Opepe Redoubt
Soon after the murders of 9 members of the colonial cavalry at Opepe by Te Kooti’s forces in a surprise attack on 7 June 1869 an Armed Constabulary (AC) base was established across the road, or rather the Taupo-Napier track (today Hwy 5).
Opepe, was one in a chain of forts built by the Constabulary on the general line of the present Napier-Taupo road. Many of the forts acted only as short-term strongholds, developed to protect those engaged in roadmaking and pit-sawing poles from the bush for the telegraph line between Napier and Taupo. Opepe, however, was to remain the centre of activities for the AC, for almost a decade.
Until the major AC base at Taupo was begun (which developed into the city we know today), Opepe was the main military stockade and settlement in the area. The photograph below was taken in the mid 1870’s. The AC redoubt is at the crest of the hill in the upper left, at its peak this military post was garrisoned by 150 troops with stabling for 50 horses.
A thriving frontier town developed to service the military with a general store, a blacksmith a doctor, a dairyman running 12 cows for milk and butter, a bakery, and a dance hall - [partners from the associated Maori village].
The sport of horse-racing is always popular where there are horses and people, and so even here in this small and rather primitive settlement a racecourse was established.
In 1874 the Opepe Hotel opened - which became the stage-coach stop on the run from Taupo to Napier, although there was not a “road” in the way we understand, and expect, today.
With the establishment of a major military base and telegraph station at Tapuaehururu (later “Taupo”), Opepe declined (some buildings were moved - the hotel went to Taupo!), and the site was finally abandoned in January 1885. Since then any sign of earthworks, much less a town, has all-but disappeared.
I visited the site in November 2018. There are toilets onsite as well as off-road parking.
The remains of the stockade are a short walk from the car-park, although there is nothing to be seen other than a mound and several depressions in the ground.
Opepe, was one in a chain of forts built by the Constabulary on the general line of the present Napier-Taupo road. Many of the forts acted only as short-term strongholds, developed to protect those engaged in roadmaking and pit-sawing poles from the bush for the telegraph line between Napier and Taupo. Opepe, however, was to remain the centre of activities for the AC, for almost a decade.
Until the major AC base at Taupo was begun (which developed into the city we know today), Opepe was the main military stockade and settlement in the area. The photograph below was taken in the mid 1870’s. The AC redoubt is at the crest of the hill in the upper left, at its peak this military post was garrisoned by 150 troops with stabling for 50 horses.
A thriving frontier town developed to service the military with a general store, a blacksmith a doctor, a dairyman running 12 cows for milk and butter, a bakery, and a dance hall - [partners from the associated Maori village].
The sport of horse-racing is always popular where there are horses and people, and so even here in this small and rather primitive settlement a racecourse was established.
In 1874 the Opepe Hotel opened - which became the stage-coach stop on the run from Taupo to Napier, although there was not a “road” in the way we understand, and expect, today.
With the establishment of a major military base and telegraph station at Tapuaehururu (later “Taupo”), Opepe declined (some buildings were moved - the hotel went to Taupo!), and the site was finally abandoned in January 1885. Since then any sign of earthworks, much less a town, has all-but disappeared.
I visited the site in November 2018. There are toilets onsite as well as off-road parking.
The remains of the stockade are a short walk from the car-park, although there is nothing to be seen other than a mound and several depressions in the ground.
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