OUR COMMUNITY
The Tapu Community
Tapu has a strong sense of community and a rich history of Māori and Pākehā occupation. There is a mix of newcomers, both young and old, as well as those with deep roots in the community. Over time tauiwi have increasingly joined the community and embraced the local culture. Manuhiri come from far and wide to visit us. The town has a primary school, a hall, a volunteer fire brigade, an art gallery, a hotel, a fish 'n' chip shop/general store and a camping ground. Much of the organised social life revolves around the hall and the hotel. There is also a range of accommodation from traditional baches to luxury getaways. Thames is 20 minutes south on the renowned Thames Coast Road, Cathedral Cove, Hot Water Beach and east coast beaches are also close by. Coromandel Town is just 30 minutes north.
What to do at Tapu
Tapu can delight you with swimming in waterholes, great fishing, aquatic sports like swimming, kayaking and sailing, walks in the bush to Kauri groves and through award-winning gardens, fishing charters, browsing in art galleries and working studios. As an event destination it provides a great mix of activities for your guests - and most of them are free!
People booking the Hall for a special event will have helpful advice from a local to help with activity and accommodation bookings as well suggestions about things to do in our community.
THE HISTORY OF TAPU
"Tapu, 19 km north of Thames on State Highway 25, was the earliest coast township; 500 miners were digging in the Tapu valley by 1869. Much of the gold could be sluiced from hillsides, as it was not buried in quartz as elsewhere on the peninsula, but there was also quartz-reef mining. The school dates from 1877 and the war memorial hall from 1948–49."
-Paul Monin, 'Hauraki–Coromandel places', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand
Prior to 1830 Tapu was known as Waipatukakahu which can be interpreted to mean.. “the stream where flax garments are beaten or washed “… Jowitt suggests that at that time it could have been a place of peace and domestic industry. However, that all changed in 1830 when the resident Ngati Tamatera and a raiding party of Ngati Hei from Mercury Bay were involved in a massive conflict leaving the area labelled as a sacred place. Women and children were slaughtered while the men were fishing and hunting. The river was said to flow red with blood into the sea.
-Deborah Jowitt, 'These Hills are Tapu'
