Scout Road (Korito)

Scout Road is a short no-exit road in Korito, running off Kent Road. The road appears on survey maps as far back as the 1870s but remained unnamed for nearly 100 years.

It was also planned to be much longer than the road we see today. Early surveyors anticipated the road crossing the Mangorei Stream and eventually linking up with Mangorei Road. Not only did this never happen, it was not until 1961 that the Taranaki County Council finally decided to name the road.

Raymond Hector Morgan, who farmed in the area, submitted three names for the council to consider: Herbert Road (after early landowners), Scout Road (because boy scout camps were held at the end of the road) and Bachelors’ Lane (because at one time three bachelors lived at the end of the road). After what was likely an entertaining debate the council chose Scout Road.

Appreciating the uniqueness and humour of the third suggestion, Council Chairman Laurence Hickford claimed that “Farmers living on the road might complain that the value of their property had dropped if we accepted that one”. At the same meeting, Bell Block School pupil Cushla Styles also had her name accepted for a new street in the area: Hulke Crescent celebrated William Hulke who was credited with bringing the first Jersey cow to Taranaki.

Scouting came to New Plymouth in 1908 as reports of the international movement began to stir interest locally. Fred Coleman (13) and his brother Jack (11), along with six friends, set up the first scout troop, known as “The Wild Ducks” – after ducks living at a lagoon near the Coleman home. The following week, eight more boys joined to form the “Wolf” Patrol, the foundation of what would become the West End Scout Troop.

The West End Troop might have been one of those attending camps beside the picturesque Mangorei Stream at the end of what is now Scout Road. Instead of hosting scout camps the area is today part of a network of mountain bike trails carved out of the forest here and around Lake Māngamāhoe. The undulating terrain and extensive pine plantations of Busing Forest create an exciting challenge for local riders.

This story was originally published in the Taranaki Daily News.

Related plans:

Taranaki SO396 Sheet 1 Egmont SD Block II (1878), ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)

Taranaki SO17-4 Sheet 1 Egmont SD Block II (1885), ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)

Taranaki SO7414 Sheet 1 Egmont SD Block II (1926), ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)