Pongaroa
Encyclopedia
The small township of Pongaroa lies in Tararua
, in the southeast of the North Island
of New Zealand
. It is located 110 kilometres southwest of Hastings
and 200 kilometres northeast of Wellington. The nearest town is Pahiatua
, 50 kilometres to the west. Popular Akitio
Beach is 30 kilometres to the east. Pongaroa village has a population of about 100, with the surrounding farms bringing the total population to about 300.
Pongaroa's claim to fame is as the birthplace of scientist Maurice Wilkins
.
At one time during the early settlement years in the latter half of the 19th century, the township was much larger as there was anticipation that the Masterton to Napier Railway would run through Pongaroa. However, eventually the railway cut through Pahiatua and thus that township grew, whilst Pongaroa remained a farming community. Pongaroa is still serviced by Pongaroa School, Pongaroa Cafe and General Store, Pongaroa Hotel, and Pongaroa Farm Centre, lying as it does on the popular alternative route from Wellington to Hastings.
As a rural community, Pongaroa relies on community spirit and the local community development organisation Pongaroa The Way To Go,. These dedicated people have been central to improvements in the area such as installation of public toilets, creation of a freedom campsite and enhancement of the village centre.
Pongaroa is also the location of the New Zealand Centre for Equine Psychology and Behaviour, and Wildside Farm environmental education retreat,
Tararua
Tararua is a name used in several contexts:*The Tararua Range, in the south-east of New Zealand's North Island*The Tararua District of New Zealand, named for the Range.*The Tararua Forest Park, New Zealand's first forest park...
, in the southeast of the North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
of 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...
. It is located 110 kilometres southwest of Hastings
Hastings, New Zealand
The city of Hastings is a major urban settlement in the Hawke's Bay region of the North Island of New Zealand, and it is the largest settlement by population in Hawke's Bay. Hastings city is the administrative centre of the Hastings District...
and 200 kilometres northeast of Wellington. The nearest town is Pahiatua
Pahiatua
Pahiatua is a rural service town in the south-eastern North Island of New Zealand with an urban and rural population of over 4,000. It is between Masterton and Woodville on State Highway 2 and the Wairarapa Line railway, north of Masterton and east of Palmerston North...
, 50 kilometres to the west. Popular Akitio
Akitio
Akitio is a coastal community in the Wairarapa Region of the lower east coast of the North Island of New Zealand. The Akitio River runs for approximately 35 kilometres in a southeast by northwest direction, leading to the town of Weber, on State Highway 52....
Beach is 30 kilometres to the east. Pongaroa village has a population of about 100, with the surrounding farms bringing the total population to about 300.
Pongaroa's claim to fame is as the birthplace of scientist Maurice Wilkins
Maurice Wilkins
Maurice Hugh Frederick Wilkins CBE FRS was a New Zealand-born English physicist and molecular biologist, and Nobel Laureate whose research contributed to the scientific understanding of phosphorescence, isotope separation, optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction, and to the development of radar...
.
At one time during the early settlement years in the latter half of the 19th century, the township was much larger as there was anticipation that the Masterton to Napier Railway would run through Pongaroa. However, eventually the railway cut through Pahiatua and thus that township grew, whilst Pongaroa remained a farming community. Pongaroa is still serviced by Pongaroa School, Pongaroa Cafe and General Store, Pongaroa Hotel, and Pongaroa Farm Centre, lying as it does on the popular alternative route from Wellington to Hastings.
As a rural community, Pongaroa relies on community spirit and the local community development organisation Pongaroa The Way To Go,. These dedicated people have been central to improvements in the area such as installation of public toilets, creation of a freedom campsite and enhancement of the village centre.
Pongaroa is also the location of the New Zealand Centre for Equine Psychology and Behaviour, and Wildside Farm environmental education retreat,