Te Kao


Te Kao is a district on the Aupouri Peninsula of Northland, New Zealand. State Highway 1 passes through the district. Cape Reinga is 46 km to the north, and Houhora is 24 km to the south. The Aupouri Forest and Ninety Mile Beach are to the west.
The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "the dried kūmara" for Te Kao.

History and culture

The Te Aupōuri athlete Te Houtaewa started his legendary run along Ninety Mile Beach at Te Kao.
The local Pōtahi Marae is a traditional meeting ground for Te Aupōuri, and includes the Waimirirangi or Haere-ki-te Rā meeting house.

Education

Te Kura o Te Kao is a coeducational full primary school with a roll of students as of
The school started as Te Kao Native School in 1881. It became Te Kao Area School, providing education up to seventh form, but with few secondary students it changed to became a primary school in 1999.
The school celebrated its 125th anniversary during Labour Weekend in 2006. It became a designated character school at the start of 2019, and extended to include years 9 and 10 in 2020.
Church is characterised by bell towers at each of the front corners, which bear the words "Arepa" and "Omeka"