Otamarakau (Māori: Ōtamarākau) is a beach and community in the Western Bay of Plenty District and Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand's North Island, just south of Pukehina.

The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "place of young warriors" for Ōtamarākau.[1]

Ōtamarākau Marae and its Waitahanui a Hei meeting house are a traditional meeting place for the people of Ngati Makino.[2][3] The modern waterfront marae has accommodation and a full commercial kitchen. They host corporate meetings, Annual General Meetings, Special General Meetings, Wananga, family reunions, noho marae, weddings, birthdays, camps, schools and more for local, national and international visitors.[4]

In 2018, stormwater laden with sediment flowed over the Otamarakau wetlands from two ponds constructed without sufficient planning approval. In January 2020, kiwifruit company Bay Gold was fined over the incident.[5]

A speed camera was installed on the highway through Otamarakau in 2018,[6] leading to $30,000 of fines in its first month of operation.[7]

Education

Otamarakau School is a co-educational state primary school for year 1 to 8 students,[8][9] with a roll of 84 as of April 2023.[10]

The school's main annual fundraising event is a surf fishing competition.[11]

References

  1. ↑ "1000 Māori place names". New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 6 August 2019.
  2. ↑ "Te Kāhui Māngai directory". tkm.govt.nz. Te Puni Kōkiri.
  3. ↑ "Māori Maps". maorimaps.com. Te Potiki National Trust.
  4. ↑ Liddle, Rosalie (4 July 2018). "Architecture connecting with tangata whenua". Sun Media. Sun Live.
  5. ↑ "Kiwifruit company Baygold convicted on environmental charges". Fresh Plaza. freshplaza.com. 23 January 2020.
  6. ↑ Gardiner, Sam (9 February 2018). "Speed camera on the way for Pukehina". Sun Media. Sun Live.
  7. ↑ Shand, Matt (27 September 2018). "Speed camera ticks up $30,000 of fines in first month of operation". stuff.co.nz.
  8. ↑ "Otamarakau School Official School Website". otamarakau.school.nz/.
  9. ↑ "Otamarakau School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
  10. ↑ "Otamarakau School Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
  11. ↑ Staff reporter (23 March 2020). "Te Puke's Quinn Boyle to swim Lake Taupo for cancelled school fundraiser". New Zealand Media and Entertainment. Bay of Plenty Times.

37°50′04″S 176°36′30″E / 37.834566°S 176.608293°E / -37.834566; 176.608293

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