Bridge Pā

Story

Bridge Pā is a rural Māori settlement and surrounding area in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, located approximately 10 kilometres inland from Hastings. The pā itself comprises approximately 70 households, a school, a meetinghouse of the LDS Church, two marae (Korongata Marae and a later addition in 1984 of the Mangaroa Marae), a cemetery and a disused quarry. Also the 140-year-old historical Homestead of the Puriri Family. The surrounding area includes Hastings Aerodrome, two golf clubs, a car club, and a Deer Stalkers hall. As well as the main settlement centred on the intersection of Maraekakaho Road and Raukawa Road, a satellite settlement is located on Ngatarawa Road (near the Valentine Road corner) and on State Highway 50 (near the corner with Maraekakaho Road in the shadow of Roy's Hill). A relatively large tract of the surrounding rural area (up to 5 km from the pā) is also classified as Bridge Pā by local authorities and Telecom's White Pages.InfrastructureThe main road through the town is limited to 50 km/h and traffic is slowed through a variety of traffic calming measures. There is no sewerage.There is metropolitan style water reticulation. Wastewater is treated via individual homeowner septic tanks. Hastings Aerodrome is located nearby, just outside the settlement.Population1996: 1842001: 213GeographyBridge Pā is situated on flat land on the Heretaunga Plains with the major geographical feature of the township being the Karewarewa Stream. Located on the edge of an unconfined aquifer, the surrounding land is free-draining and is used for sheep grazing, horticulture and wine production.