CraFarms (or Crafar Farms) is a group of companies of which Allan, Beth and Frank Crafar were Directors. Crafar Farms was New Zealand's largest family-owned dairy business. The family business owned 22 dry stock and dairy farms with approximately 20,000 cows in various regions of the North Island, and was put into receivership in October 2009. Crafar Farms was involved in multiple prosecutions for pollution offences and incidents of poor animal welfare from 2007 to 2011.
92-635: Allan and Frank Crafar are brothers who grew up in Whanganui . Their father died when Allan was 11 and he had to hand milk their single cow. Frank left school at 14 and started his first sharemilking job at 16. Frank, along with his other brother Neville, brought a farm in the Manawatu four years later. In 1973 Allan met Beth on a blind date and they started working on Frank's farm. By July 1979, Allan and Frank Crafar had gone from milking 140 cows through an old-style walk through bale cowshed, to 400 cows using
184-685: A glottal stop , but to non-locals the name sounds like "Wanganui" and is hard to reproduce. In 1991, the New Zealand Geographic Board considered demands from some local Māori to change the name of the river to Whanganui . During a three-month consultation period, the Wanganui District Council was asked for its views and advised the Board that it opposed the change. Letters of both support and opposition were received during this time. After some deliberation,
276-490: A 17-bed inpatient ward and a 4-bed maternity ward. There is also a dedicated emergency department with capacity for five patients, and a fully functional theatre suite presently used for minor day surgery. Other facilities include x-ray and laboratory services, a cafe, a helipad for patient transfer, and various allied health services. District and public health nursing, diabetes nursing specialists, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and health social work services are also based
368-545: A chief from up the Whanganui River. The British military arrived on 13 December 1846 to defend the township. Two stockades, the Rutland and York, were built to defend the settlers. Two minor battles were fought on 19 May and 19 July 1847 and after a stalemate the up river iwi returned home. By 1850, Te Mamaku was receiving Christian instruction from Revd Taylor. There were further incidents in 1847 when four members of
460-646: A decrease of 18 people (−1.2%) since the 2013 census , and an increase of 333 people (29.9%) since the 2006 census . There were 543 households, comprising 789 males and 657 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.2 males per female. The median age was 33.8 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 324 people (22.4%) aged under 15 years, 324 (22.4%) aged 15 to 29, 636 (44.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 165 (11.4%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 83.6% European/ Pākehā , 19.5% Māori , 2.7% Pacific peoples , 8.5% Asian , and 1.2% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas
552-774: A major collection of works by the Whanganui-born Edith Collier . The Whanganui Regional Museum collection has been growing since the first items were displayed in Samuel Henry Drew 's shop window in Victoria Avenue. It includes artwork by John Tiffin Stewart . Potters have a long history of working in the area, such as Rick Rudd , Paul Rayner and Ivan Vostinar. Local glass artists include Kathryn Wightman, Lisa Walsh, and Claudia Borella. A repertory group has been active in
644-642: A major site of pre-European Māori settlement. The pā named Pūtiki (a contraction of Pūtikiwharanui ) was and is home to the Ngāti Tupoho hapū of the iwi Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi . It took its name from the legendary explorer Tamatea Pōkai Whenua , who sent a servant ashore to find flax for tying up his topknot ( pūtiki ). In the 1820s, coastal tribes in the area assaulted the Kapiti Island stronghold of Ngāti Toa chief Te Rauparaha . Te Rauparaha retaliated in 1830, sacking Pūtiki and slaughtering
736-569: A marked drop in population. Census figures put the 2018 population at approximately 14,300. Tokoroa has two marae connected to local iwi and hapū : In October 2020, the Government committed $ 1,259,392 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade Ngātira Marae and 7 other Ngāti Raukawa marae, creating 18 jobs. Surrounding the township are many dairy farms and plantation forests . There are many scenic reserves around
828-409: A number of Tourist and visiting attractions, as well as many facilities for local use. Since 1997, Tokoroa has been "sprouting" Talking Poles, consisting mainly of carvings representing ethnic culture, sports recreation, industry in the town and stories about the town. This one, photographed shortly after its unveiling in 2004, is a chainsaw carving of a deodar cedar which died from natural causes. It
920-711: A population density of 936 people per km . Tokoroa had a population of 13,578 at the 2018 New Zealand census , an increase of 1,242 people (10.1%) since the 2013 census , and an increase of 408 people (3.1%) since the 2006 census . There were 4,629 households, comprising 6,759 males and 6,813 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.99 males per female, with 3,210 people (23.6%) aged under 15 years, 2,601 (19.2%) aged 15 to 29, 5,559 (40.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 2,199 (16.2%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 59.0% European/ Pākehā , 42.7% Māori , 20.7% Pacific peoples , 4.2% Asian , and 1.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas
