Camellia Avenue (Bell Block)

Several streets in Bell Block have been named after flowering plants. Camellia Avenue is one of the streets developed on land once owned by John and Ellen Smeaton. However, its name, and even the layout of the street, bears no resemblance to the earliest plans for the area.

The first subdivision plans were drawn up for Ellen Smeaton by Beazley Homes in the mid-1960s. The company was interested in buying the land but was outbid at an auction in 1967. The new owner, Parklands Developments, didn’t commence work until the mid-1970s and, by then, it had designed a new street layout.

Camellia Avenue wasn’t the first choice of street name. Banksia Place was suggested first, then, after the subdivision had been redesigned, it was proposed to call it Magnolia Place. The City Council refused both names, saying there were similarities with other streets in New Plymouth. In 1973, Camellia Place was suggested by the developer. This was accepted, but then, mysteriously, became Camellia Avenue.

There was a chicken farm at the northern end of the road. By-law changes forced the business to close in the mid-2000s and the area was subdivided for housing.

This story was originally published in the Taranaki Daily News.

Related plans:

Taranaki DP11721 Sheet 1 Camellia Avenue, ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)

Taranaki DP11915 Sheet 1 Camellia Avenue, ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)