Paremata
Encyclopedia
Paremata is a suburb of Porirua
, on the Tasman Sea
coast to the north of Wellington
, New Zealand
.
, derives its name from the "Parramatta
Barracks", erected on the north shore of Porirua Harbour
in about 1846 when the infant government was nervous about the local Ngati Toa
tribe under its leader Te Rauparaha
. The stone barracks were largely destroyed by an earthquake in 1847.
The Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company built a station nearby, towards the end of the 19th century. In 1936 a road bridge finally spanned the entrance to the Pauatahanui
Inlet, greatly easing access to Wellington
for the growing suburb. After a coast road was built between Pukerua Bay
and Paekakariki
further north, the route through Paremata became part of State Highway 1. Later developments to ease congestion included the Paremata Roundabout, just south of the road bridge, reducing some of the distress that was occasionally caused at what came to be known as "Glass Corner".
During World War II
, United States soldiers were stationed near the barracks, on land that later became the Ngatitoa Domain.
across the inlet, the locality south of the road and rail bridges took on the name Paremata as well. The street along the original shoreline had been known as "The Crescent" for decades, but by the end of the 20th century it was commonly called "Paremata Crescent".
The area to the north, which included a subdivision called "Dolly Varden
" (named after a Charles Dickens
character), is now called Mana
because the new Mana Railway Station
a little further north was given that name; probably because it is the first point on the rail journey north at which travellers get a view of Mana Island
. Current maps identify the areas to the north of the road & rail bridges as 'Mana' and the areas to the south as 'Paremata', matching the naming of the railway stations and streets.
By the start of the 21st century, several members of the Ngati Toa tribe had served on the Porirua
City Council, and the whole locality around the Ngatitoa Domain had become a busy suburb and fishing
base with housing and commerce. A new suburb, Papakowhai, has grown on the hills to the south, while the large suburb of Whitby
has developed to the east, with its main access via SH58 from the Paremata Roundabout.
In August 2004 a new road bridge was opened for northbound traffic, allowing southbound traffic to use both lanes of the old bridge. This is part of an on-going project by Transit New Zealand to solve congestion issues and improve safety of motorists, pedestrians and local residents accessing SH1 from side-roads and driveways. By July 2006 a series of traffic lights had been installed along Mana Esplanade, along with two transit lanes
and to the south. A second feeder roundabout had been constructed on SH58 allowing easier access to Whitby
.
Porirua
Porirua is a city in the Wellington Region of New Zealand, immediately north of the city of Wellington, with their central business districts 20 km apart. A large proportion of the population commutes to Wellington, so it may be considered a satellite city. It almost completely surrounds...
, on the Tasman Sea
Tasman Sea
The Tasman Sea is the large body of water between Australia and New Zealand, approximately across. It extends 2,800 km from north to south. It is a south-western segment of the South Pacific Ocean. The sea was named after the Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman, the first recorded European...
coast to the north of Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Early history
The modern suburb, just south of PlimmertonPlimmerton
The township of Plimmerton is adjacent to one of the more congenial beaches in the northwest part of the Wellington urban area of Porirua in New Zealand...
, derives its name from the "Parramatta
Parramatta, New South Wales
Parramatta is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located in Greater Western Sydney west of the Sydney central business district on the banks of the Parramatta River. Parramatta is the administrative seat of the Local Government Area of the City of Parramatta...
Barracks", erected on the north shore of Porirua Harbour
Porirua Harbour
Porirua Harbour is a natural inlet in the south-western coast of the North Island of New Zealand. The city of Porirua, one of the four cities in the Wellington conurbation, surrounds it. The city centre is to the south of the harbour....
in about 1846 when the infant government was nervous about the local Ngati Toa
Ngati Toa
Ngāti Toa , an iwi , traces its descent from the eponymous ancestor Toarangatira. The Ngāti Toa region extends from Miria-te-kakara at Rangitikei to Wellington, and across Cook Strait to Wairau and Nelson....
tribe under its leader Te Rauparaha
Te Rauparaha
Te Rauparaha was a Māori rangatira and war leader of the Ngāti Toa tribe who took a leading part in the Musket Wars. He was influential in the original sale of conquered Rangitane land to the New Zealand Company and was a participant in the Wairau Incident in Marlborough...
. The stone barracks were largely destroyed by an earthquake in 1847.
The Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company built a station nearby, towards the end of the 19th century. In 1936 a road bridge finally spanned the entrance to the Pauatahanui
Pauatahanui
Pauatahanui is a village in New Zealand's North Island. It is at the far eastern end of the Pauatahanui Inlet, an arm of the Porirua Harbour, northeast of Wellington....