1012-541: A railway bridge at Aramoho. Wanganui was linked by rail to both New Plymouth and Wellington by 1886. The town was incorporated as a Borough on 1 February 1872, with William Hogg Watt the first Mayor. It was then declared a city on 1 July 1924. As an alternative to the Wanganui chapter of the Women's Christian Temperance Union of New Zealand , Margaret Bullock formed a club for women activists in 1893, originally as
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#17327732707461104-636: A sacred area to Māori, and the Whanganui region is still seen as a focal point for any resentment over land ownership. In 1995, Moutoa Gardens in Wanganui, known to local Māori as Pakaitore , were occupied for 79 days in a mainly peaceful protest by the Whanganui iwi over land claims. Wanganui was the site of the New Zealand Police Law Enforcement System (LES) from 1976 to 1995. An early Sperry mainframe computer -based intelligence and data management system, it
1196-529: A spokesperson for the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry informed the Dominion Post that its investigations were not complete and that it was too early to say if prosecutions for offences involving animal cruelty would be laid. A MAF spokesman said that the investigation was taking time due to the need to assess ownership, control and responsibility for animal welfare within the complex relationships of
1288-783: A strong cultural and recreational focus. Queen's Park (Pukenamu) in the central township has several cultural institutions, including the Sarjeant Gallery , the Whanganui Regional Museum , the Davis Library, the Alexander Heritage and Research Library, and the Whanganui War Memorial Centre. Whanganui is home to New Zealand's only glass school and is renowned for its glass art. There are more than 8,000 artworks in
1380-404: A young poet, Walter D'Arcy Cresswell , who had been blackmailing him over his homosexuality. Mackay served seven years in prison and his name was erased from the town's civic monuments, while Cresswell (himself homosexual) was praised as a "wholesome-minded young man". Mackay's name was restored to the foundation stone of the Sarjeant Gallery in 1985. The Whanganui River catchment is seen as
1472-529: Is a Māori language phrase meaning "big bay" or "big harbour". The first name of the European settlement was Petre (pronounced Peter), after Lord Petre, an officer of the New Zealand Company , but it was never popular and was officially changed to "Wanganui" in 1854. In the local dialect, Māori pronounce the wh in Whanganui as [ˀw] , a voiced labial–velar approximant combined with
1564-563: Is a World War I memorial, unveiled in 1926. Nearby is the Durie Hill Elevator (1919), which links the hilltop with Anzac Parade via a 66 m (217 ft) elevator and a 200 m (660 ft) tunnel. South of Whanganui is the Cameron Blockhouse . Rotokawau Virginia Lake , located on St John's Hill, is a historic lake with a fountain, Art Deco conservatory and winter garden. Tokoroa Tokoroa
1656-605: Is another example of award-winning niche manufacturing in the district, winning a Silver Pin at the Best Design Awards in October 2015. Heads Road is Whanganui's main industrial area and is home to a number of manufacturing and engineering operations. The Wanganui Port, once the centre of industrial transport, still has some traffic but is more noted for the Q-West boat building operation there. F. Whitlock & Sons Ltd
1748-508: Is important to Tokoroa, through Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology . Tokoroa has two secondary schools: It has two alternative education facilities for secondary students who work better with full teacher guidance outside the classroom: There are three full Year 1 to 8 primary schools: There is one intermediate school: Tokoroa also has a range of Year 1–6 primary schools: Matarawa Primary School closed in 1999. Tokoroa East School closed in 2010. Tokoroa has
1840-528: Is milled and processed at Kinleith. Over recent years, the sharp decline in timber processing has seen the majority of raw logs shipped offshore. Most of the Kinleith workers live in Tokoroa, with a small number commuting from other South Waikato towns. Tokoroa is a marketing and servicing centre for agriculture, inline with other associated industries. These other industries include (but are not limited to):
1932-496: Is particularly moderate. In 2012, the Federated Farmers Whanganui president, Brian Doughty, said the district's temperate climate meant any type of farming was viable. The Whanganui urban area had a population of 39,720 at the 2018 New Zealand census , an increase of 3,078 people (8.4%) since the 2013 census , and an increase of 1,992 people (5.3%) since the 2006 census (the population decreased between
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#17327732707462024-512: Is representative of the Greenman in Welsh mythology and was, prior to 2018, located on State Highway 1, immediately adjacent to the town's information centre. By October 2008, 42 Talking Poles were displayed around the town. Tokoroa Talking Poles symposium is convened every two years at the Tokoroa campus of Te Wananga o Aotearoa . The Greenman was carved in 2004 by Mr Andy Hankcock. As part of
