Ngauranga

Māori history of Ngauranga Gorge

During the time of Te Atiawa migrations to Te Whanganui-a-Tara, 1820s-1830s, the settlements at Ngauranga and Pipitea were held by (whanaunga) Ngāti Mutunga until Ngāti Mutunga departed to Wharekauri, 1835 -- It is said that they transferred their holdings to Te Atiawa as they sailed forth from  Matiu.

Following  this transfer of land, ownership of a crop of cultivated potatoes at Ngauranga led to a dispute in which Te Wharepouri supported an attack on Mohi Ngaponga.  Mohi of Ngāti Haumia, a hapū of Taranaki, along with Te Retimana Pukahu of the Ngāti Tupaea hapū of Ngāti Ruanui had paddled from Te Aro in their waka to harvest  the potatoes they had planted at Ngauranga. Te Wharepouri drove Mohi away but left Te Retimana unmolested. 

At Ngauranga, Te Wharepouri, with others, built a whare, Te Akitiwha, for communal use, and later built a separate whare for himself, named Pukeatua. He was in Palliser Bay in 1836, and tried to capture the whaling ship Active,  in order to sail to the the Chatham Islands. But the captain managed to secure Te Wharepouri, and 20 men, and dropped them at Queen Charlotte Sound.

 Ngāti Mutunga abandoned their pā at Pipitea, and cultivations at Ngāuranga, in 1835, sailing on the ship the Rodney, to Wharekauri 

 Inns and dwelllings  :   the first tracks from Wellington to Porirua followed the hilltops from Ngaio to Johnsonville , then veered down through the valley past (present day) Churton Park and onwards to Tawa.  In time a narrow track wound up Ngāuranga Gorge to Johnsonville and this opened up  a need for two inns at Ngāuranga.  In the late 1930s the torturous track was upgraded, leading to a later development of a fine highway and pass-over bridges as part of State Highways 1 & 2. 

  Some early Te Atiawa shareholders in the land:  Rawiri Matangi, Manihera Te Toru, Hirini Nukutaia, Te Wharepōuri, Rawiri Motutere, Mere Ngamai, Taare Waitara. 

John Pearse : Nga Hauranga :  " A small European style cottage at Ngauranga Pa, with a canoe on stilts beside it and another canoe at the edge of the Ngauranga Stream in the foreground. Behind the house is the upright memorial canoe for Te Wharepōuri (built after his death in the 1842), with the hill beyond it. There is part of another canoe raised on supports next to the house. " --   https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22787612 

Arapera Rongouaroa, "Belle of Te Aro" and Taare Warahi were the children of Hemi Parae and Tawhirikura Karopihia of Te Aro Pā.  Arapera married William Ellerslie Wallace who arrived at Te Whanganui-a-Tara on the Glenbervie, 1840.  William was a shopkeeper, and for a short time joined the armed forces, but left abruptly following the death of his brother in the war.  William acquired two hotels at Ngāuranga - the Ngauranga Inn and the Wallace (The White Horse) Hotel.

Earthworks - changing the landscape of Ngauranga Gorge :  1920s-1940

The Highway

Industrial  Ngauranga 

Fort Kelburne:    https://natlib.govt.nz/records/40696030

Military fortification built between 1885 and 1887 at the base of Ngauranga Gorge, demolished in 1963 as part of the Wellington motorway development. Spelling varies but is likely named after Viscount Kelburne the eldest son of Lord Glasgow who was Governor-General of New Zealand 1892-1897.

 Accidents in Nagauranga Gorge 

Māori Land March 1975 passes through Ngauranga