Rambling among Our historic sites
School camp and redoubt visited
Once again the weather was kind to Monday Walkers and they had a wonderful day exploring and learning about the history of the Mangatepopo School Camp, the Te Pōrere Redoubt and their surroundings.
In bygone times forestry in the Tongariro Forest supported some 42 mills and many workers with young families. In 1934, a temporary school was set up and in 1940 moved to its permanent site at Mangatepopo.
The camp caretaker gave us a cheery welcome and explained how an abrupt drop in the roll after the closure of the nearby mills, including Ketetahi, led to the school’s demise in 1963 and its eventual repurposing as a self-catering facility.
After a threatened closure, campers, old and new, rallied to support its continuation and reminisced about the opportunities for outdoor education and access to the tracks around Tongariro National Park.
We walked through the back of the campsite and joined the Taurewa Track via an old gravel road.
This route loops through open alpine areas, over bridged streams, through tall grasses and regenerating native bush. The bush holds reminders of its logging past and the endurance of nature.
Tramways and cut out banks are signs of human intervention, but some tall totara and kahikatea have avoided the axe and lorded over their neighbours.
Tanekaha, celery pine, were thriving, juvenile horoeka with their extended ribbed leaves and miro seedlings were prominent. Plump kereru sat high in the trees and watched our progress, a kārearea swooped and we even saw a pheasant.
Another surprise was finding a live bright green puriri moth. These adults only live two days and that is only if they escape becoming supper for a ruru.
The group made their way back to Mangatepopo camp and were driven to a northern or OPC end of a track to the upper Te Pōrere Redoubt.
Much of this easy track is out in the open and the recent rain meant there were several large puddles to edge around. Koromiko and new plantings of harakeke border this trail.
The redoubt’s construction is attributed to the Te Kooti’s forces that, along with Tūwharetoa, defended it against the Armed Constabulary and some Māori in 1869.
Redoubts are temporary or supplementary fortifications and Te Pōrere’s have both Māori and British design features. In this instance the placement of loopholes prevented the outnumbered defenders from firing downwards onto the ascending soldiers.
Te Kooti retreated from the lower redoubt to the upper redoubt but lost the ensuing battle and 37 followers. Some are buried at the site which is wāhi tapu.
Despite also losing several fingers Te Kooti escaped and made his way to the King Country.
Te Pōrere is known as the site of the last major fixed battle of the New Zealand Land Wars and its importance in our
history is recognised as a Category 1 Historic Place.
Some reconstruction of the fortification was carried out in 1960 by the Historic Places Trust, new interpretation panels were unveiled in 2009 to commemorate the 140th anniversary of the battle.
To commemorate the 150th anniversary Ngāti Hikairo Ki Tongariro and Pouhere Toanga or Heritage New Zealand supported by Tūwharetoa undertook vegetation clearing, track upgrading and refreshment of the signage. Significantly there is also a pou whakairo which is to mark our coming together — a day to reflect on our past as well as two enjoyable walks.
Next week we will walk in a nationally acclaimed facility. If you would like to join, or for more information, email walkersmondaytaupo@ gmail.com or follow Taupō Monday Walkers on Facebook.