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Taitapu

Description

NameTaitapuAlternative NameTai Tapu Last edited by: Sarah Davy

DescriptionThe name Taitapu is derived from the Māori words wai tapu, which means sacred or solemn water. The town was previously known as Taitapu until NZ Geographic Board approved a change to two separate words in 2009.

The Rhodes family was one of the first settler families to farm their sheep in the area, but by 1855, other European families also began to settle there.

The land was described as being boggy. Frank Guinness, who owned one of the larger farms in the area had to drain the land to prevent his cattle sinking into the ground!

In 1893, Sir Heaton Rhodes purchased 1860 hectares which formed the Otahuna estate which still exists today. Sir Heaton Rhodes also funded the St Paul’s Anglican Church and the old Tai Tapu Library, which were both completed in 1932.

Tai Tapu’s main income came from the Tai Tapu Dairy Company which was the first New Zealand Company to send butter overseas. For years, this operation worked in collaboration with the creamery in Greenpark. In 1943, the Tai Tapu Dairy Company merged with the Central Dairy Company situated on Moorhouse Ave, which later became the well-known Fernleaf butter.

Now, State Highway 75 passes through Tai Tapu to connect Christchurch with Akaroa and Banks Peninsula.

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