Story: City history and people

Kawerau (3rd of 3)

Kawerau

Construction workers from Kawerau play football at the town’s sports ground in 1955. Kawerau was founded in 1953 as a base for the construction of a large pulp and paper mill. On completion it was to house the mill’s workforce. At the construction peak there were 1,800 workers, from all corners of the world, building the town and mill. It had a reputation as a party town: women looking for husbands would arrive each weekend by the busload. The local police would see them off on Monday morning.

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Fletcher Challenge Archives
Reference: 9106P/76

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How to cite this page:

David Thorns and Ben Schrader, 'City history and people - Types of towns', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/23501/kawerau (accessed 27 April 2024)

Story by David Thorns and Ben Schrader, published 11 Mar 2010