2116-739: Is the fourth-largest town in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand and largest settlement in the South Waikato District . Located 30 km southwest of Rotorua and 20 km south of Putāruru , close to the foot of the Mamaku Ranges , it is midway between Taupō and Hamilton on State Highway 1 . Tokoroa was the name of a chief of the Ngāti Kahupungapunga, who was slain by Raukawa during
2208-639: The High Court set aside the decision and ordered the Government to consider the application again after a judicial review requested by the Crafar Farms Purchase Group. On 20 April 2012, Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson and Associate Finance Minister Jonathan Coleman approved a revised report from the Overseas Investment Office (OIO) and granted permission for Milk New Zealand Holding Limited to buy
2300-485: The New Zealand Company had settled Wellington it looked for other suitable places for settlers. William Wakefield, younger brother of Edward Gibbon Wakefield , negotiated the sale of 40,000 acres in 1840, and a town named Petre – after Lord Petre , one of the directors of the New Zealand Company – was established four kilometres from the river mouth. The settlement was threatened in 1846 by Te Mamaku ,
2392-484: The 'mountains to the sea'. In the local government reorganisation of the 1980s, Wanganui District Council resulted from the amalgamation in 1989 of Wanganui County Council, most of Waitotara County Council, a small part of Stratford County Council, and Wanganui City Council. Hamish McDouall was elected mayor in the 2016 local government elections. All but some 6,100 people in the Whanganui District live in
2484-627: The 16 Crafar farms. Whanganui Whanganui ( / ˈ hw ɒ ŋ ən uː i / ; Māori: [ˀwaŋanui] ), also spelt Wanganui , is a city in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand . The city is located on the west coast of the North Island at the mouth of the Whanganui River , New Zealand's longest navigable waterway. Whanganui is the 19th most-populous urban area in New Zealand and
2576-401: The 1870s, and freezing works , woollen mills, phosphate works and wool stores were established in the town. Today, much of Whanganui's economy relates directly to the fertile and prosperous farming hinterland . Like several New Zealand urban areas, it was officially designated a city until an administrative reorganisation in 1989, and is now run by Whanganui District Council . Whanga nui
2668-508: The 1930s, the deficiency was addressed, and subsequently, cattle farming became profitable. Between 1925 and 1935 Pinus radiata was first introduced to the district as a commercial tree crop – the trees were found not to be adversely affected by the local soil deficiencies. As the initial crops matured, Tokoroa was then developed as a residential satellite for Kinleith Mill workers (New Zealand Forest Products Limited's integrated timber, pulp and paper mill), approximately 8 km south of
2760-431: The 1970s, 'The Lake' was used extensively by youths and was referred to in local parlance as 'Tokoroa Beach'. On many summer afternoons, it was a common sight to see youth lying on the footpath across the road from the lake drying out after a swim. In the period following the initial construction of the dam in the late 1970s, the lake began to deteriorate due to low rainfall and poor water flows, which saw lake weed overtake
2852-498: The 20,000 cows on the 22 farms owned by the Crafar family, including incidents of overstocking, inadequate feeding, underweight animals, and lack of shelter for calves. On five Crafar farms 50 cows had to be put down. Allan Crafar was reported as saying MAF had exaggerated the problems and its inspectors had no understanding of farming. He said; "They've never milked a cow in their lives and never got their hands dirty". On 7 June 2010,
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2944-665: The 2000s CraFarms was prosecuted multiple times in the Environment Court for unlawfully discharging stock effluent. In August 2008, Ian Balme the chair of Environment Waikato's regulatory committee described the Crafar family as "the poster boys for dirty dairying", whose "track record suggests they consider public waterways a perfectly appropriate place to tip their cowshed effluent". The Crafars had been prosecuted four times by then, with two more prosecutions pending. Balme commented that most farmers who have good farm systems and infrastructure had every right to resent farmers like
3036-530: The 2006 and 2013 censuses). There were 18,930 males and 20,793 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.91 males per female. Of the total population, 7,854 people (19.8%) were aged up to 15 years, 6,867 (17.3%) were 15 to 29, 16,551 (41.7%) were 30 to 64, and 8,445 (21.3%) were 65 or older. Ethnicities were 78.0% European/Pākehā, 27.2% Māori, 3.8% Pacific peoples, 4.5% Asian, and 1.7% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities). In 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, Whanganui
