Te Kōpuru facts for kids

Te Kōpuru is the biggest town on the Pouto Peninsula in Northland, New Zealand. It's located where the Wairoa River separates the peninsula from the main land to the east. The town of Dargaville is about 14 kilometers (9 miles) north of Te Kōpuru.

Te Kōpuru: A Look at Its Past

Early Māori History

The land around Te Kōpuru was first home to the Ngāti Awa people. Later, in the late 1600s or early 1700s, the Ngāti Whātua tribe moved into the area. In the early 1800s, during a time called the Musket Wars, there was fighting between the Ngā Puhi and Ngāti Whātua tribes. Also, a sickness like the flu spread. These events caused many people to leave the area.

European Settlers Arrive

In 1841, something happened that upset the local Māori. A skull was found at a farmer's store. This led to a traditional Māori action called "Muru," where the Māori attacked and took things from the store. A court later said the farmer was innocent. As a way to make up for the "Muru," the land at Te Kōpuru was given over. However, the people who carried out the "Muru" didn't actually own or have rights to that land.

In 1860, a big meeting (called a hui) was held in Te Kōpuru. About 600 people came together to make peace between the Ngāti Whātua and Ngā Puhi tribes.

The Kauri Timber Industry

In 1867, people tried to build a kauri sawmill in Te Kōpuru. But the ship carrying the machinery leaked, damaging it. The mill was finally finished in 1870 and started working the next year. It was the biggest mill in New Zealand! By 1875, it was producing a huge amount of timber each week.

The mill was destroyed by fire in 1883, but it was rebuilt. It burned down again in 1906 and was rebuilt once more. By the end of the 1870s, about 215 people lived in Te Kōpuru.

Growing as a Town

By 1876, Te Kōpuru had well-stocked stores and a library. A Post Office opened in 1877. In 1878, the town was described as looking like "the port of some thriving inland city." A steamer boat service started in February 1878, taking people to Dargaville and Helensville twice a week. A road to Dargaville also opened in 1879.

Te Kōpuru in the 1900s

Timber and Dairy Growth

In the 1890s, the town's population grew to 440 as the timber industry got bigger. A road was built south to Tikinui in 1897, and part of it was covered with metal (a hard surface) the next year. A new library was built in 1899.

People who dug for kauri gum (called gum-diggers) were active in the area from the 1890s until at least 1910. Around the same time, a company called W Brown and Sons started building boats in Te Kōpuru. Dairy farms also began to grow in the early 1900s. In 1903, the Customs Office moved to Te Kōpuru from Pouto.

The Te Kōpuru Hospital

A hospital was built in Te Kōpuru to help people who got hurt working in the mills. Te Kōpuru was chosen for the hospital because it had more people than Dargaville at the time.

The first sealed road in the Kaipara District was likely the one from Te Kōpuru to Mount Wesley (near Dargaville) around 1918. The big timber mill closed in 1920. Having the hospital helped the town keep going. By the 1930s, the road north had become just a metalled road again.

In 1956, the main parts of Te Kōpuru Hospital moved to a new hospital in Dargaville. The Te Kōpuru hospital still helped mothers and elderly people, even after its main building burned down in 1959. Finally, in 1971, the hospital closed completely, and all services moved to Dargaville.

Ferry Services and Roads

A ferry service started in 1934. It went from Raupo (on the east side of the Northern Wairoa River) to Tikinui (just south of Te Kōpuru). This ferry first helped transport milk from dairy farms. But many travelers found it easier to use the ferry than to drive through Dargaville, especially when roads were not as good.

This was very true during the Toheroa season. Toheroa are a type of shellfish that many people thought were a special food. Families would come from all over New Zealand to collect them from the west coast beaches. (It's now against the law to collect Toheroa because there aren't enough of them left.) As roads got better and a railway line was built, the ferry service stopped around 1971.

Marae in Te Kōpuru

Some Ngāti Whātua marae (meeting places) are located in or near Te Kōpuru.

• Ōtūrei Marae and its meeting house, Rangimārie Te Aroha, are connected to the Te Uri o Hau and Te Popoto groups.
• The Waikāretu or Pōuto Marae and Rīpia marae sites are also linked to Te Uri o Hau.

Population and People

Te Kōpuru is a rural settlement that covers about 2.63 square kilometers (1 square mile). In 2023, it had a population of 540 people. This was an increase of 42 people since the 2018 census.

Here's a quick look at the people in Te Kōpuru in 2023:

• There were 264 males, 270 females, and 6 people who identified as other genders.
• About 21.7% of the people were under 15 years old.
• The average age was 43.0 years.
• Most people (73.9%) identified as European (Pākehā), and 50.0% identified as Māori.
• English was spoken by 97.8% of people, and the Māori language by 10.0%.
• About 7.8% of people were born outside New Zealand.
• When it came to religion, 30.0% were Christian, and 5.6% followed Māori religious beliefs. Many people (55.6%) said they had no religion.
• For those aged 15 and older, 8.5% had a university degree or higher.
• The average income was $25,500.
• About 36.9% of people aged 15 and over worked full-time.

Well-Known People from Te Kōpuru

Many interesting people have come from Te Kōpuru, including:

• John Carter, a politician
• Eddie Dunn, an All Black rugby player
• Ian Dunn, another All Black rugby player
• Jane Goulding, a hockey player
• Warwick Henderson, an art gallery owner
• Ross Meurant, a politician and police officer
• Mina Ripia, a musician
• Lana Searle, a radio announcer
• Clem Simich, a politician
• Kendrick Smithyman, a poet
• Kelly Tarlton, who studied things under the sea
• Lawrence Weathers, who received the Victoria Cross for bravery
• Clifton Webb, a politician

Schools in Te Kōpuru

Te Kōpuru School is a school for both boys and girls, teaching students from Year 1 to Year 8. As of 2023, it has 104 students. The school first opened in 1872. In 1937, smaller schools from Tikinui, Tatarariki, and Redhill joined together to become part of Te Kōpuru School.

Aratapu District High School, which was a bit north of Te Kōpuru, closed in 1965. Now, the closest high school for students is in Dargaville.