Old Track And Stockades

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 154, 26 March 1938, Page 3 (Supplement)

Old Track And Stockades

One of the earliest tracks through the dense bush which covered the district between Wellington and Porirua harbours in the ’forties was the bridle path from the beach at the west end of Petone (or Britannia) across the Horokiwi Hills, down the Takapu Valley, and then along the main stream to Porirua Harbour. The Maori used this route frequently, and the troops also followed it in their movements against Te Rauparaha. With the removal of the main settlement to Wellington, the construction of the coastal road was put in hand. This was completed in October, 1841, it being recorded that “Sam Phelps was the first to drive his bullock dray over it from Wellington to Petone.” Kaiwharawhara, to give the township its correct spelling, was an important place in those early days, and the settlers soon spread up the gorge toward Crofton, now Ngaio. The bridle-road up the gorge was under construction during 1841, and was in use through to Porirua by July. This track is,still known as the Old Porirua Road, and rises steeply from Kaiwarra to the top of Ngaio, then along the ridge to Boxhill, and through Johnsonville, Glenside, and Tawa Flat to Porirua. The Half-way House at Glenside was in use at a very early date as a changing-place for the coach horses. It was approximately midway between the two harbours. Also, probably at the time of the 1845 Maori troubles, stockades were built along the route, at Johnson’s Clearing or Johnsonville (Clifford’s Stockade), at Half-way House (Middleton’s Stockade), at the Takapu junction (McCoy’s Stockade), and at Tawa Flat (Leigh’s Stockade),. The exact site and further particulars concerning these forts would be very interesting.— A.H.C. (Tawa Flat).