Papatawa is a rural community in the Tararua District and Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located six kilometres north-east of Woodville, on both sides of State Highway 2.[1]

The area has no shops, and locals use Palmerston North, Pahiatua and Dannevirke as service centres.[2]

History

19th century

European settlement of the area began in 1878,[3] when an area of forest called the Victoria Block was cleared and subdivided into 36 farming sections.[4]

The Manga-atua School house opened in the area 1887, with a roll of the 18 pupils increasing to 22 within the first day.[4] The school changed its name to Papatawa School in 1905, and it eventually gained an extra classroom.[1]

20th century

In 1910 John A. Millar, the Minister of Railways in the Ward Ministry, denied a request for a railway loading bank at Papatawa, citing a lack of funds.[5]

By the 1930s, the area had a dairy factory, a railway station, a county council yard, and a team of horses in stables. The area was connected by gravel roads, two rail lines and a shunting line. Cheese from the dairy factory was transported to the railway station by horse and cart, and most locals took the train to Woodville to do shopping.[1]

During the Great Depression, workers built a tennis court at the school and turned the school to face the sun. A pool was installed in the 1960s.[4]

21st century

The 4.5 kilometre Papatawa stretch of State Highway 2 has been the site of several fatal crashes.[6][7]

Between 2010 and 2014, the NZ Transport Agency realigned and straightened the 4.5 kilometre stretch of State Highway 2, with a new intersection, rail crossing, over-bridge, passing lane and stream diversion.[8] The $11 million project aimed to reduce crashes and separate local traffic from the 700 trucks that were using the road between Tararua and Hawke's Bay each day.[9]

Education

Papatawa School was a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students. The school opened in 1887 and operated through to August 2023 when it closed due to falling roll numbers. Children in the area now attend school in Woodville.[10]

Notable people

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "School still in after 130 years as Papatawa bucks closure trend". New Zealand Media and Entertainment. Hawke's Bay Today. 5 June 2017.
  2. ↑ "Papatawa School". tararuadc.govt.nz. Tararua District Council.
  3. ↑ Matthews, Claire (1987). Papatawa : forged from the bush. Woodville: Papatawa Centennial Committee. OCLC: 154651459.
  4. 1 2 3 Murdoch, Dave (15 May 2017). "Papatawa celebrates 130 years". Bush Telegraph.
  5. ↑ "Loading Bank at Papatawa". Parliamentary Debates. 150: 662. 1910.
  6. ↑ "One dead, two injured after crash". Otago Daily Times. New Zealand Press Association. 6 December 2009.
  7. ↑ Iles, Julie (16 January 2019). "Papatawa crash leaves two dead and another injured". Stuff. Dominion Post.
  8. ↑ "Papatawa Realignment". nzta.govt.nz. NZ Transport Agency.
  9. ↑ "Safer, straighter highway celebrated at Papatawa". NZ Transport Agency. 31 January 2014.
  10. ↑ https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/papatawa-school-to-close-its-doors-for-final-time/HCIDCZR5VRC2PAK3MPHSSIW7CQ/

40°19′16″S 175°55′10″E / 40.321005°S 175.919544°E / -40.321005; 175.919544

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