Te Teko is a small inland township in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand's North Island. According to the 2006 New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings, its population is 627.
The Rangitaiki River passes through the town as it flows northwards to its mouth on the Pacific Ocean, and State Highways 30 and 34 meet in the town. SH 30 cuts through the town on its route from Whakatane to Rotorua while SH 34 crosses it in the town's west and runs southwest to Kawerau. To the west of the town runs the East Coast Main Trunk Railway, and from it diverges the Murupara Branch line, which skirts the south of Te Teko.
In the mid-1860s, Te Teko was the site of a significant siege on a Māori pā as part of the East Cape War. After peace came to the region, a hotel was established on the banks of the Rangitaiki River in 1879 and Te Teko rose in importance as a boat service was established to ferry hotel customers and travellers across the river. A bridge made the boat service redundant in 1915.
On the corner of SH 30 and Tahuna Road is a general store. The side of this shop is now covered in a brilliant mural by Kawerau artist, Bela Ughy. It is a copy of a photo taken in the early 1950s when a logging train used to go through the centre of Te Teko as part of the Tunnicliffe Mill operating system. It was this mural that we wanted to focus on but there was nowhere secure near it for a cache site --- so the cache itself is deep in the heart of Te Teko, about 150m away, across the SH30 on Te Teko Road (towards Edgecumbe). However, please do pause to admire the mural.
New Year 2016 --- Bela Ughy has now completed a second mural. This one is on the wall of the Texas Takeaways by the old pub car park. It is best viewed from the car park and can be seen as approaching Te Teko from the east over the bridge. It depicts a scene of crossing the river using barges and horses in the days before the bridge was built. It is well worth the taking the time to view this one as well.
The present day township of Te Teko includes a War Memorial Hall, a Racecourse, Golf Course, Police Station, and a Primary School. The primary school was established in 1881.
Te Teko is sometimes affectionately called Texas, and this name can be seen on at least one of its shops. So hence the name of this cache!! Bring your own pen!
Remember --- Te Teko is a 50km /hour area of the highway as many locals forget to their sorrow!!! The Texas Rangers are very vigilant!