Takaka |
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The township of Takaka, founded in 1854, is the main business, service and shopping centre for Golden Bay.
The Golden Bay i-SITe Information Centre is on the left just before you enter the town. The Department of Conservation office in the centre of town also provides appropriate information. Commercial Street, once the site of the railway line linking East Takaka with the wharf at Waitapu, is the hub of the community.
In close proximity and within walking distance of off-street parking are all the services one needs and many that one might only expect in larger communities (we are especially proud of our own "Village Theatre" - actually a cinema). Golden Bay residents realise the importance of supporting our local shopkeepers and tradespeople in order to maintain a thriving main street and community. Visitors will find that all their needs and supplies can be obtained right here in town.
Just south of the township is Recreational Park, best known for the annual January A&P Show, always a memorable event. Also at the park are the rugby ground, tennis courts and the Golden Bay Playhouse, the venue of live theatre owned by the enthusiastic local drama club. The town boasts many cultural activities including Citizens Band and Orchestra. There are churches of any denominations and clubs and societies that cater for every age and interest.
To cater for the ever increasing number of visitors to the area there is now a wide range of accommodation available and a wide selection of restaurants and cafes. A stroll down the main street will also reveal the importance of the very active and well recognised Arts and Crafts community of our area. You might be lucky to be here to enjoy our annual Mardi Gras Festival normally held in January.
Since the demise of the early mining activities of Golden Bay, Takaka has become a centre for the agricultural community with a diverse spread of horticultural products including a noticeable increase in the provision of organic produce. If you are in the Bay for Easter - a great time for that extended short break - then you simply must visit the ‘Totally Local Market Day'. This is a special day when everyone markets their locally grown and homemade produce.
The Bay is ideally suited to dairy farming, with some of the highest annual sunshine hours in the country and rainfall of between 2,000 and 3,000mms. Golden Bay dairy farmers produce well over half a million litres of milk per day in the peak season, and it is procesed into milk powder for export at the Takaka dairy factory. Thus, the farming families and factory play a very important role in the economy of the Bay.
Not to be forgotten are our social services. Takaka boasts a Community Hospital, Medical Centre and Dental Care that are the envy of many large communities. Perhaps it is not surprising that such a paradise as Golden Bay has no trouble in attracting qualified and competent staff for our community services. This is obvious in the quality of Golden Bay schools. Takaka and its immediate environs are well served by three primary schools and a high school offering a full curriculum range, including transition education and a strong literacy support programme. Its outdoor education programme benefits from the local environment.