3128-522: The Board decided to change the spelling of the river's name from "Wanganui" to "Whanganui". A non-binding referendum was held in Wanganui in 2006, where 82% voted to retain the city's name "Wanganui" without an 'h'. Turnout was 55.4%. Despite the clear results, the spelling of the name continued to be surrounded by significant controversy. Iwi group Te Rūnanga o Tupoho applied to the New Zealand Geographic Board to change
3220-492: The CBD Upgrade project, several of the town's Talking Poles were relocated next to where the existing 'Pine Man' sculpture stands in a central area between State Highway One and Leith Place. In 2018, the Greenman carving was relocated from its site to make way for this new development. Due to substantial rot discovered during this process, the Greenman was not re-installed. As of 2021 council has made arrangements to restore
3312-526: The CMS mission station in 1843. The Revd Mason drowned on 5 January 1843 while crossing the Turakina River. By 1844 the brick church built by Mason was inadequate to meet the needs of the congregation, and it had been damaged in an earthquake. A new church was built under the supervision of Taylor, with the timber supplied by each pā on the river in proportion to its size and number of Christians. After
3404-725: The China Jin Hui Mining Corporation, agreed to buy the Crafar family farms pending approval of the Overseas Investment Office . Prime Minister John Key admits 'concerns' about the sale of land to overseas interests, and the Chinese company objected to a (lower) bid by government-owned Landcorp . In December 2010, acting on the recommendation of the Overseas Investment Office, the Government decided not to approve Natural Dairy NZ's application to buy 16 farms from receivers. In January 2011,
3496-555: The Crafar Farms group. In June 2011, five people involved with Crafers Taharua Dairy Farm pleaded not guilty to 714 charges of alleged animal welfare offences. On 5 October 2009 Crafar Farms had been placed into receivership by its lenders and that Michael Stiassny and Brendon Gibson had been appointed as receivers. The New Zealand Herald reported that Westpac , Rabobank and PGG Wrightson Finance, were owed about $ NZ200 million, and had placed Crafar Farms into receivership as it
3588-533: The Crafars in the media a Facebook page was set up by Oamaru farmer Stephen Smit in support of Allan Crafar. Russell Bouma, the son of a family friend who was murdered in a home invasion metres from the Crafar's own home, said they ran their farm for six months without any payment and described them as being "extremely efficient operators who have helped out a lot of people." In 2001, the Fish and Game Council started
3680-485: The Crafars who damaged the industry. In 2009 they also were investigated by MAF for animal neglect after a video was released on YouTube showing calves starving on one of their farms. In October 2009 after they could no longer service the mounting debt the farms were placed into receivership. In 2010 the Ngāti Ruanui iwi were angered after stock damaged a pā located at Crafar Farms Hillside Farm. Following criticism of
3772-747: The Geographic Board handed the decision to the Minister for Land Information. Despite the referendum results, the Geographic Board recommended to the Minister that the name should be spelt "Whanganui". In December 2009, the government decided that while either spelling was acceptable, Crown agencies would use the spelling "Whanganui", amending the act to allow other official documents to use "Wanganui", as an alternative official name, if desired. On 17 November 2015 Land Information New Zealand Toitū te whenua (LINZ) announced that Wanganui District would be renamed to Whanganui District. This changed
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3864-526: The Gilfillan family were murdered and their house plundered. The name of the city was officially changed to Wanganui on 20 January 1854. The early years of the new city were problematic. Purchase of land from the local tribes had been haphazard and irregular, and as such, many Māori were angered by the influx of Pākehā onto land that they still claimed. It was not until the town had been established for eight years that agreements were finally reached between
3956-599: The Judge saying it was necessary to send a deterrent to the Crafar group of companies. In March 2009, the National Business Review reported that Allan Crafar and the CraFarm group, had been labelled the "poster boy for dirty dairying" by many in the industry. In response the Crafars brought new machinery and one of their sons was made a compliance officer with the role of ensuring all the farms complied with
4048-598: The Kinleith complex's development. These subdivisions are: Many of the street names of the town were named by the first managing director of N.Z. Forest Products Ltd.(builders of the Kinleith mill ), Sir David Henry (1888–1963), after places near his hometown of Edinburgh , in Scotland . David Henry Primary School is a key example of him and his namesaking. Tokoroa covers 15.65 km (6.04 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 14,650 as of June 2024, with
