Pōkeno
Pōkeno | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 Queen's Redoubt rampart | |
.svg)  Pōkeno | |
| Coordinates: 37°14′S 175°01′E / 37.233°S 175.017°E | |
| Elevation | 40 m (130 ft) |
| Time zone | UTC+12 (NZST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+13 (NZDT) |
| Postcode | 2402 |
| Area code | 09 |
Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington.
http://natlib.govt.nz/records/22539250
Pōkeno is a small town (615 households)[2] in the Waikato District of the Waikato region in New Zealand, 53 km (33 mi) southeast of Auckland, 9 km (5.6 mi) from Tuakau and 5 km (3.1 mi) from Mercer. State Highway 1 originally ran through the town, but the upgrading of the highway in 1992 to expressway standards mean that the town has been bypassed.[3]
History
Pōkeno was an important site during the New Zealand Wars of the 19th century, being the site of the Queen's Redoubt, a major colonial military headquarters. The redoubt was an important southern fortification on the Great South Road, built by Governor George Edward Grey to transport troops for the Invasion of the Waikato.[4]
The Pokeno Railway Station on the Waikato section of the North Island Main Trunk line was opened in 1875, but was closed in 1973 to passengers and in 1980 to goods. Work on the proposed Paeroa–Pokeno Line commenced in 1938 and whilst approximately 13 km of earthworks were completed at each end, the proposal was halted due to World War 2 and was not resumed following the war and was abandoned.
Construction of a large Yashili dairy factory started in 2013,[5] but opening was delayed in 2015.[6]
Marae
The local Mangatangi Marae and Marae Kirikiri meeting house is a traditional meeting ground of Ngāti Tamaoho and the Waikato Tainui hapū of Ngāi Tai and Ngāti Koheriki.[7][8]
Education
Pokeno School is a co-educational state primary school,[9][10] with a roll of 650 as of November 2024.[11]
In popular culture
- In the New Zealand film Goodbye Pork Pie, the fugitives steal fuel from the Pōkeno service station, now operating as a mobile home sales yard.
- Pōkeno is well known for its two competing ice cream shops, situated on the main road, where pricing and generous scoops have created almost a cult following.[12]
- The former Thompson Twins member Alannah Currie, who was born in Auckland, now works as an artist under the name Miss Pokeno.[13]
References
- ^ "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
- ^ "2013 census interactive map - select Area Unit, type Pokeno and click". Archived from the original on 22 August 2015. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
- ^ "Pokeno". Retrieved 12 October 2010.
- ^ "Pokeno NZ Wars memorial". New Zealand History online. Retrieved 12 October 2010.
- ^ [23 Sept 2013 Stuff news of start of construction of dairy plant]
- ^ 18 August 2015 Stuff news on Yashili dairy plant
- ^ "Te Kāhui Māngai directory". tkm.govt.nz. Te Puni Kōkiri.
- ^ "Māori Maps". maorimaps.com. Te Potiki National Trust.
- ^ "Official School Website". pokeno.school.nz.
- ^ "Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
- ^ "Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
- ^ Park, Nicky (3 January 2015). "Five of the Best: Ice Cream Shops". NZ Herald. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
- ^ "Alannah Currie - Miss Pokeno - Sisters of Perpetual Resistance".
External links
- "Pokeno in Cyclopaedia of New Zealand (1902)". NZETC. 1 December 2015.
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