This made Opoutere a popular spot for vacations.
In the late 1960s and 1970s, a few small housing areas were created. But the local community wanted to protect the area's natural beauty. They worked to stop more big developments in the 1980s.
Education
Opoutere School is a school for children from years 1 to 8. This means it teaches students from about 5 to 13 years old. The school has about 103 students. Its "decile rating" is 4. This rating helps show the school's community's economic situation. A native school was first built in Opoutere in 1908. The original school building later became a youth hostel.