4140-629: The Matarawa Land Company as a potential farming area; a few families had already settled in the area after 1910, and a school with 9 pupils was founded in 1915 (later to become Tokoroa East School). The land was found to be too poor for raising cattle or sheep due to its predominant pumice soils. However, agricultural science showed the land could actually be made to successfully support dairy cattle. The soil had serious deficiencies causing livestock to suffer from what became known as " bush sickness " (later found to be cobalt deficiency). In
4232-627: The Polynesian festival. Tokoroa Polynesian Festival occurs every year during September. Tokoroa's local schools and preschools give Samoan, Māori and Cook Islands performances, where you hear the Cook Island drumming and dancing and the Māori performing arts being displayed on the huge stage at the new South Waikato Events Centre, located at The Tokoroa Memorial Sports Ground. The 2009 event hosted NZ artists J.Williams and Erika. Tokoroa being within
4324-491: The River. Generations of river iwi have learned to use and protect this great taonga (treasure), and on 13 September 2012 the Whanganui River became the first river in the world to gain recognition as a legal identity . Today the river and its surrounds are used for a number of recreational activities, including kayaking, jet boating, tramping, cycling and camping. A national cycleway has recently opened, which takes cyclists from
4416-767: The Shanghai-based company Pengxin International Group Limited made an offer to purchase the 16 North Island farms and applied to the Overseas Investment Office for consent. On 27 January 2012, the Land Information Minister and the Associate Minister of Finance granted consent for Shanghai Pengxin Group Co. Limited to buy the 16 Crafar farms via their subsidiary Milk New Zealand Holding Limited. On 15 February 2012
4508-683: The Waikato Province falls under the Waikato ITM Cup provincial catchment and the Chiefs Super Rugby franchise. The South Waikato district's netball associations also fall under the catchment for inclusion in the ANZ Championship, Waikato/BOP Magic franchise. Over many decades, Tokoroa has been a natural base for strong, competitive woodchopping and sawing events. The axe long saw and chainsaw competitions, at
4600-590: The Wanganui Women's Franchise League. Ellen Ballance , the second wife of the former Premier John Ballance was the inaugural president until she left for England. Bullock then served as president when the franchise for women was won and the organisation's name changed to the Women's Political League. The membership rolls reached to nearly 3000 at its height. Monthly meetings focused on feminist scholarly inquiry, and Ellen Ballance donated her husband's library to
4692-453: The calves, as had the staff of the farm, but had allowed the farming to continue. Hickey attributed the lack of animal welfare to bad training of staff and poor management and the pressures of the Crafar's extensive debts incurred to expand the Crafar Farms. On 30 September 2009, animal welfare inspectors inspected all the farms owned by the Crafars for cases of animal neglect. They stated that there were "significant animal welfare issues" among
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#17327732707464784-464: The city's name to "Whanganui" in February 2009, and in late March the Board found there were grounds for the change. The public was given three months to comment on the proposed change, beginning in mid-May. The public submissions were relatively equal, with a slim majority in favour of keeping the status quo. Wanganui Mayor Michael Laws spoke strongly against the proposed change. A second referendum
4876-524: The city. The suburbs within Whanganui include (clockwise from central Watt Fountain): Whanganui enjoys a temperate climate, with slightly above the national average sunshine (2100 hours per annum), and about 900 mm (35 in) of annual rainfall. Several light frosts are normally experienced in winter. The river is prone to flooding after heavy rain in the catchment, and in June 2015 record flooding occurred with 100 households evacuated. Whanganui's climate
4968-469: The club. Bullock and Jessie Williamson led the club's connections with the National Council of Women of New Zealand . By 1903, a year in which Bullock died and Williamson moved to Christchurch , the club's activities had declined and its library collection was donated to the local public library. Perhaps Wanganui's biggest scandal happened in 1920, when Mayor Charles Mackay shot and wounded
5060-493: The colonials and local tribes, and some resentment continued (and still filters through to the present day). Wanganui grew rapidly after this time, with land being cleared for pasture. The town was a major military centre during the New Zealand Wars of the 1860s, although local Māori at Pūtiki led by Te Keepa Te Rangihiwinui remained friendly to settlers. In 1871, a town bridge was built, followed six years later by
5152-628: The corner of Campbell and Plymouth Streets is now a private home, but it was formerly the Karitane Home and later a boarding residence for secondary school students. It was built for philanthropist John Tiffin Stewart and social activist Frances Ann Stewart . There are two large towers overlooking Whanganui: the Durie Hill War Memorial Tower and the Bastia Hill Water Tower. The Durie Hill Tower
