Orchards at Otumoetai

Otumoetai Peninsula, c. early 1950s
Oblique aerial view by Whites Aviation, Negative No. 35118

When I was first given this lovely image it took me quite some time to get my bearings but finally I recognised the large bushy area which includes four large Norfolk pines as the garden of "Maungawhare”, a colonial gothic home of generous proportions built about 80 years earlier. In the early 1970s I was privileged to have a pony and his paddock was on part of their land on the Vale Street West/Maungawhare Place precinct and the “pound” for large animals was right next to my rented grazing. I can see Maungawhare Place coming from the left of the image about one third from the lower margin of the photograph and where it disappears behind the tall trees that was my area of special equine interest.

The Kaimai Ranges are in the backdrop and Matakana and neighbouring Rangiwaea Island to the right. The two “peninsulas” on the left are actually Motuhoa Island with Omokoroa Point behind.

Bring your eyes down to the Matua Peninsula where it is possible to pick out the paddocks of the Tilby Farm which surround the large coastal group of pines and the small point to the right, the homestead can be seen with a large dark tree to either side. This is now the site of Matua Primary School.

Bisecting the large salt marsh and wetland is the gentle curve of the railway, built by 1928, but as yet Ngatai Rd which runs parallel has not been formed. The higher ground by a hedge and newly formed road is now Otumoetai Intermediate School, and behind the large eucalypts would later become Carlton Street and Emily Place.

As you can see clearly, the block of land between Otumoetai and Grange Roads was well established in fruit trees, probably representing all types of common citrus. This view is interesting as it truly illustrates what a horticultural area Otumoetai was (citrus fruit), prior to being cut up gradually for residential lots.

I was curious as to the date this may have been flown so looked the the Tauranga City Council's Mapi site for older aerials. In the 1943 view there are less houses along the curve of Grange Road in the foreground, but in 1959 there are many more built than in the White’s image. Therefore I have concluded it may have been in the early to mid-1950s.