Local Place Names

Anatoki: Axe or adze in a cave; cave or valley in the shape of an axe.

Aorere: Flying or moving clouds (often seen near sunset).

Bainham: Word derived from two settler's names, Bain and Graham.

Canaan: Named by the settlers after the biblical "Land of Promise".

Clifton: An English name introduced for a planned town.

Cobb Valley: William James Cobb, sawmiller, explored this remote valley.

Collingwood: Named after Admiral Collingwood.

Ferntown: Named after the many tree ferns growing here.

Hamama: Open (there are many tomos around here).

Kahurangi: Treasured possession, jewel, darling, a special greenstone.

Kaituna: Maori kai (food) and tuna (eel).

Kotinga: Cutting or massacre.

Ligar Bay: Named after CW Ligar, Surveyor General in New Zealand.

Lindsay's Ford: James and John Lindsay settled the land here.

Mangarakau: Plenty of sticks, a great many trees.

Motupipi: Cockle shell island.

Onekaka: Red-hot or burning sand.

Pakawau: Home (pa) of the shag (kawau).

Parapara: The soft mud used for dyeing flax.

Patarau: Killed by the thousand (site of early tribal massacre).

Paynes Ford: Nathanial Payne owned the land at the river crossing.

Pohara: Beyond; the place of the long view.

Puponga: Hunched up, with limbs drawn up (like the local mountains)

Puramahoi: Giving a fright; to startle.

Rangihaeata: Absence of clouds, a range seen in the early morning.

Rockville: Descriptive of the area's rock formations and caves.

Rototai: Swamp by the sea.

Takaka: Killing stick for parrot; or bracken.

Tarakohe: Yonder skeleton (possibly descriptive of the rock outcrops).

Tata: Close; to dash against; or twin islands.

Totaranui: The place of big Totara trees.

Uruwhenua: Enchanted object.

Waikoropupu (Pupu): Bubbling waters.

Waingaro: Lost (the waters disappear at certain seasons).

Wainui: Big bay, many waters.

Waitapu: Sacred water.

Waitui: Tui stream.

Whanganui: Maori for "Big Bay", renamed Westhaven in 1910.