5244-759: The gallery, initially focused on 19th- and early 20th-century British and European art but, given the expansive terms of the will of benefactor Henry Sarjeant , the collection now spans the 16th century through to the 21st century. Among the collections are historic and modern works in all media – on paper, sculptures, pottery, ceramics and glass; bronze works; video art; and paintings by contemporary artists and old masters. The Gallery holds notable works by Edward Coley Burne-Jones , Domenico Piola , Frank Brangwyn , Bernardino Poccetti , Gaspard Dughet , William Richmond , William Etty , Lelio Orsi , Frederick Goodall , Augustus John and others. Its New Zealand holdings include six works by Wanganui artist Herbert Ivan Babbage and
5336-612: The heritage building is strengthened and redeveloped. The Whanganui Regional Museum (1928) and the Alexander Heritage and Research Library (1933) were both bequests of the Alexander family. The award-winning Whanganui War Memorial Hall (1960) is one of New Zealand's finest examples of modernist architecture. The Royal Whanganui Opera House is located in St Hill Street in central Whanganui. Stewart House on
5428-516: The hospital site, which also hosts clinics with various visiting specialists. The hospital site accommodates the Tokoroa Council of Social Services (an umbrella organisation of community services), and since 2014 has also hosted the town's GP practices, a pharmacy and several other health services in a modern health campus based at the hospital's former Ward 3. Tokoroa hosts a number of sporting, cultural and music events every year including
5520-611: The inhabitants. The first European traders arrived in 1831, followed in 1840 by missionaries Octavius Hadfield and Henry Williams who collected signatures for the Treaty of Waitangi . On 20 June 1840, the Revd John Mason, Mrs Mason, Mr Richard Matthews (a lay catechist) and his wife Johanna arrived to establish a mission station of the Church Missionary Society (CMS). The Revd Richard Taylor joined
5612-433: The junction of State Highways 3 and 4. Most of the city lies on the river's northwestern bank, because of the greater extent of flat land. The river is crossed by five bridges: Cobham Bridge, City Bridge, Dublin Street Bridge and Aramoho Railway Bridge (rail and pedestrians only) and a Cycle bridge which was opened in 2020. Both Mount Ruapehu and Mount Taranaki can be seen from Durie Hill and other vantage points around
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#17327732707465704-408: The locals – as it was previously the town's cinema. It currently holds a library with a full computer suite, over 2,000 books, a reference book section, and children's leisure area. It is located in the Tokoroa town centre. Tokoroa Hospital provides limited medical services for a population of approximately 22,800 people in the South Waikato District. Currently, the hospital provides 21 beds made up of
5796-458: The longest navigable waterway in the country, and runs for 290 km (180 mi) from the heights of Mount Tongariro to Wanganui's coast and the Tasman Sea. Every bend and rapid of the river (there are 239 listed rapids) has a guardian, or kaitiaki, who maintains the mauri (life force) of that stretch of the river. Whanganui hapū (sub-tribes) were renowned for their canoeing skills and maintained extensive networks of weirs and fishing traps along
5888-400: The majority of which is hill country, with a narrow coastal strip of flat land and a major urban settlement on the lower banks of the Whanganui River. A large proportion of this is within the Whanganui National Park , established in 1986. The region is known for its outstanding natural environment, with the Whanganui Awa (River) at its heart. It is the second-largest river in the North Island,
5980-665: The manufacture of cheese (and related dairy products [via Fonterra ]), specialised wooden boxing, timber joinery, saw milling, general engineering, and the quarrying of building (masonry) stone. Although Tokoroa's economy primarily tends to revolve around timber and farming, many large retail companies have continued investing in the town – Foodstuffs recently constructed and opened a New World (supermarket) on Tokoroa's main street (Bridge Street). Also, Woolworths (a major competitor to Foodstuffs Group) also recently built New Zealand's first Countdown (supermarket) featuring bilingual (i.e. including Te Reo-Māori) signage. Tertiary education
6072-439: The new standards. Four months later, the Environment Court prosecuted Hillside Ltd, Allan Crafar, Frank Crafar and Elizabeth Crafar for 34 dairy effluent discharges. The offences related to dairy effluent spilling from ponds, feed pads, a broken irrigator hose and sumps leading to over-irrigation of paddocks. The Environment Court imposed fines on Hillside Farm Ltd, Allan Crafar and Frank Crafar of $ 29,500 each, and Elizabeth Crafar
6164-400: The official name of the District Council, and, because Whanganui is not a city council but a district, the official name of the urban area as well. On 19 November 2015, the name change was officially gazetted. In September 2019, the region that Whanganui District Council is part of was renamed from Manawatu-Wanganui to Manawatū-Whanganui. The area around the mouth of the Whanganui river was
6256-402: The public campaign for cleaner waterways downstream of dairy farms that later became known as the dirty dairying campaign. They identified dairy farms as a major factor in polluting the waterways, with one cow causing as much pollution as fourteen humans. The Crafars first prosecution for discharging dairy effluent into waterways came in 2001 when Valley View Ltd, of which Mr Crafar is a director
