Editing Patea (section)

==History and culture==
{{Moresources | section|date=February 2024}}
===Pre-European history===
Patea is the traditional final place where some [[Māori people|Māori]] led by [[Turi (Māori ancestor)|Turi]] aboard the ''[[Aotea (canoe)|Aotea]]'' {{lang|mi|[[Waka (canoe)|waka]]}} settled, after it was beached at the [[Aotea Harbour]].<ref name=Fox>{{Cite Q|Q58677531}}</ref>

===European settlement===
Patea, called Carlyle or Carlyle Beach for a time by European settlers, was originally nearer the Pātea River mouth than the present town. During the [[New Zealand Wars]] Patea was an important military settlement. [[Duncan Alexander Cameron|General Cameron]]'s force arrived at the river mouth on 15 January 1865 and constructed [[redoubt]]s on both sides of the river.<ref name=heritagefiles>South Taranaki District Council Heritage files (Local Government Historical Body)</ref>

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 Line|Marton-New Plymouth railway line]] via Patea was completed in March 1885. The Carlyle Town Board, created about 1877 to administer town affairs, was succeeded by a [[borough council]] constituted on 13 October 1881 under the name Patea.<ref name=market>Historical Settlements: From Whanganui to New Plymouth—N.J Taniwha—Wanganui—summary 2001 1st year 1997 subm. Political Essay—Infrastructure—Patea Freezing Works Government deregulation and asset assumption—A political agenda. National Congress Lib. Washington, D.C., USA</ref>

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.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}

===Patea Freezing Works===
{{Main|Patea Freezing Works}}
In the early 1880s the predecessor to the Patea Freezing Works was established on the eastern bank of the Pātea River. Cool stores for handling dairy produce followed in 1901 with later additions evolving into what became known as the Patea Freezing Co-Op, South Taranaki's primary employer. Strategic reforms, inefficiencies and nationwide over-processing resulted in closure in September 1982. In February 2008 the derelict buildings suffered severe fires. The damage was extensive and with the health hazard presented by asbestos insulation throughout the freezer walls, the town sought demolition.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}

===Patea Māori Club===
{{Main|Pātea Māori Club}}
Patea became known in 1984 as the home of singer [[Dalvanius Prime]] and the [[Pātea Māori Club]]. Their [[Single (music)|single]], "[[Poi E]]", indicated renewed impetus in contemporary [[Māori people|Māori]] popular music.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.radiolive.co.nz/Patea-Maori-Club-the-group-that-brought-you-Poi-E/tabid/506/articleID/13806/Default.aspx|title = Interview with Syd and Hui Kahu from Patea Maori Club}}</ref>

===Recent history===
[[File:Patea Post Office, Taranaki, New Zealand, 7 March 2010 (4419404738).jpg|thumb|Patea Post Office]]
Patea has retained a strong community focus and enjoys many services including a well-resourced medical centre, public swimming pool and trust-owned rest home. The town is also the location of [[Aotea Utanganui - Museum of South Taranaki]].

Several kilometres east of Patea is the small community of [[Whenuakura]], where New Zealand golfer [[Michael Campbell]] lived as a child. He learned to play golf at the Patea Golf Club, on the cliffs overlooking the [[Tasman Sea]]. He crowned his professional career by winning the [[U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]] in June 2005, and three months later the [[HSBC World Match Play Championship]].

===Marae===
The local Wai o Turi marae and Rangiharuru meeting house are affiliated with the [[Ngā Rauru]] [[hapū]] of [[Rangitāwhi]].<ref name="tkmentry">{{cite web|title=Te Kāhui Māngai directory|url= http://www.tkm.govt.nz/ |website=tkm.govt.nz|publisher=[[Te Puni Kōkiri]]}}</ref><ref name="maorimaps">{{cite web |title=Māori Maps |url=https://maorimaps.com/map |website=maorimaps.com |publisher=Te Potiki National Trust}}</ref>

In October 2020, the Government committed $298,680 from the [[Provincial Growth Fund]] to reconstruct the accessway to the marae and expand the carpark, creating 8 jobs.<ref name="maraepgf">{{cite web |title=Marae Announcements |url=https://www.growregions.govt.nz/assets/funding-announcements/marae-announcements.xlsx |website=growregions.govt.nz |publisher=[[Provincial Growth Fund]] |format=Excel |date=9 October 2020}}</ref>