Manaia Road

In 1880, when the Government announced it was selling land on the Waimate Plain in South Taranaki, clearing bush to form roads in the area suddenly became an urgent priority. Manaia Road was one of the first roads to be surveyed. It eventually connected the main road near the coast to the upper slopes of Taranaki Maunga.

Early landowners, perhaps sensing the Government’s rush, were very critical of the contracts to do the road. There were claims they allowed the road gangs to engage in “big tree dodging” as they laid out the road. Another problem, more unusual, was wild pigs.

Much of the land between the town of Manaia and the sea was covered in dense flax. This was ideal breeding ground for pigs. Attracted to the land being cleared of bush for the road, the pigs caused ongoing damage by digging up the surface.

In March 1887, a track was finally cleared from the top of Manaia Road to Dawson Falls. A permanent mountain house was eventually built and opened in February 1896.

A popular feature on Manaia Road is Hollard Gardens, which was developed by Bernie and Rose Hollard on farmland they purchased in 1926. Bernie Hollard died in 1996 and the gardens are now administered by the Taranaki Regional Council.

Manaia Road, like the township of the same name, was named after Hukanui Manaia, the widely respected Māori chief who was considered responsible for establishing the town. He died in 1892.

This story was originally published in the Taranaki Daily News.