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Ōpunake

Coordinates: 39°27′S 173°51′E / 39.450°S 173.850°E / -39.450; 173.850
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Opunake
CountryNew Zealand
RegionTaranaki
DistrictSouth Taranaki District
Population
 (2006)
 • Total1,368

Opunake is a small town on the southwest coast of Taranaki in New Zealand's North Island. It is located 45 kilometres southwest of New Plymouth. Rahotu is 16 km to the northwest. Manaia is 29 km to the southeast. State Highway 45 passes through the town.[1][2]

The population was 1368 in the 2006 Census, a reduction of 132 from 2001.[3]

The town was settled in the 1880s. It was intended to be a major port, but other than a jetty constructed in 1891, little construction was completed.

Whilst being a commercial centre for the area's dairy farming community, Opunake is also a popular tourist spot and has one of Taranaki's finest beaches. The beach is composed of volcanic blacksand and there are large rock pools to be found on the north-west end of the beach at low tide.

Currently (January 2008) an artificial surfing reef is under construction in the northwestern corner of the beach.

A statue of Peter Snell was unveiled on Saturday 19 May 2007 to celebrate the fame of this son of Opunake. Other notable people born in Opunake include former All Black captain Graham Mourie, prop Carl Hayman and former New Zealand Prime Minister Jim Bolger.


Education

Opunake High School is a coeducational secondary (years 9-15) school with a decile rating of 4 and a roll of 261.[4] The school celebrated its 75th jubilee in 2000.[5]

Opunake School, St Joseph's School, and Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Tamarongo are full primary (years 1-8) schools with rolls of 193,[6] 107,[7] and 24,[8] respectively. St Joseph's is a state integrated Catholic school. Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Tamarongo is a Kura Kaupapa Māori school which teaches in the Māori language.

All these schools are coeducational, and all have a decile rating of 4 except for St Joseph's School, which has a decile rating of 6.

Notes

  1. ^ Peter Dowling (editor) (2004). Reed New Zealand Atlas. Reed Books. map 34. ISBN 0-7900-0952-8. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help); Unknown parameter |nopp= ignored (|no-pp= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ Roger Smith, GeographX (2005). The Geographic Atlas of New Zealand. Robbie Burton. map 96. ISBN 1-877333-20-4. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |nopp= ignored (|no-pp= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ "Final counts – census night and census usually resident populations, and occupied dwellings - South Taranaki District". Statistics New Zealand.
  4. ^ "Te Kete Ipurangi - Opunake High School". Ministry of Education.
  5. ^ "Jubilees & reunions - Opunake High School". Education Gazette New Zealand. 78 (16). 13 September 1999. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ "Te Kete Ipurangi - Opunake School". Ministry of Education.
  7. ^ "Te Kete Ipurangi - St Joseph's School, Opunake". Ministry of Education. {{cite web}}: Text "St Joseph's School" ignored (help)
  8. ^ "Te Kete Ipurangi - Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Tamarongo". Ministry of Education.

Further reading

General historical works

  • Centennial of New Zealand: Opunake and County of Egmont celebrations, April 7th to 10th, 1940, Opunake, [N.Z.]: Opunake District Centennial Celebrations Committee, 1940 ; Opunake Times Print, 1940
  • Historic Opunake, Hawera, [N.Z.]: South Taranaki District Council, 2002
  • Even more earlier days on the coast: featuring "women on the coast" for suffrage year 1993: even more local stories / by even more local folk, Opunake, [N.Z.]: Friends of Egmont Public Library, 1993
  • More earlier days on the coast: more local folk stories / by more local folk, Opunake, [N.Z.]: Friends of Egmont Public Library, 1991
  • Opunake and district centennial, 1865-1965: souvenir booklet, Hawera, [N.Z.]: Hawera Star, 1965
  • Resource community formation and change: compendium of community case studies II, Christchurch, [N.Z.]: Taylor Baines & Associates, 2000
  • Harvey, Muriel K.(co-ord.) (1990), Earlier days on the coast: local folk stories / by local folk; [line and wash drawings by Margaret Scott and Allan Love], Opunake, [N.Z.]: Friends of Egmont Public Library in co-operation with Egmont Community Arts Council and the Opunake Service Centre of South Taranaki District Council
  • Mickelson, Kate A. (1999), The clearing: a history of Opunake, Christchurch, [N.Z.]: Cadsonbury Publications, ISBN 1-877-15142-4

Business

  • Golden jubilee, 1899-1949 / Opunake Co-operative Dairy Company Limited, Opunake, [N.Z.]: Opunake Times, 1949
  • Hughson, R.H. (1919), Hughsons golden jubilee: Opunake drapery: Opunake shop opened February 17th, 1919, New Plymouth, [N.Z.]: Taranaki Newspapers
  • de Jardine, Margaret (1992), The little ports of Taranaki: being Awakino, Mokau, Tongaporutu, Urenui, Waitara, Opunake, Patea, together with some historical background to each, New Plymouth, [N.Z.]: M. de Jardine, ISBN 0-473-01455-6

Churches

Anglican

  • St. Barnabas’ Church diamond jubilee issue, 1895-1955 (August-September 1955), Eltham, [N.Z.]: Eltham Argus, 1955
  • Mickelson, Kate A. (1995), St Barnabas’ Opunake: a hundred years on, 1995, Opunake, [N.Z.]: St Barnabas’ Centennial Committee

