Matangi, New Zealand

Matangi had these census results:[3]

The area lies on Matangi soils,[4] formed on the edge of the Komakorau Bog and the Waikato's alluvial plains of sands and gravels.[5]

1919 new Matangi Glaxo factory
Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, AWNS-19191120-38-1

The natural vegetation would have been mostly a mixed bush of totara, matai, rimu, kahikatea, titoki, tawa, and rewarewa. Virtually nothing remains of it.[6] Te Iti o Hauā marae, of Ngāti Haua, Ngāti Paretekawa and Ngāti Ngutu, is 3 km (1.9 mi) east of Matangi on Tauwhare Rd.[7] These original owners lost most of their land to confiscation or sales following the 1860s New Zealand wars.[8]

In 1884, the Cambridge branch opened with a station at Tamahere, renamed Matangi in 1906.[9] A creamery opened in 1885, then cheese factories and, in 1917, they amalgamated to form the New Zealand Dairy Association Group.[10] Further amalgamation followed and in 1919 New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company Ltd opened its new dairy factory to produce dried milk for Glaxo. At the time it was the largest in the country, able to deal with 25,000 imp gal (110,000 L) a day.[11] It was an early customer of the Central Waikato Electric Power Board in 1921, when 12 local households were also connected.[12] From 1919 until its closure in 1987, the Matangi dairy factory also produced milk powder, condensed milk and cheese.[10] Since the mid 2000s the factory has become the centre of a history precinct, with historic buildings moved in to form a square beside it.[13]

Further rail sidings were added, along with a stationmaster and maintenance crews. In 1902, the first Matangi post office opened and in 1906, a telegram service was added, the school in 1910, bulk stores, marshalling yards and a community hall followed. After closure of the dairy factory, the post office and telephone exchange also closed.[2]

More recently, relaxation of subdivision rules have changed Matangi from a rural community to an area of rural residential development for Hamilton commuters.[14]

The local marae, Te Iti a Hauā Marae or Tauwhare Marae, is a meeting place of the Ngāti Hauā hapū of Ngāti Te Oro, Ngāti Te Rangitaupi, Ngāti Waenganui and Ngāti Werewere, and is affiliated with Waikato Tainui.[15] It includes the Hauā meeting house.[16]

In October 2020, the Government committed $734,311 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade the marae and 4 other Ngāti Hauā marae, creating 7 jobs.[17]

Matangi School is a co-educational state primary school,[18][19] with a roll of 191 as of April 2023.[20]

• 1:50,000 map
• Matangi picture on Google Maps street scene