New Zealand - Patea - Patea is a river port with a bar harbour at the southern extremity of Taranaki Province. #604604 Patea - Patea is the third-largest town in South Taranaki, New Zealand. - It is on the western bank of the Patea River. - Patea, called Carlyle or Carlyle Beach for a time by European settlers, was originally nearer the Patea River mouth than the present town. - During the New Zealand land wars Patea was an important military settlement. - Patea became a market town when hostilities ended. - The first of the sections on the present town site were sold in 1870. - A local shipping company was established in 1872, and harbour improvements began. - The Marton-New Plymouth railway line via Patea was completed in March 1885. - In the 1920s Patea was the largest cheese exporting port in the world. - The Grader Cool Store received cheese for grading from all over South Taranaki and as far south as Oroua Downs near Himatangi. - After grading it was loaded into coastal ships at the grader wharf for transport to Wellington where it was transhipped into overseas ships for export. - The port closed in July 1959. Reference; Wikipedia Whites Pictorial Reference of New Zealand: Representative Airviews of New Zealand Cities and Boroughs - Whites Pictorial Reference has been produced to tell a new story - a modern story. Aerial photography has been utilised to show where New Zealanders live and the countryside from which comes their wealth. Most important, it also illustrates most vividly the Dominion's growing cities and towns, but perhaps more to the point it shows that there is still plenty of room for further development... Author: White Leo (compiled) Click the link provided at the top to purchase the book through the MAD on New Zealand Shop - Supporting New Zealand Authors and Artists