Country New Zealand District Stratford District | Region Taranaki Local time Monday 4:45 AM | |
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Weather 17°C, Wind NE at 19 km/h, 91% Humidity | ||
Ngaere is a village situated on State Highway 3, 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) south of Stratford, New Zealand. The name "Ngaere" literally means "swamp" in English, and before settlement, the area was covered by a vast and ancient wetland.
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Map of Ngaere, New Zealand
For a time, the name was spelt "Ngaire", but it was changed to its Maori spelling in 1909.
Attractions
"Ngaere Gardens", which once hosted a menagerie of exotic animals, was a popular picnic spot for early 20th century families. Several attempts at resurrecting the gardens have been to no avail. The gardens have now been cleared, and all that remains now is the large lake, and a number of mature exotic trees.
Another "famous in NZ" landmark is the Ngaere Dairy Factory, founded in 1914. It had its own brand of cheese called "Triumph". Since its closure in the mid-1970s, the factory has been put to many uses - a clothing factory, indoor cricket arena, rave dance hall, and currently a saw mill.
Ngaere formerly had a service station, which closed in the 1990s. The building has been put to a variety of uses, including as a boutique brewery, and a health shop. It is currently a motorcycle repair shop. "Fred's Place" is well known for its antiques.
Local Legends
Maori legend says that the Ngaere swamp was formed when Mt. Taranaki stopped and wept on its journey to its current resting place. Most of the swamp was drained in the early 20th century for dairy farming.
Name
People who have been named Ngaere have had the name spelled Ngaire or Nyree. There are other variations, but the Maori spelling is "Ngaere."
Education
Ngaere School is a coeducational full primary (years 1-8) school with a decile rating of 8 and a roll of 138. The school was founded in 1882.