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Story: City public spaces

Matamata’s wide streets

Matamata’s wide streets

Some towns were laid out with extra-wide streets to meet expected growth. When this failed to eventuate, street centres or verges were often planted to make attractive public spaces. This is the main street (Broadway) in Matamata in 1954. Its centre had been grassed and planted with trees, providing a welcome resting place for at least two residents (bottom right).

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, National Publicity Studios Collection

Reference: 1/2-032717; F

by Edward Percival Christensen

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page

Geoffrey Rice, City public spaces – Streets, avenues and pedestrian spaces, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/22915/matamatas-wide-streets (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Geoffrey Rice, published 6 April 2010.

Comments


28 October 2015
Hi Royce, great to hear you want to use this image. It's held by the Alexander Turnbull Library so you'll need to get in touch with them about re-use. Information is on their website at http://natlib.govt.nz/records/23183675.
Royce WILES
23 September 2014
Hi I'd like to request permission to include an entry in my (non-commercial) blog of Matamata images. I would include this image (along with the text above), all fully referenced with a link back to this page. Royce WILES My blog is at http://imagingmatamatanz.blogspot.com.au/