Gamman Brothers and The Tauranga Sawmilling Company

Steam hauler in the bush, c. 1912
Tauranga City Library Collection 01-106

Saw milling in the early 20th Century was a very important industry in the hinterland of Tauranga, particularly in Oropi, Omanawa and Whakamarama. There were huge native forests of rimu, totara, matai, tawa, tanekaha and hinau, to name some of the more commonly used timber.

One of the most active families involved in setting up and operating 2 mills were the Gamman Brothers the second generation of a saw-milling family from the lower North Island. In 1908 Arthur and Frank obtained 24 acres on what is now known as Gamman Mill Road opposite the Oropi School.

Steam log hauler on ‘skids’ at the Mill, c. 1912
Tauranga City Library Collection 01-107

They had cutting rights to thousands of acres of bush in 3 blocks south of their mill. Most of the first workers and the plant were brought here from Dannevirke and the mill could cut 9000 super feet of timber in a day.

Gamman Brothers' Oropi Mill, c. 1915
Tauranga City Library Collection 06-050

Sawn timber was transported 6 miles down to the landing on the Waimapu River, and from there by launch and barge to the Town wharf.

Jack Rodgers' Horse team, c. 1912
Tauranga City Library Collection 01-108

In eight years the bush had been well cut over and many of the mill and bush hands had been drafted overseas to fight in the First World War.  Unfortunately a large number of them perished in Europe. The Tauranga Sawmilling Company went into liquidation in 1915, but the community that had grown up around it survived.

In 1910, another brother George and his sons set up a much larger mill at Omanawa, near the waterfall. This mill could process 30,000 super feet in an 8 hour day and continued until 1917, at its peak employing 100 or so men. The sawn timber was taken down to the landing at the Wairoa River, where it was planed, taken by punt to the harbour, loaded onto scows and transported to Auckland and other main centres.

Omanawa Mill
Tauranga City Library Collection 99-1367

In 1923 George and Sons moved to the Mamaku and set up again, as the topography of the land made transport of the logs a little easier. That operation was finally sold to Fletchers in the 1960s.

Other family members were involved later with the H.H. Sharplin mill at Whakamarama and a smaller private mill on Plummers Point Road.

In 1971 Arthur Gamman, 89, and by then resident at Hodgson House, was interviewed. In his words ‘the Oropi Mill was the first decent sized mill able to supply Tauranga’s needs for dressed timber and mouldings.’

Sources
Tauranga Kete, Gamman Brothers Tauranga, Debbie MaCauley - 2017
Oropi, 100 Years Following the Confiscation of the Land, Robert Craig Scott - 2018
Oropi School Centenary and District Reunion, Edited by Annie Rae - 1999
The Ngawaro Regional Historical Review, Jim Pendergrast - 2005
Omanawa Settlers 1910 - 1960, Compiled by Trish Heke and Margaret Bennett
Mamaku 100 Years, Edited by Shona Jennings - 1994