Catholic

  • The first 100 years: Catholic faith on the Taranaki coast: jubilee booklet, Opunake, [N.Z.]: Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish, 1999
  • Hickey, Leo S. (1975), Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish and St. Joseph’s Convent School, Opunake, 75th jubilee, Labour weekend, 1975, Opunake, [N.Z.] ; New Plymouth, [N.Z.]: Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish ; Taranaki Newspapers

Co-operating (Methodist / Presbyterian)

  • Opunake Co-operating Parish centennial 1885-1985 : souvenir booklet and order of service : a brief survey of the life and work of the church, 1885-1985, Opunake, [N.Z.]: Opunake Co-operating Parish, 1985

Methodist

  • Years of change: eighty years of Methodism in and around Opunake: seventy years of Circuit development, consolidation and advance, 1881-1961: a symbol of progress, Opunake[?], [N.Z.]: Herald Print, 1961

Clubs and organisations

  • Burt, Leslie G.; Fleming, Bernard D. (1985), Racing on the coast, 1885-1985: published to commemorate 100 years of incidents, humour, statistics, personalities at the Opunake Racing Club’s centenary meeting at Hawera Racecourse on Saturday, 26th January, 1985, Hawera, [N.Z.]: The Club ; Hawera Star Print
  • Conaglen, James D. (1966), Memoirs, including history of Opunake Branch of the New Zealand Plunket Society and early Pihama history, Opunake, [N.Z.]: J. D. Conaglen
  • Hunt, Raymond M. (1998), Lodge Mahara No. 925 S.C., Waitara, [N.Z.]: R.M. Hunt
  • Robinson, Malcolm (ed.) (1996), Opunake Golf Club (Inc.): Namu Road Course: 25th jubilee, 8th - 10th March 1996, Opunake, [N.Z.]: The Club {{citation}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  • Stevenson, Ian P. (1996), Opunake Rugby Football Club centennial, 1896-1996, Opunake, [N.Z.]: The Club

Maori

  • Smith, Lee (1983), The Maori language in Opunake / Purongorongo whakamohio ma nga kaiuru ki te toronga tuatahi, 1973-1978 [Information bulletin (Survey of Language Use in Maori Households and Communities) ; 66], Wellington, [N.Z.]: New Zealand Council for Educational Research

People

  • Why do I sigh? / lyrics by M.E. Purser ; music by Dorothy Vincent ; arrangement by Allan Shand, Opunake, [N.Z.]: D. M. Vincent, 195- {{citation}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  • Clement, Christine; Jenkins, Roma (1988), Clement kinship, New Zealand, Hawera[?], [N.Z.]: Clement Family Reunion Committee, ISBN 0-473-00625-1
  • Fisher, Dorothy A. (1986), Feaver family reunion, Queens Birthday Weekend 1986, Opunake, [N.Z.]: Dorothy A. Fisher
  • Mourie, Graham (with Ron Palenski) (1982), Graham Mourie, captain: an autobiography, Auckland, [N.Z.]: Moa Publications, ISBN 0-908-57051-1
  • Perrett, Henry (1996), Poems of life and humour, Opunake, [N.Z.]: H. Perrett
  • Sarten, Donald B. (1987), Genealogical records of Samuel and Eliza Whitehead, New Plymouth, [N.Z.]: D. B. Sarten

Schools

  • Burrow, Ron (ed.) (1976), Opunake High School jubilee celebrations: marking 50 years of secondary education: April 1976, Opunake, [N.Z.] ; Hawera, [N.Z.]: Opunake High School Jubilee Committee [1976] ; J.C. Ekdahl & Son {{citation}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  • Cavanagh, K. A. (ed.) (1981), 100 years, 1881-1981: Opunake Primary Consolidated Schools, Opunake, [N.Z.] ; New Plymouth, [N.Z.]: Opunake Primary School Centennial Committee, 1981 ; Taranaki Newspapers {{citation}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  • Crow, Rosemary (ed.) (2000), Opunake High School, 75th jubilee 1925-2000, Opunake, [N.Z.]: Opunake High School Jubilee Committee [2000], ISBN 0-473-07196-7 {{citation}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  • Gerritsen, Janette (ed.) (1990), Parent support and education: a report on a pilot project undertaken by the Early Childhood Education Section of the Department of Education, Wellington, [N.Z.]: The Section {{citation}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  • Harvey, Muriel K. (1956), Opunake School: 75th anniversary, incorporating O.D.H.S. [Opunake District High School]: souvenir booklet: jubilee, October 19th-22nd, 1956, Opunake, [N.Z.] ; Hawera, [N.Z.]: Jubilee Committee, 1956 ; Hawera Star
  • Hickey, Leo S. (1975), Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish and St. Joseph’s Convent School, Opunake, 75th jubilee, Labour weekend, 1975, Opunake, [N.Z.] ; New Plymouth, [N.Z.]: Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish ; Taranaki Newspapers
  • Hunt, Ray (c.1985), Centralised resources, one school’s answer [slide] / produced by Ray Hunt, Opunake Primary School and the Taranaki Education Centre, Wellington, [N.Z.]: The Centre {{citation}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)

39°27′S 173°51′E / 39.450°S 173.850°E / -39.450; 173.850

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