Te Aroha

Te Aroha is a rural town in the Waikato region of New Zealand with a population of 3,906 people in the 2013 census, an increase of 138 people since 2006. It is 53 km (33 mi) northeast of Hamilton and 50 km (31 mi) south of Thames. It sits at the foot of 952 metres (3,123 ft) Mount Te Aroha, the highest point in the Kaimai Range.

The name Te Aroha comes from the eponymous Mount Te Aroha. The name of the mountain is shortened from Te Aroha-a-uta (love flowing inland). This name is accepted as describing a longing for a homeland, with various stories in Māori oral tradition about the naming of the mountain. Originally, the northern area of the town was known as Morgantown after the Māori chief Morgan Hou, whilst the southern part was known as Lipseytown after Hou's daughter Ema Lipsey.

In 1879 the Te Aroha Block was surveyed, the 50,000 acres (20,000 ha) block was subdivided into sections of between 50 and 320 acres (20 and 129 ha). George Lipsey was the first European to settle in Te Aroha. Lipsey came from Thames and married the daughter of Morgan Hou, Ema. Morgan was a Maori chief who owned the land that became Te Aroha. The population grew quickly during the 1880s as a result of a gold rush. A spa was founded in 1883 but popularity had declined by the 1930s. In the 1880s farmers from Lincolnshire came to settle the surrounding area which helped with the growth of Te Aroha and the wider Piako County area. A report to Parliament by James McKerrow in 1881 described the town as being in the most favourable spot referencing transport, roads, and farm land surrounding the town.

Te Aroha Borough Council took over from the 1880 Town Board on 2 May 1898. Herriesville became part of Te Aroha Borough Council. The 1938 Council Chambers is now a Category 2 listed building. Matamata-Piako District Council took over under the 1989 local government reforms.

The construction of a railway line led to Te Aroha becoming a popular tourist destination by the late 1890s. People came to Te Aroha for both leisure and health reasons. Te Aroha was compared to famous European spas and hotels popped up to service travellers. Starting in the 20th century the popularity of the baths at Te Aroha declined. Starting in the 1930s the town and baths experienced financial losses which led to the closure of the baths. In 1961 the Cadman Baths closed and the outdoor swimming pool was filled in.

The area around Te Aroha was originally swampland, but it was drained and became productive agricultural land, this led to Te Aroha becoming a service town for the wider rural area. Te Aroha became a town district in 1884, at the time it had a school, post office, police station, and multiple churches.

On 17 February 1985 Te Aroha experienced a severe flash flood that washed boulders, mud, and trees through the town. Most shops and more than 50 homes were damaged, resulting in the death of three people.

Gold was discovered near Te Aroha on 11 September 1880. On 20 November 1880, the Te Aroha Goldmining District was established under the Goldmining Districts Act 1873. This sparked a gold rush and the town with over 500 miners 5 days after the proclamation. Compared to other gold rushes—such as the one at Ohinemuri 5 years prior—the rush at Te Aroha was described as tame and peaceful. Despite the hype around the discovery of gold it was soon discovered that there was a fault crush and nothing more was found. Miners started moving away as little gold was discovered. Gold was soon discovered in 1883 at Waiorongomai and the remaining miners headed there, although some left their families in Te Aroha.