Rangiotu

A school was built at Oroua Bridge in 1896 on 2 acres of land gifted by Enereta Te Rangiotu. It later changed its name to Rangiotu School.[3]

Rangiotu Memorial Hall was opened on 18 October 1905 as a basic square building, using donations from the local community.[4]

In 1915, Manawaroa Te Awe Awe allowed the Government to use part of his farm as a military training camp for World War One, to replace the Trentham Military Camp that had to be evacuated. An engineer laid out the camp, to ensure it did not have the same draining, sanitation and water supply issues as Trentham. The camp was originally based on the Rangiotu School, and Rangiotu Memorial Hall was expanded to help accommodate the soldiers.[5]

The camp was later moved by hand one mile west, opposite Pyke's Road. The 3000 acre site could accommodate 2000 men, with a ban on wheeled vehicles to avoid cutting up the land.[5] A photograph of the camp, held in the collection of the National Library of New Zealand, shows rows of cone tents laid out across a flat field.[6]

The memorial hall was extended again in 1945 to welcome soldiers returning from World War II.[4]

Te Rangimarie Marae opened in 1858.[2]

In 1976, plans were drawn up for a playing field and speedway in Rangiotu, near the Hikatoto burial ground and Te Rangimarie Marae. A sound barrier was proposed as a way of reducing noise.[7]

In 1996, the Government closed down the Rangiotu School, with a roll of 24 pupils and four classrooms, as part of nationwide closures. The Government agreed to a request from Te Awe Awe family to return the donated school land back to Rangitāne ownership.[3]