Tīrau
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Tīrau is a small town in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand, 50 kilometres southeast of Hamilton. The town has a population of 804 (2018 census).<ref name="Census 2018"/> In the Māori language, "Tīrau" means "place of many cabbage trees."
Tīrau is a major junction in the New Zealand state highway network, sitting at the junctions of State Highway 1, State Highway 5, and State Highway 27. Tīrau is primarily a farming town but in recent years has begun to exploit the income that comes from being at a major road junction.
The small community of Okoroire (with hot springs) is located just north of Tīrau.<ref name="mapokoroire">Template:Cite web</ref> Okoroire railway station was over Template:Convert to the west of the springs.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
History and culture
European settlement
In the 19th century, Tīrau, then known as Oxford, was originally planned as a township.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> However plans were changed after the entrepreneurial Rose family bought up large areas of land in the region, with the intention of making large returns when it came of high demand. Oxford later became a rural service town.
Oxford Royal Hotel opened on 15 April 1881.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A store followed in June,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> but by September 1881 Oxford still only had the hotel and store.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 94 lots in the township,<ref name=":0" /> which it had been planned to sell in 1891,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> were offered for sale in 1882.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 1886 census, Oxford had a population of 48 in the 1896 census,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 27 in 1891<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and 127 in 1911.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1886, James Anthony Froude visited Oxford and described it as having a single inn, with the town surrounded by desert with little vegetation growth.<ref name="threerivers">Template:Cite book</ref>Template:RP
Name
Oxford was a name given to the proposed township when it was sold by McLean & Co in 1881.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It may have been to identify it as a sister town to Cambridge.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> To avoid confusion with Oxford in Canterbury, the Piako County Council asked the name to be changed. The name Tirau, suggested by two councillors, was chosen. Tirau is the name of the hill near the township.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Oxford changed its name to Tirau on 23 May 1896.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The name was spelt without a macron until 2019, when the New Zealand Geographic Board made Tīrau the official name.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Railway station
Oxford railway station was at the site where the Kinleith Branch crossed Okoroire Rd<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Thames Valley & Rotorua Railway Co. opened it on Monday 8 March 1886.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The first train left Oxford at 7.50am and arrived in Auckland at 4.35pm,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Convert away.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Morrinsville is Template:Convert away. Oxford was the terminus for a few months until 21 June 1886, when the line was extended south to Putāruru<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Lichfield.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On 3 days a week, from the start of the train service, a coach ran to Ohinemutu, at Rotorua.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
New Zealand Railways Department took over the line on 1 April 1886.<ref name=":222">Template:Cite web</ref> By August there was a coal shed (23ft x 15ft, 50 tons capacity), 2 cottages, Template:Convert by Template:Convert goods shed, turntable and a stationmaster's house. In 1895 the stationmaster was moved to Putāruru and Tirau was downgraded to a flag station. However, by 1896 Tīrau also had a 4th class station, platform, cart approach, loading bank, cattle yards, 4-stall engine shed, urinals and a passing loop for 26 wagons (extended for 70 wagons in 1964). In 1898 it was recommended that the engine shed be moved to Grahamstown, though a double shed was then built there. By 1911 there were also sheep yards.<ref name=":222" />
563 passengers bought tickets in 1894,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 330 in 1895<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and 308 in 1896, when the main import was coal and the main exports timber and sheep.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It was renamed Tirau on 8 March 1886.
In 1963 a new station in dark Huntly brick, with a storeroom, office, waiting room and platform for two railcars was built for about £4,800.<ref name=":222" /> Closure to passengers was on 12 November 1968 and to goods, except private siding traffic, on 29 March 1981.<ref name=":02">Template:Cite web</ref> In 1989 the station was derelict, but still had a low level platform.<ref name=":222" />
The main remnant of the station, alongside Prospect Avenue,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> is an NZHPT Category II listed (on 5 September 1985, List Number 4230) brick water tower.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Opening of the station was delayed a week as the water supply wasn't complete. Like other Thames Valley & Rotorua stations, water was fed to a Template:Convert brick tank, supplied from the Oraka Stream, about Template:Convert to the south, by a Blake<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> hydraulic ram.<ref name=":222" /> Similar towers remain at Lichfield and Ngātira.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Fonterra still moves freight by rail from its Tīrau factory,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> which runs a very large anaerobic digester.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:S-start Template:S-note Template:Rail line Template:S-end
Recent history
In 1991, local business man Henry Clothier took advantage of the town's relatively cheap real estate and high traffic volume by opening an Antique shop in the former Rose Bros. grocery store building. Many other businesses followed suit off the back of his success throughout the 1990s until today. Tīrau built a reputation as a shopping destination for antiques, collectibles and other niche items, but the last antique store closed in 2017.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 2005/06 the South Waikato District Council is working, on behalf of the Tīrau Ward, in conjunction with the community, to develop a concept plan for Tīrau's future.<ref name=councilhome>Template:Cite web</ref>
