Reserve. Wairakei - Taylor Reserve (Place)

a. Library indexing of newspaper articles mentioning Taylor Reserve

b. Post-2000 newspaper articles on Pāpāmoa Main Drain/ Wairākei Drainage Reserve/ Te Ara o Wairākei indexed separately.

c. Street and reserve names in Pāpāmoa are described in the 2003 Bay of Plenty Times article referenced below. "In 1955 Taylor sub-divided the sand dunes, thus Taylor Road and Taylor Reserve". Alan Taylor was a later owner of the Bell Estate at the end of Bell Road, both named for the first purchaser, an Auckland businessman called Bell.

See:
Reserve Management Plan - Reserve Specific information - Page 450
Coastal Reserve

Te Ara o Wairakei/Taylor Reserve Landscape Concept Plan Design Report

Prepared for Tauranga City Council by Boffa Miskell. 11 December 2017.

Excerpt Pages 15-16:

4.1 Wairakei Stream history
The following is a chronological history of the stream based on published literature and historical 
accounts.
 • Prior to human inhabitation - A lowland stream formed by the natural drainage of 
headwaters in Mangatawa and Papamoa Hills. Based on current topography, the catchment 
extends from Mangatawa south along Rocky Cutting Road to Te Puke Quarry Road, and 
northeast along Reid Road including the Papamoa summit to the East Coast Main Trunk 
railway. 
The stream discharged out onto the coastal plains and was diverted laterally by the 
Papamoa dune system. The stream outlet would have been either to the coast or Kaituna 
River, depending on flows, coastal sediment movement, sea level, and vegetation cover. 
Lowland vegetation was originally swamp forest (kahikatea, pukatea, swamp maire, etc.) 
within shorter stature flax/raupo/sedge swampland with many pools and oxbows as the 
stream meandered across the plains over time.

 • 1300 - 1400s - Kaharoa eruption, Maori arrival, and fires caused forest to be almost 
completely removed leaving dense swampland with many different wetland types, from 
coastal wetland species through to freshwater, interspersed with patches of coastal and 
lowland shrubs (mānuka, kāmahi, rewarewa, Coprosma, etc.) on higher/drier ground. 
Swamp birds, crustaceans, shellfish, and fish were a significant food source for Māori.

 • 1820s – Following European arrival, flax became a commodity for trade and flax mills 
established in Kaituna, Wairakei, and Maketu in the 1870s. At least two flax mills were built 
near the Wairakei Stream, at the end of Bell Road (Broads) near Te Kopua and near the 
Kaituna River oxbow (Paroa). The commercialisation of flax results in large scale harvesting 
programmes, planting faster growing flax varieties, and the commencement of land drainage 
for planting flax.

 • Late 1800s – Large scale conversion of swampland to farmland using drainage networks, 
subsequently developed into community scale assets with a rating base and governance 
structure known as drainage boards.

 • 1910 - Te Puke Land Drainage Board approved funds to improve the Papamoa Main Drain 
(the channelized Wairakei Stream) and Government approved construction of the 
Mangatawa rail link.

 • 1918 - Te Puke Land Drainage Board began levying rates on landowners for maintaining the 
Papamoa Main Drain.

 • 1920s - Kaituna River cuts and diversions proposed to improve land drainage.

 • 1924 - Bridge over Tauranga Harbour constructed and 1925-28 main trunk railway line 
constructed. At this time, the Mangatawa drain was constructed to divert Wairakei Stream 
headwaters into Rangataua Bay. Without its headwaters, the Wairakei Stream mouth at 
Taylor Reserve and channels would have become more frequently blocked by sediment and 
weed causing problems with flooding. Harrisons Cut was constructed to alleviate this and 
help with land drainage in 1920s. 

 • Taylor Reserve was formed as part of the subdivision that created Taylor, Karewa and 
Motiti roads in 1955.

 • 1960-1970 - Papamoa beach land development commences. The Wairakei Stream outlet at 
Taylor Reserve was finally blocked off for land development in the 1970s. The remnant 
stream was progressively converted to a straight drain pre-1970s in grazed pasture or piped 
where coastal development occurred. 
 • 1992 - Grant Place culvert and weir installed to assist with water levels in the stream. 

Te Akau ki Te Tumu Kaituna : A Cultural Heritage Report for Tauranga District Council. Prepared on behalf of
Ngā Pōtiki a Tamapahore (noted in Other Items and in Sources below) discusses Wairakei (Including Te Awa o Wairakei) on pages 12-16 (Section 2.2).