Greytown’s Soldiers Memorial Park, once part of O’Connor’s Bush, is a tiny remnant of totora, matai, ribbonwood forest which once formed a rich podocarp, riparian forest on free-draining and stony alluvial soils associated with the lowland river systems. O’Connor’s Bush is one of the few remaining significant sites of this forest type located west of the Aorangi Range. Prior to 1854 the land belonged to the local Māori who were persuaded to sell the land to the settlers’ scheme largely through the influence of the Governor, Lord Grey – hence the name Greytown.
Mr H. O’Connor won his forty acre (16ha approx) block in the ballot for the Greytown Small Farms Settlement Scheme held in the Crown and Anchor Pub in Wellington on the 16th March 1854. The winning pioneer farmers arrived in Greytown on the 27th March 1854. Mr O’Connor’s block was mainly in bush and he gradually sold off his timber for building and other purposes.
In 1919, after the 1914-1918 First World War, he decided to sell the milling rights to twenty acres (8ha approx) of mostly cleared land. Mr O’Connor visited the office of the local lawyer, Mr J.F. Thompson, wanting him to draw up a deed of sale. Mr Thompson persuaded him postpone the sale until it was found if the town could afford pay for it, meanwhile paying a shilling for the option. In one day, Mr Thompson received the promises of five hundred pounds for the deposit, and the town raised the rest of the money (sixteen hundred pounds) by 1921 -a huge effort for a small town in those days. The objective was to create a Greytown Soldiers Memorial Park to commemorate those who served and died in the Great War. In 1922 117 lime trees were planted to commemorate the soldiers from the wider community who died in World War One. Wooden plaques by each tree, identifying the soldiers, have long since disappeared. On Anzac Day 1923, memorial gates to the park, inscribed with 66 names, were unveiled by the Greytown Mayor.
Adjoining the south-east corner of the Memorial Park was the last small remnant of O’Connor’s Bush and in 1956/57 the two acres (0.8ha) was offered to the Greytown Borough Council for six hundred pounds. The Council shuffled their feet and said that the Government valuation was only four hundred and fifty pounds. Again the good citizens of Greytown came to the rescue and began a public subscription led by some very generous people and the “Bush Area Appeal Committee”. The Wairarapa Times-Age newspaper took a good interest in proceedings and printed lists of those who had made donations (May 11th 1957). On Tuesday September 16th 1957, the Wairarapa Times-Age reported from a Council meeting that “a total of £674-5s-6d” had been collected and that the Borough Council would buy the piece of bush and add it to the Memorial Park.
This part of Soldiers Memorial Park containing the native bush (referred to as O’Connor’s Bush) is classified a Historic Reserve under Section 18 Reserves Act 1977. In the years since young native trees were planted on Arbor Days to thicken up any regeneration of totara, hinau, rimu and kahikatea. The understory is mainly tawa. Nowadays “Friends of the Park” meet monthly with the objective of protecting and improving O’Connor’s Bush.
After the Second World War, it was decided that Memorial Swimming Baths, paddling pool and other amenities should be erected in the park. A memorial in front of the baths commemorates the Greytown fallen in that war.
The first Arbor Day celebration in New Zealand was held in Greytown on 3 July 1890. Children from Greytown School, residents and dignitaries planted 153 trees at the southern end of the town. Shops were closed, a holiday was declared, a band played and flags flew.
Since then the Greytown Beautification Society has done a lot to keep the spirit alive for many years, especially Stella Bull Park and the park bench in the park dedicated to her, which states, "Only God can make a Tree". The town has many beautiful trees and a register is kept to help protect them. The Tree Advisory Group to the Greytown Community Board actively works to preserve trees and the historic tree register is in the process of being updated in collaboration with the Greytown Community Board and South Wairarapa District Council.
Start gathering the required information at the posted coordinates, at one spot along the walkway and at Waypoint 1 (the Kuratwhiti Street entrance to the walkway). There is parking available at both places. Do enjoy it as much as I do and listen for the birds.
There is no room for trackables and please bring your own writing implement.
Posted coordinates:
With A00 year old totara, matai, titoki and tawa trees.
B = The number of letters minus 1 in the middle word of KNE.
Hugh O’Connor purchased the 40 acre block from the Small Farms Settlement Association in the 18D0s.
0800 49X 734
Z = The number of sports that are still in their original places plus 3.
On the walkway
C = The ‘A0 Z25’ digital root of Jack’s last name.
Waypoint 1:
W = The ‘A1 Z26’ digital root of the fourth yellow word on the green sign.
Greytown is New Zealand’s Y country town. Y = the cardinal number of the word in the sentence.
The final coordinates are
S 41°0A.BCD E 175° 2W.XYZ
