Ohariu, New Zealand
| Ohariu | |
|---|---|
 Ohariu
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| Basic information | |
| Local authority | Wellington City |
| Electoral ward | Onslow-Western Ward |
| Land area | 15,193 ha (58.66 sq mi) |
| Coordinates | 41°13′25″S 174°44′38″E / 41.22361°S 174.74389°ECoordinates: 41°13′25″S 174°44′38″E / 41.22361°S 174.74389°E |
| Population | 783 |
Ohariu (or Ohariu Valley) is a suburb of Wellington, New Zealand. It is a rural area, located 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) from Khandallah.
The name is a corruption of Owhariu, where, according to Māori mythology, Kupe dried the sails of his canoe. The area is governed by the Makara / Ohariu Community Board.
The name of the locality has given its name to two general electorates: Ōhāriu (first formed for the 1978 election without macrons) and Ohariu-Belmont (which existed from 1996 to 2008).
In the 19th century, Ohariu was divided into Country Sections by the New Zealand Company. Many were sold to absentee owners, and there were only three resident settlers in 1854: James Smith, James Hallett and James Holder. Later settlers from the 1860s were James Bryant and his sons of Huia Farm, Thomas Bassett of Willow Bank, Charles Austin, George Best, and George Beech. Initially farms ran sheep and beef cattle. Access was by tracks from Awarua Street (Ngaio), Khandallah and Johnsonville; from the 1860s by the Old Coach Road, and in 1908 via Ironside Road to Johnsonville.
From 1916 there was a dairying invasion which lasted fifty years, because of a better return than from sheep. It began when Frank Nossiter bought Alf Kirby's 100 acre (41 ha) sheep farm, and moved 25 cows from Feilding to his Catewell Farm. He was joined by a dozen more dairy farmers.
Ohariu Valley has an article from 1896 in The Cyclopedia of New Zealand.
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