Due to the need for farm land, work was undertaken, mostly by hand, over the last century to transform the swampland into suitable farm land through the construction of drainage systems around 328km in total. This concentration of the once numerous waterways into 3 rivers, Tarawera, Whakatane and Rangitaiki has meant that the area has problems with flooding, although a nice wetlands has also been developed recently (on the Edgecumbe-Matata road).
The Grove is fenced and the gate wired shut to keep stock from straying we think, but there are picnic tables, some old farm implements and commemorative plaques there.You will not need to enter to access the cache.
The Rangitaiki Plains History is as follows:
1830 Flax trading
1865 Land disputes. Land allocated to soldiers
1890 Flax milling commenced
1894 Formation of Drainage Board
1908 Land Drainage Act. Dept of Lands administered and struck rates
1911 Rangitaiki River Diversion (Thornton) Contract let
1912 Tarawera Dairy Company established at Otakiri
1913 Rangitaiki River Diversion Contract abandoned
1913 Dept of Lands proceeded with diversion work
1914 Diversion completed then pumping scheme established
1915 Rangitaiki Plains Dairy Company established at Awakeri. Scows entered Thornton Port
1923 Rangitaiki Plains Dairy Company relocated to Edgecumbe
1956 Rangitaiki Land Drainage Act. Land drainage returned to local control.
There is a plaque...
"In proud tribute to the early settlers and all who toiled to convert the swamp into the fertile plains of today."