Matiu/Somes Island
Kaikohe ist eine Stadt im Far North District auf der Nordinsel Neuseelands. Sie liegt etwa 260km von Auckland entfernt am State Higway 12. Sie ist das Dienstleistungszentrum des Distriks, die größte Stadt im Inland und die höchstgelegene Gemeinde der Region Northland.
Beim Zensus 2004 hatte die Stadt wenig mehr als 4000 Einwohner. Sie ist jedoch das Einkaufs- und Dienstleistungszentrum für eine vorwiegend landwirtschaftlich gepräge Region mit einem Einzugsgebiet von 28.000 Einwohnern.
Geschichte
Frühe Geschichte
Der Ort hat seine Ursprünge in einem Dorf der Māori namens Opango, das das kulturelle Zentrum des Ngapuhi-Iwi war. Im frühen 19. Jahrhundert überfiel ein rivalisierender Māoristamm das Dorf, die Überlebenden fristeten ihr Dasein in den Kohekohe-Hainen (Kohekohe ist ein einheimischer Baum) auf dem Tokareireia (Kaikohe-Hügel). Nach dem Zwischenfall wurde der ORt als Kaikohekohe (kai bedeutet Nahrung) bekannt, ds später zu Kaikohe verkürzt wurde.
Der Kriegshäuptling Hone Heke siedelte sich 1850 in dem Ort an, nachdem die Kämpfe aufgehört hatten. Sein Neffe Hone Heke war Mitglied im Neuseeländischen Parlament für die Māori der Nordinsel, er lebte ebenfalls in Kaikohe.
Im April 1911, wurde vom damaligen regierenden Premierminister [[Sir Tui Carroll auf dem Kaikohe-Hügel ein Denkmal für ihn enthüllt.
Ein Park in der Stadt ist Rawiri Taiwhanga gewidmed, der wahscheinlich Neuseelands erster Farmer war, der kommerzielle Milschwirtschaft betrieben hat. 1934 molk er eine Herde Kühe und verkaufte Butter. In der Stadt befindet sich auch die ein Pioneer Village eine detailgetreu nachempfundene Gemeinde des 19. Jahrhunderts in Northland.
Railway Links
Kaikohe was linked to the national rail network with the arrival of a branch line railway being built from Otiria on the North Auckland Line to Kaitaia, which opened to Kaikohe on 1 May 1914. The line continued north to Okaihau, opening on 29 October 1923 and eventually reached Rangiahua, although the section between Okaihau and Rangiahua was never handed over to the New Zealand Railways Department for operation and the line never reached Kaitaia. The line between Okaihau and Rangiahua was operated for a short time by the Public Works Department before being closed and dismantled during World War II. The railway through Kaikohe thus became known as the Okaihau Branch.
Although Kaikohe has become established as the service centre of the Far North, it failed to generate much rail traffic in the early years of the line. During the first ten months of existence, just 1,500 tons of inbound freight was carried, with roughly half that carried outbound; the decline continued to the point that in 1918 Kaikohe lost its stationmaster. Minimal services were offered, and although losses increased up to 1930, fortunes had somewhat improved by 1940, and by 1950 there was sufficient traffic to justify six trains each way a week. Two carried solely freight, while four were mixed trains, which also carried passengers. By this time, a full complement of staff were again employed at Kaikohe.
When railcars were introduced on services north of Auckland in November 1956, they ran through Kaikohe all the way to Okaihau. Previously, a carriage train known as the Northland Express had run from Auckland to Opua with connections to Kaikohe and Okaihau via the mixed trains, but with the change of the northern terminus to Okaihau, the branch increased in importance. This proved to be short-lived; in July 1967 the very popular railcar service was withdrawn due to mechanical problems plaguing the railcars. Passengers had to use the mixed trains, with significantly older rolling stock on a slower schedule, and demand slipped. The branch closed to passengers on 21 June 1976.
In 1977, a relaxation of road transport laws led to a decline in freight traffic on the line and forestry proposals that would have required a railway service failed to eventuate. Scheduled trains were cancelled on 12 August 1983, and for a little over four years the line was shunted when required. The branch closed on 1 November 1987 and the track has been lifted. The rail corridor through Kaikohe is still owned by the New Zealand Railways Corporation (Ontrack), being retained in case any forestry proposals come to fruition and the railway is again required.
Sehenswürdigkeiten
Kaikohe liegt im zentrum der Provinz erlaubt in einem Umkreis von 50 km Zugang zu vielen bekannten Sehenswürdigkeiten der Region:
- Bay of Islands
- die Kauri-Wälder Waipoua Forest, Puketi Forest und Omahuta forest.
- die Häfen Whangaroa harbour and Hokianga harbour
- die Kalksteinhöhlen Waiomio Caves
- hstorische Stadt Kerikeri
- zahlreiche Strände und abgeschiedene Buchten
It is also the home of the Kaikohe Demolition Derby, made world-famous by Florian Habicht's movie "Kaihohe Demolition". It gives excellent insight to Maori culture with some hilarious characters and advice for wannabe demo derby competitors. This exciting event is held during the Kaikohe Speedway's Easter Stampede.
Geography
The town is situated on the slopes of a volcanic hill and surrounded by many former pā sites. The countryside is mainly undulating plain with volcanic soils, but on the western edge of town, Kaikohe Hill rises 300 m above sea level, allowing views of the imposing sand dunes on the Hokianga Harbour and farmlands to the east and south toward Mount Hikurangi (625 m).
To the north of the Putahi volcanic ridge is Lake Omapere, five km in length, but only two to three metres deep. Around five kilometers to the east is the small village of Ngawha Springs - the site where hot water springs emerge to the surface from the Ngawha geothermal field. The new Northland prison is situated nearby.
Persönlichkeiten
- David Lange, früherer Premierminister Neuseelands war Einwohner der Stadt
- Jim Peters, Mitglied des Parlaments für New Zealand First ist Einwohner der Stadt