Cruising over the Kaimai Range

A DigitalNZ Story by Zokoroa

Early days of motoring over the Kaimai Range between Tauranga & the Waikato

Kaimai Range, Kaimais, State Highway, Roads, Transport, Cars, Vehicles, Travel, Waikato, Tauranga, Bay of Plenty

The Kaimai Road (State Highway 29) travels over the top of the Kaimai Range linking Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty with the Waikato. The first journey by car was made on 6 December 1912, which took 3.5 hours from Tauranga to Cambridge. During the 1920s the dirt road, which often became muddy, was metalled. In 1939, a winding, narrow section of the road near the eastern side of the summit was replaced with a 4.8km deviation and the old alignment is now signposted 'Old Kaimai Rd'.

Since 6 Dec 1912, cars have been able to travel over the Kaimai Range on the Kaimai Road, also known as State Highway 29

On the road

Tauranga City Libraries

Studebaker 6 service car on the Kaimai Road

Studebaker 6 - Kaimai Road

Tauranga City Libraries

The Tauranga Rowing team in a service car at the summit of the Kaimai Road returning from the Mercer regatta 1927

Tauranga Rowing team

Tauranga City Libraries

AARD service car, 1920s

AARD Service Car, 1928

Auckland Libraries

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The following explores:

> The building of the Kaimai Road across the Kaimai Range between Tauranga and Cambridge by 1912

> Images of early cars, passenger vehicles and trucks travelling along the dirt road, which was metalled in the 1920s

> Views enjoyed atop the Kaimai Range

> Scenery alongside the eastern and western slopes

> Oops moments! - Situations encountered by vehicles and drivers over the decades

The Kaimai Range separates Tauranga & the Bay of Plenty in the east from the Waikato in the west

Formed by the uplifting of volcanic rock along Hauraki faultline, it is c.70kms long with summits of c.550-952 metres

Boundaries of Tauranga tribes

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Local Māori used walking tracks up both sides to hunt & gather plants for food & medicine & bathe in hot mineral pools

Scene on the Kaimai track to Cambridge, Waikato, Auckland

Auckland Libraries

Discovery of gold at Te Aroha in 1880s, tourists visiting hot pools, & farming in foothills increased no. of settlers

Waikato dairy country with the Kaimai Ranges in the distance

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Thompson's Track with unidentified woman and dog

During 1890s settlers & local Māori campaigned for a road over the Kaimais & the location was debated

Debate: Thompson's Track (see photo) from Katikati to Te Aroha vs Kaimai Track from Tauranga to Cambridge

Thompson's Track with unidentified woman and dog

Western Bay District Council

The Government ended up allocating funding for the Kaimai Track in 1900 & work began on widening & lengthening it

(Photo: Workers on the Kaimai Road between Tauranga and the Waikato, ca 1900-1910)

Workers on Kaimai Road 1906-1915

Tauranga City Libraries

After the Kaimai Road was completed in 1912, vehicles began travelling between Tauranga & Cambridge

Road construction on Kaimai Hill, Waikato side - Photograph taken by E P Christensen

Alexander Turnbull Library

First car crossed Kaimai Road on 6 Dec 1912:

The Bay of Plenty Times (9 Dec 1912) reported:

TAURANGA TO CAMBRIDGE. A RECORD TRIP. Cambridge, Dec 6

Messrs W. J. and E. N. Souter arrived homo from Tauranga today after a 3 1/2 hours non-stop run over the Kaimai road. The creeks are all bridged but the road was very heavy where newly formed. When through the bush a magnificent view of Matamata and surrounding districts was obtained. Except the parts above referred to the road is in excellent order. This is the first car trip made between Tauranga and Cambridge, via Kaimai.

Source: Papers Past: "Tauranga to Cambridge", Bay of Plenty Times, (Vol. XLI, Issue 5894, 9 Dec 1912, p.5.