Motu timeline
.
.
.
.
.
1500 Pre Maori.
1600 Maori.
1840 William Williams was the first Pakeha to walk Te Kowhai Track.
1872 Te Kowhai Track was listed as an explored track. 75 miles Gisborne - Opotiki.
1879 Road good enough for horse drawn wagons to reach Motu. Bridle Track beyond the Motu Falls.
1885 First bridge over Motu Falls built.
1887 Hussars camped here on the way back from chasing Te Kooti in the Bay of Plenty
1888 Christian Hansen built first accommodation house.
Horses had to be fed at Potutu, 25 miles from Motu.
People started cutting the bush down in Motu.
1889 Four men began widening and maintaining the road from Potutu to Motu and four from Motu to Opotiki for cart traffic to be ready for summer settlement.
.
.
.
.
.
1890 Christian Hansen moved to higher ground because of flooding.
1892 Whinray Reserve originally reserved under Section 235 of the Land Act 1892.
1895 The first Motu School was opened in the kitchen of the Motu Hotel by Mr Hansen on the 14th of August.
1896 Motu School was rebuilt on the 23rd of March.
1901 The first registered sawmill started in Motu. It was owned by Granfield and Mr Patterson.
1902 New Motu School opened on Marumoko Road corner.
1903 Old Motu Road was developed.
Motu Hall was built. Materials donated by Christian Hansen.
1905 James Whinray donated land for Whinray Reserve.
1906 William Brook Surveyor moved to Motu.
Construction of the Gisborne to Auckland Railway Line began in Gisborne.
1909 Upgrade of Opotiki Bridle Track for carts and buggies from Motu on.
1910 10th July the father of Motu, Mr Christian Hansen died.
Mr R.F. Jackson Snr established a brown trout hatchery in Marumoko and stocked the Motu River.
.
.
.
.
.
1912 Second bridge built over the Motu Falls.
1913 The Motu Hotel was sold to Mr Alexander Caulton.
February huge bush fire spread from Whatatutu to Te Wera and right to the edge of the Motu village.
Motu Reserve established.
First Police Station established.
1914 New Motu Hotel was built.
1915 Whakarau School was opened with 23 students.
1917 Railway Station opened at Motuhora.
1919 Marumoko School was opened with 6 students.
The Old Motu Road now suitable for cars.
Flu epidemic.
1920 First navigation of the Motu River by the Fisher brothers.
.
.
.
.
.
1921 Motu Church (St Paul’s Anglican Church) was built.
First Motu Post Office built as Telephone Exchange.
1922 Mr and Mrs Reg Caulton brought the Motu Hotel from Reg’s brother Alexander.
1933 Waioeka Road opened between Matawai and Opotiki.
1934 Motu Hotel moved to Matawai.
Police presence in Motu ceased.
1945 Rail passenger service was dropped, freight only.
1952 A Royal Commission told locals to use the railway or loose it.
New Zealand Geographic Board changed the spelling of Motuhora to Moutohora.
1955 Motu School moved to present location.
Second bridge over the Motu Falls bridge was demolished.
1956 The last sawmilling company, owned by A. Nolan Richardson and his brother Lionel J. Richardson was destroyed by fire in January.
1959 14th March Railway to Moutohora officially closed.
School swimming pool completed.
1960's Motu River Hydro exploration.
1962 Electricity to school and school house.
1965 Automatic phone exchange installed.
1968 Post Office Building sold to Lil Read.
Mail boxes moved to Motu Store.
.
.
.
.
.
1971 Motu School current buildings opened.
1988 Cyclone Bola - School flooded.
1989 Motu Hall demolished.
1992 Stop banks erected in Motu to stop village flooding.
1993 Motu School children adopted Motu Falls as their adopted spot.
1994 Third bridge over Motu Falls built.
1995 Motu School Centennial Reunion.
1995 Motu Store closed.
1999 Motu Community House established in old Post Office Building.
2002 (WECT) Whinray Ecological Charitable Trust set up.
2006 Kiwi Enclosure opened in Motu .
2008 Anand Satyanand New Zealand Governor General visited Motu School.
