Ōpango Stream Place Name Report
The report considered by the New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa (NZGB) at its meeting on 27 March 2009.
- Ōpango Stream (corrigendum?)
Coromandel
General Background
Opango Stream is in the Coromandel Ranges, North-East of Thames. It is a tributary of Hihi Stream which flows westerly into the Kauaeranga River.
Opango Stream was gazetted as a final name by the Board in 1953 page 1920, but there was no reference to where exactly this was located, rather a broad description of it as ‘the middle fork’. In 1974 page 2163, the Board renamed Opango Stream to Totara Stream. This gazettal gave the grid reference 183311 on NZMS 1 map N49 (1967, third edition).
Leading up to the formal renaming in 1974, a letter of 2 August 1972, (File 22 2605 3 volume 6) questioned the name Opango and said that its local usage was Totara, but asked to clarify which stream was called Opango. A sketch was sent with this letter (attached) that showed where the stream locally known as Totara was.
The earliest survey plans (4/9/1872) show Hihi Stream with various tributaries coming of it, but no names depicted for the streams.
Analyzing the latest NZtopo260 map (2005), the early survey plan, and the sketch from Board archives, it is clear that Totara Stream and Opango Stream apply to different watercourses. Opango Stream was given to a tributary in the middle of Hihi Stream. Further up Hihi Stream is another tributary which is locally known as Totara Stream. This is also shown on the current NZtopo260 map, with both names on these separate streams.
There appears to be confusion over which stream was originally named Opango Stream. Examining the latest map, it appears that the Board’s original decision to name the middle fork of Hihi Stream corresponded to the stream at GR 484534. This would mean that the Boards decision in 1974 to rename Opango Stream to Totara Stream relates to this stream.
However the gazette reference described the stream to be at GR 183311 on NZMS map N49. The Board’s decision in 1974 was to rename Opango Stream to Totara Stream at GR 183311, therefore on current maps this should be reflected with the name Totara stream. However the name Opango Stream has also remained as a recorded name for middle tributary, although this is now not an official name.
The stream at GR 494540 (Infomap260) is Totara Stream and this should continue to be known officially as Totara Stream as per 1974 gazettal. The stream at GR 494540 (Infomap260) is Totara Stream and this should continue to be known officially as Totara Stream as per 1974 gazettal.
Map
For a larger scale version of this map please refer to the pdf version of the Ōpango Stream place name report (pdf 247KB).
NZGB - Report - Opango_Stream - 2009-03-27, for Meeting of 27 March 2009 LINZ file reference: GES-N15-01-09/129
