基本資料 | Information
Hillmorton – Its Environment
The school site was once part of a large swamp extending from Lincoln Road to the Cashmere Hills. This swamp was teeming with life: eels, native trout, freshwater crayfish and was a rich food source for Māori. The raupo which grew in the swamps also provided material for a unique boat/raft called the mōkihi.
The name of the Upper Heathcote was Waimōkihi and the settlement near Sunnyside Hospital was called Omōkihi.
Hillmorton – The Name
Throughout the years there has been controversy over the spelling Hillmorton or Hillmorten. R.M. Morten owned land in the area and some people believe the area was named after him. However, the Lands and Survey Department ruled that Hillmorton was correct as it was the name of Rev Joseph Twigger’s farm of 1876 which was named after Hillmorton near Rugby, England.
Horomaka – The Name
Horomaka was a famous Waitaha ancestress who was married to an equally famous man. During a battle alongside the Upper Heathco