Mahaanui's history
The first pakeha (white men) settlers came to Tiniroto in 1868. In1884 Tiniroto was surveyed off by crown lands for settlement purposes and properties were allocated by ballot to potential pastoral farmers. They bought their parcels of land for nominal prices and began to clear the native forest and scrub and develop farm tracks and dams with horses and large teams of men.
Ralph St Leger travelled out to NZ in the late 18th century and bought St Leger which was a large 5000 acre station then and built his homestead at the flat area near the Hangaroa river which is now known as Doneraile park. You can still see the old fruit trees that he planted. This house was severely damaged during the 1931 earthquake and was rebuilt further up the valley where the St Leger homestead is today.
Ralph died from an accident back in Ireland in 1908 and his brother Hugh travelled out to NZ and settled on his St Leger property. He built the longest privately owned single spanned wooden bridge in the southern hemisphere in 1926 over the Hangaroa river to gain access to his farm where the current bridge is now. Hugh, now Lord Doneraile returned to Ireland in the mid 1940’s to manage his family estate, Doneraile (which means “fort on the hill” ) and sold the farm to the NZ government. He also bequeathed Doneraille park to the people of Gisborne to use as a recreation/ camping reserve.
The St Leger farm ballot in March 1948 provided returned servicemen the opportunity to apply to the government ballot to buy land at very reasonable prices as appreciation of their efforts during the war. The St leger property was split into 4 farms of about 1600 acres each and valued at 1 pound per acre. Four men won the ballot- Don Spence, Roly Harwood, Geoff Mossman and Charlie Gordon. They farmed St Leger together with Don as the manager for two years before the farm was separated and they took over their own blocks in 1950. Charlie farmed the new Mahaanui block until 1962 then Peter and Robin Bennett ( Simons parents) became the new owners.
Ralph St Leger travelled out to NZ in the late 18th century and bought St Leger which was a large 5000 acre station then and built his homestead at the flat area near the Hangaroa river which is now known as Doneraile park. You can still see the old fruit trees that he planted. This house was severely damaged during the 1931 earthquake and was rebuilt further up the valley where the St Leger homestead is today.
Ralph died from an accident back in Ireland in 1908 and his brother Hugh travelled out to NZ and settled on his St Leger property. He built the longest privately owned single spanned wooden bridge in the southern hemisphere in 1926 over the Hangaroa river to gain access to his farm where the current bridge is now. Hugh, now Lord Doneraile returned to Ireland in the mid 1940’s to manage his family estate, Doneraile (which means “fort on the hill” ) and sold the farm to the NZ government. He also bequeathed Doneraille park to the people of Gisborne to use as a recreation/ camping reserve.
The St Leger farm ballot in March 1948 provided returned servicemen the opportunity to apply to the government ballot to buy land at very reasonable prices as appreciation of their efforts during the war. The St leger property was split into 4 farms of about 1600 acres each and valued at 1 pound per acre. Four men won the ballot- Don Spence, Roly Harwood, Geoff Mossman and Charlie Gordon. They farmed St Leger together with Don as the manager for two years before the farm was separated and they took over their own blocks in 1950. Charlie farmed the new Mahaanui block until 1962 then Peter and Robin Bennett ( Simons parents) became the new owners.