Tokoroa
Tokoroa lies on State Highway 1 and is the largest town in the South Waikato. Tokoroa has a large affinity with the forestry industry.
A bit of history
The town takes its name after the Maori chief, "Tokoroa" who was killed as he led his people gallantly against the British in the mid-1800s. In its heyday Tokoroa was a thriving mill town, almost reaching city status at one point in its history. With the downturn of the forestry market, Tokoroa's population fell to some 13,000 people.
Then in more recent years this picked up again as forestry land was converted to farmland and dairying began to take a bigger hold. Today the community prides itself on its diverse cultures, people from over 25 different countries have made Tokoroa their home. Our strong Pacific Island and Maori culture is celebrated through a number of events and activities year round. Tokoroa is well known for breeding excellent sports men and women, like All Blacks Kevin Mealamu and Richard Kahui.
The Talking Poles are unique to Tokoroa, over 40 tall carved/constructed structures celebrating the history and culture of the area can be found on a trail leading around the CBD area. The most famous Talking Poles are the greenman and the chainsaw man that stand outside the information centre on State Highway 1.
South Waikato District Council | Ph: