June 17, 2022
Tauranga battle site to become park
Tauranga residents are invited to turn one of the city’s battle sites into a new park.
There are community planting sessions this weekend at Te Ranga Historic Reserve hosted by Tauranga City Council and the Pukehinahina Charitable Trust.
The reserve is part of the area where the Battle of Te Ranga took place on June 21, 1864 in what is considered to be retaliation by British forces for their defeat at Gate Pa the previous month.
Project director Buddy Mikaere from Ngāi Tamarāwaho says the landscape plan calls for about 5,000 native trees and plants, with a tomokanga or gateway, a carpark, walkway and a new memorial to be added later.
He hopes involving the wider public will help foster a shared sense of pride in the space.
Bring your own spade, boots, snacks and high viz.