New Zealand - Northland - Kawakawa Primary School - Std 1 - 1971 Click the link above to view all of this schools photos Do you have more information about the school or the people in this photo? Please use the comment section below to share. To search for other photos from this school, please type the schools name in to our search engine. Kawakawa - Kawakawa starting developing as a town with the mining of coal, which was discovered there in 1861. A horse-drawn tramway was opened in 1868 to carry coal from the mines to the Taumarere wharf. In 1871 two steam locomotives were acquired and the tramway was upgraded to railway standard. In 1884 a railway line from Kawakawa to Opua was opened, and this replaced the line to Taumarere wharf. - By 1899 there were about 1,000 residents in the town, which was built mainly on the hillside. In 1899 a fire destroyed all but a few of the buildings. The town was rebuilt on the flat, alongside the railway tracks. The present railway station was built in 1911. - A railway line south to Whangarei was completed in 1911. Coal mining ceased at Kawakawa in the early 20th century. - The Bay of Islands County headquarters were in Kawakawa until the county was disestablished in 1989. - Kawakawa has three marae affiliated with hapū of Ngāpuhi. Mohinui Marae and its Hohourongo meeting house are affiliated with Ngāti Hine and Ngāti Kahu o Torongare. Kawiti Marae and Te Tawai Riri Maihi Kawiti meeting house, and Miria Marae and Te Rapunga meeting house are also connected to Ngāti Hine. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kawakawa,_New_Zealand)