Clevedon

Once named Wairoa, and Wairoa South, after the huge river that runs from the Hunua Ranges toward the Hauraki Gulf from here, Clevedon played a part in the land wars, and was settled not long after by a group of farming families, many of whom remain in the area.

For the settlers, the reason Wairoa South was worth fighting for was because the river had become an integral part of local transport during the 19th Century, steamers of the right proportion being able to make it well inland up the channel, bringing vital supplies from the Port of Auckland and taking produce including timber out, at a time when road and rail transport was undeveloped. For the Ngai Tai, it had simply always been home, since 'before the first canoes'.

Beyond the headland to the north of the enormous Wairoa rivermouth is Umupuia Beach which, divided exactly in half, is home to the Ngai Tai hapu at Umupuia Marae, and the founding family the Duders, at their homestead. Duders also owned the headland but donated it to Council as Duder Regional Park. The trig walk there is an excellent short hike with fantastic views of the gulf, and the wetlands on the south side are protected and also interesting. Pukeko guaranteed.

Since the wars, the timbered valley was cleared and way made for a variety of agricultural efforts, starting the standard sheep run. Dairy has had a day or two here but the lower reaches of the Wairoa are too wet for cattle feet. On the hills are a few scattered vineyards with the odd cellar door too, but probably the most interesting enterprise would be the Clevedon Oyster farm, which has been very successful. Another new immigrant to the area is Zealandia, not a sanctuary but a factory style plant nursery, which won Auckland Council over, gaining consent for massive greenhouses on previously farmed land by demonstrating the effectiveness of their eco wastewater systems and their give-back philosophy.

Several of the wealthy personalities perched in lifestyle block on the hills to the south side of the valley left in disgust at the disruption to their view, including broadcasting hardhead Leighton Smith. Other posh folk like the horsie set from the Clevedon Polo Club, will never leave, fully entrenched in the countryfied lifestyle Clevedon offers so close to Auckland.

One of the longest running institutions here is the Wairoa Rangers Rugby Football Club, one of the oldest in New Zealand. Although they had a hiatus last century, the Rangers are now firmly in a renaissance phase, with massive community support and a growing group of players. Another local success is the sawmillers turned Wood turners on Clevedon's North Road. Visitors will enjoy the bush surroundings, wood chips, authentic products, (from giftware to furinture) and the smells of native timbers and the oils and waxed used to finish them.

Upon the millennium, the property developers came to Clevedon looking to carve up the upper reaches of the Wairoa floodplain into Queensland style 'waterways' development but the plans sunk as fast as a milking cow in quicksand due to the pure physical challenges. Another plan to construct a retirement village in the still quaint centre of the farming town gained a little more traction but not enough.

Meantime, Clevedon township remains for Aucklanders, reminiscent of the Wairarapa towns relationship to Wellington, a pleasing jaunt away from the city, with the guarantee of a bit of fresh produce, a wine tasting or two, and a decent coffee, especially on the weekends when the market is on. The annual A and P show has all that and more in spades, every November.