Inlet, greatly easing access to Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
for the growing suburb. After a coast road was built between Pukerua Bay
Pukerua Bay
Pukerua Bay is a small seaside community at the southern end of the Kapiti Coast, New Zealand. In local government terms it is the northernmost suburb of Porirua City...
and Paekakariki
Paekakariki
Paekakariki is a town in the Kapiti Coast District in the south-western North Island of New Zealand. It is 22 km north of Porirua and 45 km north-east of Wellington, the nation's capital city....
further north, the route through Paremata became part of State Highway 1. Later developments to ease congestion included the Paremata Roundabout, just south of the road bridge, reducing some of the distress that was occasionally caused at what came to be known as "Glass Corner".
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, United States soldiers were stationed near the barracks, on land that later became the Ngatitoa Domain.
Recent history
With the building of the new Paremata Railway StationParemata Railway Station
Paremata Railway Station on the Kapiti Line section of the North Island Main Trunk Railway in Paremata in the city of Porirua, New Zealand, is part of the Wellington Region's Tranz Metro suburban rail network.It is double tracked with an island platform...
across the inlet, the locality south of the road and rail bridges took on the name Paremata as well. The street along the original shoreline had been known as "The Crescent" for decades, but by the end of the 20th century it was commonly called "Paremata Crescent".
The area to the north, which included a subdivision called "Dolly Varden
Dolly Varden
Dolly Varden may refer to:* Dolly Varden , a character in the novel Barnaby Rudge by Charles Dickens. The original usage.* Dolly Vardens , a group of Black women baseball players that comprised the first professional baseball team* Dolly Varden , a musical group from Chicago, Illinois* Dolly Varden...
" (named after a Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
character), is now called Mana
Mana, New Zealand
Mana is a suburb of Porirua City in New Zealand. It is a narrow isthmus bounded to the west by the entrance to Porirua Harbour, and to the east by the Pauatahanui inlet of the Porirua Harbour. Mana Island lies about three kilometres west of the isthmus....
because the new Mana Railway Station
Mana Railway Station
Mana Railway Station on the Kapiti Line section of the North Island Main Trunk Railway in the "Mana" locality in the Paremata suburb of the city of Porirua, New Zealand is part of Wellington's Tranz Metro suburban rail network....
a little further north was given that name; probably because it is the first point on the rail journey north at which travellers get a view of Mana Island
Mana Island
Mana Island may refer to:*Mana Island, Fiji, a resort in Fiji*Mana Island, New Zealand, off the southwestern coast of the North Island of New Zealand...
. Current maps identify the areas to the north of the road & rail bridges as 'Mana' and the areas to the south as 'Paremata', matching the naming of the railway stations and streets.
By the start of the 21st century, several members of the Ngati Toa tribe had served on the Porirua
Porirua
Porirua is a city in the Wellington Region of New Zealand, immediately north of the city of Wellington, with their central business districts 20 km apart. A large proportion of the population commutes to Wellington, so it may be considered a satellite city. It almost completely surrounds...
City Council, and the whole locality around the Ngatitoa Domain had become a busy suburb and fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
base with housing and commerce. A new suburb, Papakowhai, has grown on the hills to the south, while the large suburb of Whitby
Whitby, New Zealand
Whitby, a large suburb of Porirua City, New Zealand, located along much of the southern shore of the Pauatahanui Inlet of Porirua Harbour was comprehensively planned in the 1960s and it has been continuously developed since, with current landscaping and expansion in the hills behind the eastern...
has developed to the east, with its main access via SH58 from the Paremata Roundabout.
In August 2004 a new road bridge was opened for northbound traffic, allowing southbound traffic to use both lanes of the old bridge. This is part of an on-going project by Transit New Zealand to solve congestion issues and improve safety of motorists, pedestrians and local residents accessing SH1 from side-roads and driveways. By July 2006 a series of traffic lights had been installed along Mana Esplanade, along with two transit lanes
Transit lanes
Transit lanes are lanes on roadways in Australia and New Zealand set aside for vehicles with two or more passengers. Taxis, emergency vehicles and motorcycles can also use the lanes in most cases. They are "also known as T2 or T3 lanes", after the minimum number of passengers required to drive a...
and to the south. A second feeder roundabout had been constructed on SH58 allowing easier access to Whitby
Whitby, New Zealand
Whitby, a large suburb of Porirua City, New Zealand, located along much of the southern shore of the Pauatahanui Inlet of Porirua Harbour was comprehensively planned in the 1960s and it has been continuously developed since, with current landscaping and expansion in the hills behind the eastern...
.
External links
- Paremata Roundabout Webcam
- Map of Paremata Region - ZoomIn.co.nz
- SH1 Plimmerton - Paremata Upgrade Information
- Paremata-Postgate Community Profile from Statistics NZStatistics New ZealandStatistics New Zealand is the national statistical office of New Zealand.-Organisation:New Zealand's Minister of Statistics is Maurice Williamson who serves as a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives and holds several other posts within government...