Hauraki Plains

The Hauraki Plains are a level on the North Island of New Zealand.

  • 7.1 Kopuatai Peat Dome
  • 7.2 Whangamarino

Geography

They are located about 75 km south-east of Auckland at the base of the Coromandel Peninsula. The plane is located in the southern part of a grave breach, which is bounded by the Kaimai Ranges and the west by hills in the east, which separates the plain of the much larger level of the Waikato River. The plane belongs administratively largely to the Hauraki District.

The 400 km ² alluvium was formed by sediment deposits. They originate from the Piako River and Waihou River, the northward flow into the Firth of Thames, as well as from a fossil bed of the Waikato River. The resulting floodplain is flat, peaty and partly swampy, but it is well suited for dairy farming, which is the main source of income here.

Tourism in the area of the Hauraki Plains has increased greatly in recent years. It helps that the employment rate is higher than the national average in New Zealand's region in summer.

The largest city is the level Ngatea, near Turua is, the larger Te Aroha is located near the southern border of the Thames Valley District.

Geology

The Hauraki grave breach arose million years ago, about 2 to 3 as a large block of the earth's crust plummeted from 500 to 2000 meters. The fossil Waikato River often flowed from then through the valley resulting in the Hauraki Gulf, most recently by the Hinuera Valley before about 20,000 years ago. Over time, the grave breach was up to 40 m deep filled with sediment. When Shelly beach and Maukoro one can find remnants of the former sea coast today.

After the Waitako River had shifted its drain one last time to the west coast, the Waihou and Piako River formed the. These two extended into the plane through silt carried in the Firth of Thames.

History

Decision to drain

The plain was covered with a dense mangrove and a dense kahikatea forest. The largest part of the marshy soil was raw peat, which was deep between one and more than twenty meters.

Once a year, Waihou and Piako Rivers burst their banks. The people living at Hauraki demand government permission to dry out the land. The government, however, was of the view that this was never possible - after all, were parts of the level to 2 meters below sea level.

The population did not give up however, so in 1908 a regulation was adopted that allowed the draining. The government paid the workers who moved the drainage ditches, which took about 10 years.

First country raffle

In 1910 the Government decided, 66 km ² of level release for colonization and auszulosen the land. At this country had not only future settlers, but also businessmen in the district Thames Valley interest. Miners of the South Island said that it was a made man, if you would prefer one of the lots. On May 18, 1910, the first applications were accepted for land in the Miner's Union Hall in Thames. The prices for the country moved converted 10-15 $ per acre, depending on the area and the location of the land. For some tracts of land, it 'll give up to 99 candidates.

Drainage system

The works for the drainage of the area began immediately after the adoption of the Hauraki Plains Act. First, the flood had to be prevented. At the Piako River, which came in at least once over the banks, dikes had to be built to prevent flooding by high water and tides.

Then the farmer had to pull 1-2 m wide trenches by their country, which led to major collectors, which in turn ableiteten the water in channels. Flood gates between the collectors and the channels prevented the backflow of water into the ditches at high water level. After completion of the work 75 % of the wet land the plane were drained.

However, this was only the first step in land reclamation. To turn it into pasture, it had to be leveled and freed of bushes, trees and tree stumps. These workers usually piled on the scrub and Torfabfälle and burned it.

Transportation

The Māori had used the rivers before the arrival of Europeans for hundreds of years to get access to the rich food resources of the plane.

The rivers provided, as roads back then either did not exist or were in poor condition, the best way to transport goods, people and animals in the Harauki Plains. This benefited both Māori and European settlers.

Vessels of all sizes, from tiny rowing boat to huge barges, sailing the rivers of the plain. Most were powered by steam engines of the company A & G Price in Thames.

As industrialization progressed (such as mining in Waihi ), one needed larger ships that could carry larger loads. Most of these ships were screw steamer, but also some paddle steamers. Larger passenger ships had luxurious lounges for men and women whose walls were lined with velvet and decorated with paintings. There was even brass bands and dance floors on deck. There were also rooms for horses and charge. Some transport ships and rafts had fold-down side walls to facilitate the loading and unloading on the river banks, particularly the loading of animals.

