Tatuanui


Tatuanui is a settlement and rural community in the Matamata-Piako District and Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island.
It is located north-east of Morrinsville, south-west of Te Aroha, Waihou and Waitoa, and north of Ngarua, at the intersection of State Highway 26 and State Highway 27. The intersection was converted to a roundabout between June and December 2011 for safety reasons.

Dairy industry

Dairy factory

The Tatua Dairy Company factory is a central feature of the township. Tatua is an independent co-operative dairy company owned by 114 shareholder farms, all located within a 12 kilometre radius of the processing site. It employs 370 staff and exports specialist dairy products to more than 60 countries.
The co-operative has maintained a strong independent history within the New Zealand dairy industry. In the 2001 mega-merger for the New Zealand dairy industry which formed Fonterra, Tatua shareholders decided to remain independent. New Zealand had over 500 dairy co-operatives in the 1930s, but Tatua is the only New Zealand dairy co-operative remaining that has never been part of any merger throughout its history.
Tatua often records the highest payout for milk solids to the farmer shareholders in New Zealand. While the high level of payout is partly due to a small catchment area, the high financial performance of Tatua has been attributed to its focus on value-added milk products rather than traditional, mass-produced, commodity-based milk products such as milk powder, butter and cheese.

Dairy Whip can

A giant model of a can of whipped cream sits outside the factory as an landmark for the township. The 12-metre high stainless steel silo was rebranded as Tatua Dairy Whip in 2013. It was severely crumpled in 2016, but the cause of the damage remained a mystery.
The model was replaced again later that year, and underwent a further makeover in 2019.

Farming

The area's sandy and silty soil makes it vulnerable to pugging and soil compaction.
The Ministry for Primary Industries held a public meeting in the township in October 2019 following several new Waikato cases of the cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis.

Sports and facilities

The local tennis club began in 1921 and was formally incorporated in 1934. The club caters for players as young as 6.
The township has a hall available for community events.

Education

Tatuanui School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 6 students, with a roll of as of. It was established in 1918 and celebrated its centenary in October 2018.
The school buildings, drains and playground were built by volunteers from the local community, and caretaking activities have traditionally been done at parent working bees and by students during class time.