Page 5 - Volume 1

History of the Kimihia district

Oil on canvas painting of Lake Kimihia by Ella Priscilla Knowles, looking South.

The word Kimihia can be freely translated as “Go Taupiri and further north.
and Seek”. It is not certain when this picturesque region The missionaries Ashwell and Morgan passed t hrough
with its lovely lake was first occupied as the Mâoris kept the district frequently and often broke their journey at

no written record. the Mâori pa there.
Two legends, whether mythical or authentic, It is rumoured that the mysterious Kelly, possibly
would appear to give point to the name Kimihia. One the first white man to settle in the Waikato (a “Pakeha-
of these records that during a tribal foray a Mâori chief, Mâori” who meticulously avoided all contact with
who was hard pressed by his enemies, fled into the region other early Pakehas for reasons of his own) also left
and hid in a cave. His pursuers spent much time searching traces of his occupancy at Kimihia.
for the cave but did not find it or its temporary occupant. But white settlement in the district really began
According to the other legend there is a cave in with the confiscation of Waikato lands by Governor Sir
the district with a large stock of kauri gum stored in it. George Grey in the 1860’s.
For this supposed treasure there have been many people A soldier discovered coal, and before long
who have been willing to “go and seek”. One local the underground miners became the first Pakeha
authority said that people were always looking for it, but settlers. Operations were carried out until the
to date it has not been discovered. galleries, which extended out under the lake, were
Mâori history would indicate that the area declared unsafe (there was both fires and floods) and the
was occupied fairly early after the great migration of mine was closed down for the time being.
the 14th century, principally for the easy fishing in the This lake covered about 300 acres with a small
lake and the plentiful supply of edible birds in the island near the southern end. This was a pretty little island
surrounding forests. with rich soil, unlike the heavy clay of the surrounding
It was also a convenient stopping place for country-side. Weeping willows grew in clumps. This
Mâori voyagers up and down the Waikato River. A island was a popular camping place for the early Mäoris
spur on the north side of Kimihia Lake was the main as there were plenty of eels, catfish and fresh-water
lookout over the Waikato River, and there was a redoubt mussels in the waters of the lake. The Mäoris came up the
at this point. Waikato River in their canoes and entered the lake via the
The range of hills behind the present farming outlet to the river.
area formed part of an important Mâori track. This In the early history of the area there must have
connected Whangamarino and Ngâruawâhia with a been large kauri forests as when the Pakeha arrived both
branch-off to Hoe-O-Tainui. The track continued on from races dug up large quantities of kauri gum by using long
Ngâruawâhia through the King Country and on to spears to find the gum. Kauri gum can still be found in the
Wanganui. area.
Kimihia, as a Pakeha entity, begins with The first farmers were also miners and, as they
the missionary settlements at Te Awamutu, Matamata, arrived in a body, no one can claim to be descended