Mamaku

For the black tree fern known as mamaku, see Cyathea medullaris.

Mamaku
Prince of Wales ferns in native bush at Mamaku, ca. 1916
Mamaku
Coordinates: 38°05′43″S 176°4′43″E
Country	New Zealand
Region	Bay of Plenty
Local Authority	Rotorua Lakes Council
Ward	West
Population  (2006)
• Total	726

Mamaku is a small village in the Bay of Plenty Region of the North Island of New Zealand. It lies on the Mamaku Plateau at an elevation of 560 metres (1,840 ft) above sea level. Situated at the highest point of the now-mothballed Rotorua Branch railway line, the town is 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) south of State Highway 5. As of the 2006 census, the normally-resident population of Mamaku was 726, of whom 37.4% identified their ethnicity as Māori.

History

Mamaku was originally called Kaponga, but the name was changed to Mamaku in 1890 to avoid confusion with the town of Kaponga in Taranaki. Ironically, the plant known as Mamaku, the Black tree fern, is not found in the area. European settlement commenced in the 1880s, and for a time Mamaku rivalled Rotorua for size.

The main industry in Mamaku was originally native timber logging. In the late 19th century and early 20th century Mamaku had, at one time, 5 timber mills, all logging native timber from the surrounding bush. This reduced over time and today there are no timber mills operating in the village, with the last mill ceasing operations on 31 March 2015.

Another major industry established in Mamaku was farming, primarily dairy and sheep. This continues today as perhaps the main source of income for the village. Some recent additions to local industry include blueberry winemaking and off-road biking.

Education

Mamaku School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students, with a roll of 100 as of August 2024.

The school opened in the village in 1895.

References

• New Zealand 1:50000 Topographic Map Series sheet BE36 - Mamaku