Lloyd Esler12:00, Aug 03 2021
Supplied/Stuff
The Waipango chemical works
Waipango Chemical Works began operating in 1939 with the processing of podocarp timber to produce turpentine and beech to make alcohol. Machinery from the abandoned shale works at Orepuki was re-purposed for the chemical works in an ambitious project intended to make use of wood scraps and sawdust, the waste product of the sawmilling industry. In 1938 the newspaper said,
“It has been estimated that 80,000 tons of sawmill and bush waste is discarded every year in the Southland beech industry. Hitherto, this potential source of wealth has been allowed to rot, but now it would appear that the position is to be rectified, and the factory being erected at Waipango will convert this waste to many useful products by economic means.”
Silverdale plans for new hub
A new community hub and marketplace is proposed for Silverdale, led by its business association.
Creating the modern equivalent of a village green community hub is the latest aspiration of local business association, Silverdale Business.
The organisation hopes to create this hub, including a covered market, within the Pioneer Village at the top of Silverdale Street.
The proposal, presented to the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board at its Community Forum last month, includes moving one of the historic buildings and constructing a substantial new building to provide cover for a 7-day a week, high quality market. It would also be a flexible space for community use, including entertainment.
Keepers of the region’s history
Society vice president Paul Maguiness says they are taking good care of the gig donated by the Stoney family.
The gig while still in use by the Stoney family.
The Silverdale & Districts Historical Society is a place to start any research into this region’s past.
The organisation was formed as Wainui Historical Society in 1968 and, as a result of council boundary changes, changed its name to Silverdale & Districts Historical Society in 2005. It still covers the entire region – from Stillwater to Waiwera, including Whangaparāoa Peninsula and Ōrewa, as well as Dairy Flat and Wainui.