Murupara


Murupara is a town located in the Whakatane District and Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand's North Island. The town is situated in an isolated part of the region between the Kaingaroa Forest and Te Urewera National Park, on the banks of the Rangitaiki River, 65 kilometres southeast of Rotorua.
It is located on SH38 and is the terminus of the Murupara Railway Branch. The town's principal industries are all related to forestry.
Murupara is in the rohe of the Ngāti Manawa iwi.
The Māori language name Murupara means "to wipe off mud".

History and culture

History

Murupara was previously a staging post on the road between Rotorua and Napier. In the early 1900s, the planting of exotic trees began on the surrounding scrubland. This area is now known as the Kaingaroa Forest, with 1,400 square kilometres of planted pines. As the main service centre for the many forestry workers and their families, Murupara grew to a population of over 3,000. Recent changes to the forestry contracting system have brought about a decrease in the number of permanent residents.
The settlements of Galatea, Horomanga, Kopuriki, Aniwhenua, Waiohau and Murupara lie between the boundary of the Kaingaroa Forest, the popular Te Urewera and Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne Conservation Park. Earlier history is also evident around Murupara. In a rock shelter approximately eight kilometres west of the town centre are a number of ancient cave drawings.
Murupara was regarded as being a "gang town" but local iwi have placed a rāhui on gang patches from being worn at the local marae and school.

Marae

Murupara has several marae, which are meeting places for Ngāti Manawa hapū:
Murupara Area School is a co-educational state area school for Year 1 to 13 students, with a roll of as of.
Te Kura Kaupapa Motuhake o Tawhiuau is a co-educational state Māori language immersion school, with a roll of.

Notable people