6348-525: The same system after adding a 366-acre leased block in 1978. Production had increased by 28,000 kg annually and their large herd averaged one kilo of fat per day. In 1981 Frank, Allan and Beth brought their first farm together in Reporoa . They began their expansion by buying the neighbours farm the next year and by 1999 had 6,000 cattle on numerous farms around New Zealand. In 2009 they owned 22 farms, 18 of which are dairy, and 20,000 cows, making them New Zealand's largest family owned dairy business. During
6440-431: The sculpture. Tokoroa's man-made Lake Moana-Nui was created in the late 1970s for the community, involving excavation by large earthmoving equipment and a concrete dam wall with a drain valve control. A wooden bridge located on the south-west end of the dam wall that supported and controlled the drain valve was a favourite 'bomb' spot, and barefoot skiing down the spillway was early extreme sport unique to Tokoroa. During
6532-401: The second-most-populous in Manawatū-Whanganui, with a population of 42,500 as of June 2024. Whanganui is the ancestral home of Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi and other Whanganui Māori tribes. The New Zealand Company began to settle the area in 1840, establishing its second settlement after Wellington . In the early years, most European settlers came via Wellington. Whanganui greatly expanded in
6624-482: The siege of Pōhaturoa, a volcanic plug adjacent to Ātiamuri , 27 km south of Tokoroa. This battle took place around 1600 as the Ngāti Raukawa moved into the southern Waikato. The name Tokoroa first appeared on the early maps of the 1860s, although this was for an area 50 km north east of today's Tokoroa. Tokoroa is one of the most recent towns in New Zealand. The township was established (circa) 1917 by
6716-466: The southern hemisphere's largest cheese factory in Lichfield, some 5 km north of the town. Due to increases in relative rates of return, large amounts of previously forested land were converted to farmland in the 2000s and 2010s. The main agricultural activities of the district are sheep and dairy farming. Forestry is still, however, the primary and most important industry to the district. Timber
6808-428: The swimming areas. The lake weed eventually became a drowning hazard that claimed the lives of swimmers over the preceding decade. In this sense, the project was a failure, and Lake Moana-Nui was considered unsafe. In an effort to control the problems, signs were erected banning access to the dam wall, and basic handrailing was put up to prevent public access. The lake was subject to regular draining in an effort to control
6900-520: The town since 1933. Since 1994, The New Zealand Opera School has been hosted at Whanganui Collegiate School . Pukenamu–Queens Park in central Whanganui, formerly the hilltop location of the Rutland Stockade, is home to several iconic buildings. The Sarjeant Gallery , a Category I Historic Place, was a bequest to the town by local farmer Henry Sarjeant , and opened in 1919. Since 2014, it has been in temporary premises on Taupo Quay while
6992-517: The town – the artificial Lake Moananui (formed by damming the Matarawa Stream in 1974/75) lies within a recreational park. Tokoroa lies in the centre of a triangle made up of the tourism destinations of Rotorua , Waitomo and Taupō . There are also about 45 recreational lakes within less than an hour's drive of Tokoroa. As well as the central business district, the township is made up of many subdivisions, each built in different stages of
7084-412: The township itself, meaning there are few prominent outlying settlements. A small but notable village is Jerusalem , which was home to Mother Mary Joseph Aubert and the poet James K. Baxter . The Whanganui District is also home to other settlements with small populations, including Kaitoke, Upokongaro , Kai Iwi /Mowhanau, Aberfeldy, Westmere, Pākaraka , Marybank, Okoia and Fordell. Whanganui has
7176-444: The township. In 1948, Tokoroa had a population of 1,100. By the early 1970s, however, Tokoroa reached, for a time, a population of over 20,000 – the number necessary to be officially deemed a city. In the 1980s years NZFP (and later, mill-owner Carter Holt Harvey Ltd) began to downscale and restructure operations at Kinleith. Since the late 1980s this ongoing downscaling at Kinleith – and closing of other local industries – resulted in
7268-408: The weed and to flush out the stale, stagnant water. While this did slightly improve the situation in the short term, people were warned not to swim in it. The lake is undergoing a major cleaning project so that it can be used in the future. To date (as at 25 April 2015), Lake Moana-Nui has been fully drained, refilled, and restored – and has been cleared by the local council for public recreation (as it
7360-404: Was $ 42,400, compared with $ 31,800 nationally. 240 people (21.4%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 636 (56.7%) people were employed full-time, 183 (16.3%) were part-time, and 39 (3.5%) were unemployed. The economic lifeblood of Tokoroa is forestry, centred at the nearby Kinleith Mill ; and dairy farming. In 1995, Fonterra built
