Towns

Pahiatua

Originally, Pahiatua was to have a railway right through its town centre. But the tracks were eventually constructed to the west of the town. The area that was to have borne the tracks was made into gardens, giving the town an attractive point of difference. If you arrive in Pahiatua from the north, you’ll be greeted by a yellow WWII Harvard, which has been converted into a children’s slide. Those arriving from the south will notice the white stone Polish Memorial. For eight years from 1944, Pahiatua hosted a refugee camp for children from Poland. The town has an assortment of accommodation, shops and eating places. Local trout fishing is excellent.
Functional facts: Approx. population 2600, information centre, range of shops and services.