During a mine strike, the government closed the hotel. Only on moving ships could still drink alcohol. So the residents made ​​day trips, just to use the ship's bar.

1877 drove at high tide, large barges up to the sawmill Bagnalls ' mill in Turua in order to ship the beaten there kahikatea wood to Auckland and Australia. The remains of the wharf can still be seen here.

In Orchard (today Ngatea ) Pipiroa, Kopu and Paeroa it was cable ferries in the form of rafts that brought a small fee, people, horses and wagons across the river. In Te Aroha, there was a wire rope over the river, where a Māori canoe was tethered. Later it was replaced by a cable ferry with a crank drive and the passengers were able to pull himself to the other side for 2 shillings.

Discovery of gold brought many ships with mining engineering and miners the Waihou River and Ohinimuri up. There was at Paeroa even a particularly stable Kai for the discharge because it was feared that the usual wharf during unloading of heavy machinery would break down.

Although the rivers in the pioneering days were the lifelines of the Hauraki Plains, the river traffic experienced a decline, when improved roads and bridges made ​​the need for a transport ship superfluous. Today only a ferry to Paeroa the Waihou traveling up from Auckland and a boat that goes to Kopu to take charge there.

Agriculture

Dairy farming is the main industry of the Hauraki plains with the largest contribution to the income of the region. The size of the farms varies between 100 to over 500 cows. 779.34 km ², or 66% of the plane are used for dairy farming.

In addition to the dairy industry start sheep farming and crop production to play a role. In Turua there is an ostrich farm that produces meat and gift items and is used for tourism.

Education

The Hauraki Plains College co-ed at the end of Kaihere Road has about 650 students. It offers a junior diploma of learning to the students of 9th and 10th grade. 1912, the school was opened as NGATE Orchard School and had only 15 students. In 1923 she was renamed Ngatea District High School ' and 1963 in the Hauraki Plains College.

Conservation

In the 1840s, covered about 1100 km ² wetlands, the area of the lower reaches of the Waikato and the Hauraki Plains. Since then, 85 to 90 % of the wetlands in New Zealand have been drained. Estimates of the conservation authority assume that in the area of the Waikato about 320 km ² (25% of the original area ) remained. This information can include Whangamarino with 59.23 km ² and the Kopuatai Peat Dome ' with 102.01 km ². About 80 % of New Zealand's remaining wetlands are in the areas of the districts Waikato, Matamata - Piako, Hauraki and the Franklin District. Five of New Zealand's wetlands have been classified as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, including three in the Waikato region ( Whangamarino - wetland, Kopuatai Peat Dome and the Firth of Thames ).

Kopuatai Peat Dome

The Kopuatai Peat Dome is 102.01 km ² with New Zealand's largest unmodified peat bog and also unique. The area was found to be Wetland Reserve on the basis of the Nature Conservation Act 1987 under protection and is managed by the Department of Conservation (DOC). 54 bird species, including 27 protected species, 17 non-protected species and 10 hunting birds were observed. The endangered Australian bittern ( botaurus poiciloptilus ), Banded Rail (Rallus assimilis philipensis ), a subspecies of dwarf swamp hen ( Porzana pusilla affinis ) and the North Island Grass Warbler ( Bowdleria vealeae punctata ) are some of the protected species.

Whangamarino

The Whangamarino - wetland is in the range Miranda / Kaiaua and is the second largest bog and swamp area of the North Island. Of these, managed as wildlife and wetland protection area of the DOC under the Ramsar Convention 59.23 km ² bog, marsh and river courses.

Swell

  • Tye, RE, Hauraki Plains Story, Thames Valley News Ltd, Paeroa, 1974
  • MacDonald, E, Western Hauraki Plains - It 's History, copy of a manuscript in the Hauraki Plains Library
  • Sullivan, Captain William, " Kotuku " Log Book, Manuscript, 1877
  • Historical Maritime Park, Paeroa
  • The Gulf and Its Catchment, Auckland Regional Council.

- 37.25175.5Koordinaten: 37 ° 15 '0 " S, 175 ° 30' 0" E

  • Geography (New Zealand)
  • Waikato (Region)
378597
de