7452-564: Was 13.3, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 49.3% had no religion, 35.6% were Christian , 3.8% had Māori religious beliefs , 0.6% were Hindu , 0.2% were Muslim , 0.4% were Buddhist and 1.4% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 798 (7.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 3,063 (29.5%) people had no formal qualifications. 1,035 people (10.0%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15
7544-468: Was 17.0%, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 56.0% had no religion, 32.0% were Christian , 1.5% had Māori religious beliefs , 0.6% were Hindu , 0.2% were Muslim , 0.2% were Buddhist and 3.7% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 150 (13.4%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 216 (19.3%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income
7636-530: Was a notable company, first established in 1902. Much of Whanganui's economy relates directly to the fertile and prosperous farming hinterland near the town. Whanganui is well known for embracing the production of several new pear varieties, including the Crimson Gem. In May 2016, it was reported that the majority of the Whanganui pear crop had been wiped out before the upcoming pear season. The Whanganui District covers 2,337 km (902 sq mi),
7728-459: Was fined $ 13,000 for an unlawful discharge of effluent on to land where it could enter waterways. According to Allan Crafar, from 2003 new compliance codes were implemented that caught out many farmers including the Crafars. In 2007 two further prosecutions were brought against the CraFarms. Plateau Farms at Reporoa was fined $ 35,000 for unlawfully discharged dairy effluent onto land. Te Pohue Ltd
7820-605: Was fined $ 13,000 for discharging dairy effluent into a tributary of the Esk River . In the second case Allan Crafar was also personally fined $ 5,000, while the farm sharemilker was fined $ 2,000. The next year a fourth prosecution was upheld when the Taharua Ltd farm on the Rangitaiki Plains was fined $ 37,500 for an illegal discharge of dairy effluent. This was the largest fine to date for a single prosecution, with
7912-411: Was fined $ 1500, for a total fine of $ 90,000. On 29 September 2009, business journalist Bernard Hickey posted a video onto YouTube showing dehydrated calves starving on Crafar Farms' Benneydale dairy farm between Tokoroa and Te Kūiti . Hickey stated that the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) had inspected the farm on 7 September 2009 (after the video was recorded), and had destroyed many of
8004-505: Was held in Wanganui in May 2009, and residents again overwhelmingly rejected changing the city's name, with 22% voting to change it to "Whanganui" and 77% voting to retain the name as "Wanganui". Voter turnout was 61%, the highest in a Wanganui referendum, reflecting the widespread controversy. Recognising that the decision was ultimately political in nature, not linguistic, in September 2009
8096-554: Was in breach of the covenants of the loans. The Crafars say that the recession and a drop in the Fonterra payout was a major factor in their business going into receivership. In 2007 Fonterra paid a record $ 7.90 per kilo of milk solids, this dropped by two dollars in 2008 and was just $ 4.55 in 2009. The Crafars had expanded rapidly by using their existing farms as leverage, and could no longer service their debt. The company Natural Dairy (NZ) Holdings, which previously had been known as
8188-472: Was in its heyday during the 1970s and 80's). There are picnic tables built around the lakes arc and there are four playgrounds. At the southern end of Lake Moana-Nui are gardens which were planted by a collective of Tokoroa school children. Tokoroa has an airfield with an 850m sealed runway. There are no scheduled air services. The site is often used for non-aircraft related reasons. The current location of Tokoroa's library holds many historic memories for
8280-579: Was included in the world's Smart21 Intelligent Communities by the Intelligent Community Forum. Whanganui has a strong industry base, with a history of niche manufacturing. Current businesses include Q-West Boat Builders, based at the Port who have built boats for customers from around New Zealand and the world and were awarded a contract in 2015 to build two 34-meter passenger ferries for Auckland ferry company Fullers. Pacific Helmets
8372-565: Was known colloquially as the "Wanganui Computer". The data centre housing it was subject to New Zealand's highest-profile suicide bombing on 18 November 1982 when anarchist Neil Roberts detonated a gelignite bomb in the entry foyer. Roberts was the only casualty of the bombing. Whanganui is on the South Taranaki Bight , close to the mouth of the Whanganui River . It is 200 km (120 mi) north of Wellington and 75 km (47 mi) northwest of Palmerston North , at
8464-420: Was that 4,260 (41.1%) people were employed full-time, 1,290 (12.4%) were part-time, and 834 (8.0%) were unemployed. Kinleith statistical area, which surrounds but does not include Tokoroa, covers 947.52 km (365.84 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 1,580 as of June 2024, with a population density of 1.7 people per km . Kinleith had a population of 1,446 at the 2018 New Zealand census ,
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