# Mackaytown > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mackaytown > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mackaytown.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mackaytown > Source revision: 1348686625 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Settlement in Hauraki District, New Zealand}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=February 2021}} '''Mackaytown''' is a settlement in the [Hauraki District](/source/Hauraki_District) and [Waikato](/source/Waikato) region of New Zealand's [North Island](/source/North_Island), located at the north-western end of the [Karangahake Gorge](/source/Karangahake_Gorge) just south of [Paeroa](/source/Paeroa). It is named after local Government administrator and politician [James Mackay](/source/James_Mackay_(New_Zealand_politician%2C_born_1831)).{{cite book |last1=Climie |first1=N S |title=Karangahake: the years of the gold 1875 -1935 |date=1983 |publisher=Paeroa & District Historical and Arts Society |location=[Whakatāne](/source/Whakat%C4%81ne) |url=http://www.ohinemuri.org.nz/historic-texts/karangahake-the-years-of-the-gold-1875-1935/237-early-mackaytown |chapter=Introduction}} The settlement consists of eight roads branching off [State Highway 2](/source/New_Zealand_State_Highway_2).{{cite web |title=Mackaytown |url=https://www.hauraki-dc.govt.nz/our-district/paeroa/mackaytown/ |website=hauraki-dc.govt.nz |publisher=[Hauraki District Council](/source/Hauraki_District_Council)}} It is bordered by Turner's Hill, Doherty's Creek, [Ohinemuri River](/source/Ohinemuri_River), and the sacred Tapu Ariki burial grounds on Te Moananui's Hill. ==History== ===Pre-European history=== The Ohinemuri River is within the ''[rohe](/source/rohe)'' (traditional tribal area) of [Ngāti Hako](/source/Ng%C4%81ti_Hako) and [Ngāti Tara Tokanui](/source/Ng%C4%81ti_Tara_Tokanui). Ohinemuri is a [Māori word](/source/M%C4%81ori_language), meaning "the girl left behind", referring to a legend about a chief's daughter who was detained by a [taniwha](/source/taniwha) at Turner's Hill. Early Māori settlers travelled the area extensively, mostly by [waka](/source/Waka_(canoe)) (canoes), but also by crossing the forest and stream fords on foot. Missionary [Samuel Marsden](/source/Samuel_Marsden) was across the river, when passing through the area on his way from [Thames](/source/Thames%2C_New_Zealand) to [Tauranga](/source/Tauranga) in 1820. ===European settlement=== Europeans began settling the area for gold-mining in the middle of the 19th century. They reached [Paeroa](/source/Paeroa) by boat, and followed the river on foot. The hilly country made it difficult for horses to haul heavy machinery to the mines. The new town was named after local administrator [James Mackay](/source/James_Mackay_(New_Zealand_politician%2C_born_1831)), who was involved in establishing the township during his time as Thames Goldfield Warden in 1867 and 1868.{{cite book |last= Pedersen |first= Marcus |title= Great Expeditions: the Journeys of John Rochfort, James Mackay and Julius Haast to the West Coast of the South Island, New Zealand, 1859–60| date=2017| publisher= Toro Press| location=Greymouth, New Zealand|isbn=978-0-473-40254-9}} The nearby Turner's Hill was named after early settler James Turner, who built a thatched cottage on the hill. The town became an important stop for travellers. A post office opened in 1875 and a school opened in 1876. The area was surveyed between 1877 and 1887, allowing roads to be built further into the gorge. The Mackaytown school house burned some time after 1885, and a new school was established in the main Karangahake Gorge settlement in 1889. ===Modern history=== In 1898, the Mackaytown Hotel was replaced with a newer, larger hotel.{{cite book |last1=Climie |first1=N S |title=Karangahake: the years of the gold 1875 -1935 |date=1983 |publisher=Paeroa & District Historical and Arts Society |location=[Whakatāne](/source/Whakat%C4%81ne) |url=http://www.ohinemuri.org.nz/historic-texts/karangahake-the-years-of-the-gold-1875-1935/240-growth-of-mackaytown |chapter=Growth of Mackaytown}} It had eight bedrooms, three sitting rooms, a commercial room, a dining room for sixty guests, and a stable for 15 horses.{{cite book |title=The Cyclopedia of New Zealand |date=1902 |publisher=Cyclopedia Company |location=Christchurch |page=917}} By 1900, 50 people were living in Mackaytown and property prices were rising. The township had a suburban atmosphere, and a [calcium tungstate](/source/calcium_tungstate) mine. The town continued to accommodate passing travellers well into the 20th century. Photographs of the settlement, held by the [National Library of New Zealand](/source/National_Library_of_New_Zealand), shows little change to the size of the settlement between 1914 and 1958.{{cite book |last1=Price |first1=William Archer |title=Photograph by William A Price |date=12 May 1914 |publisher=William A Price |location=Mackaytown}}{{cite book |title=Aerial photograph taken by Whites Aviation |date=10 April 1958 |publisher=Whites Aviation Limited |location=Mackaytown}} == References == {{reflist}} {{Hauraki District}} {{coord|-37.411|175.707|display=title|region:NZ_type:city_source:GNS-enwiki}} Category:Hauraki District Category:Populated places in Waikato --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mackaytown](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mackaytown) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mackaytown?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.