Marae
The local Paparāmu Marae and Te Apunga meeting house are affiliated with the Ngāti Raukawa hapū of Ngāti Mōtai and Ngāti Te Apunga.<ref name="tkmentry">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="maorimaps">Template:Cite web</ref>
Demographics
Statistics New Zealand describes Tīrau as a rural settlement, which covers Template:Convert.<ref name="Area">Template:Cite web</ref> It had an estimated population of Template:NZ population data 2018 as of Template:NZ population data 2018 with a population density of Template:Decimals people per km2. The settlement is part of the larger Tīrau statistical area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Template:Historical populations Tīrau had a population of 885 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 81 people (10.1%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 183 people (26.1%) since the 2013 census. There were 435 males, 444 females, and 3 people of other genders in 354 dwellings.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 2.4% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 38.4 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 195 people (22.0%) aged under 15 years, 141 (15.9%) aged 15 to 29, 405 (45.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 150 (16.9%) aged 65 or older.<ref name="Census 2023"/>
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 82.7% European (Pākehā); 28.1% Māori; 2.4% Pasifika; 3.1% Asian; 0.3% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.0% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.6%, Māori by 6.1%, Samoan by 1.0%, and other languages by 3.4%. No language could be spoken by 2.4% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.7%. The percentage of people born overseas was 11.2, compared with 28.8% nationally.<ref name="Census 2023"/>
Religious affiliations were 22.0% Christian, 0.7% Māori religious beliefs, 1.0% New Age, and 1.7% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 63.1%, and 10.8% of people did not answer the census question.<ref name="Census 2023"/>
Of those at least 15 years old, 84 (12.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 405 (58.7%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 207 (30.0%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $40,700, compared with $41,500 nationally. 51 people (7.4%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 357 (51.7%) full-time, 99 (14.3%) part-time, and 15 (2.2%) unemployed.<ref name="Census 2023">Template:Cite web</ref>
Tīrau statistical area
Tīrau statistical area covers Template:Convert<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and had an estimated population of Template:NZ population data 2023 SA2 as of Template:NZ population data 2023 SA2 with a population density of Template:Decimals people per km2.
Template:Historical populations Tīrau statistical area had a population of 2,535 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 201 people (8.6%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 429 people (20.4%) since the 2013 census. There were 1,266 males, 1,260 females, and 9 people of other genders in 960 dwellings.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 2.4% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 37.0 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 591 people (23.3%) aged under 15 years, 390 (15.4%) aged 15 to 29, 1,173 (46.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 381 (15.0%) aged 65 or older.<ref name="Census 2023 T"/>
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 86.3% European (Pākehā); 21.4% Māori; 2.1% Pasifika; 3.8% Asian; 0.4% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.0% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.9%, Māori by 4.1%, Samoan by 0.6%, and other languages by 5.2%. No language could be spoken by 2.7% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.7%. The percentage of people born overseas was 13.1, compared with 28.8% nationally.<ref name="Census 2023 T"/>
Religious affiliations were 27.3% Christian, 0.2% Hindu, 0.2% Islam, 0.5% Māori religious beliefs, 0.2% Buddhist, 0.6% New Age, and 1.7% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 59.5%, and 9.7% of people did not answer the census question.<ref name="Census 2023 T"/>
Of those at least 15 years old, 315 (16.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 1,137 (58.5%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 486 (25.0%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $47,100, compared with $41,500 nationally. 243 people (12.5%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 1,098 (56.5%) full-time, 309 (15.9%) part-time, and 48 (2.5%) unemployed.<ref name="Census 2023 T">Template:Cite web</ref>
Tourism
The town is now a well known tourist stop-off, and is characterised by many art works created out of corrugated iron. The church and many of the shops feature corrugated iron sculptures by local artist Steven Clothier and two large buildings are completely made from this material; the information centre which is shaped like a giant dog,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and the neighbouring sheep and ram building<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> - earning Tīrau the title of "Corrugated Capital of the World".
The Castle, a large toy museum on the town's southern limits which opened in 2000, can clearly be seen when heading towards the township from Rotorua or Taupō. The Tīrau dairy factory is New Zealand's only producer of lactalbumin, a key ingredient in the production of sports supplements.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Government
Tīrau is governed locally by the South Waikato District Council. Nationally, Tīrau is part of the Template:NZ electorate link general electorate and the Template:NZ electorate link Māori electorate.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Transport
The Royal Hotel ran coaches twice a week from Cambridge from 1882.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> By 1924 AARD was running a regular bus between Hamilton and Rotorua, via Tīrau.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2018 47% of those in the Tīrau statistical area said they drove to work, 30% worked from home, 4% walked and 0.5% cycled.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> An Urban Connector bus runs twice a day between Tokoroa and Tīrau, via Putāruru and Lichfield.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Tīrau is also served by InterCity buses to Auckland, Gisborne, Hastings and Wellington.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Education
Tīrau Primary School is the sole school in Tīrau. It is a contributing primary school (Years 1–6) and has Template:NZ school roll data students as of Template:NZ school roll data<ref>Template:TKI</ref> The school opened in 1888.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The nearest intermediate and secondary school is Putaruru College, Template:Convert south of Tīrau, in Putāruru.