Te Rapa

Suburb of Hamilton, New Zealand

Prior to being handed back to the Tainui tribe by the government as part of the Raupatu land settlement in 1995, Te Rapa was the site of a Royal New Zealand Air Force base. The base served as a major Air Force stores depot. The Te Rapa Air Force base closed in 1992. Te Rapa's shopping area includes The Base, a large scale retail development that opened in 2005 at the site of the former air force base. As of 2006, The Base contained the largest branch of The Warehouse in New Zealand. With the addition of the Te Awa building in 2010, The Base became New Zealand's largest shopping mall, and still is, as of December 2011.

One of Fonterra's largest dairy factories is to the east of the former SH1 in northern Te Rapa. It started to dry powder in 1967 and was officially opened on 20 April 1968 by New Zealand Co operative Dairy Company, which became part of Fonterra in 2001. A butter, cream and cream cheese plant was added in 1997, another cream cheese line in 2013, and another butter line

It collects up to of milk a day from 1,000 farms. The chimneys are over high.

Waterworld (also known as Te Rapa Pools) is a Hamilton city council owned pool complex in Te Rapa. In addition to the main facilities, the venue also includes a range of other options including a spa, sauna and steam rooms as well as an outdoor playground. Rides offered at Waterworld include The Python Hydroslide, the Twister Slide and The Screamer Speedslides. The complex was officially opened in late 1976, 15 years after Hamilton Jaycees suggested a new swimming pool complex in Fairfield Park. The suggestion led to an adopted proposal in 1964 to mark the city's centennial and in 1973 the decision was made to instead build the complex in Te Rapa.

Immediately after the invasion of the Waikato, in 1864, there was just a track across the area linking Mangaharakeke (or Manuharakeke) Pā and Kirikiriroa Pā. By 1870 bridges had been built over the streams. An 1875 report said the bridges at Waitawhiriwhiri, Mangaharakeke, Beere's Creek and Hall's Creek, between Ngāruawāhia and Hamilton on the Great South Road, had been replaced, or repaired. Until Mangaharakeke Dr opened in 2012, much of the 1860s road, now known as Te Rapa Rd, was part of SH1. See also List of streets in Hamilton.

Te Rapa railway station opened when the North Island Main Trunk was extended from Ngāruawāhia to Hamilton on 19 December 1877. Te Rapa is at the northern end of the section to Palmerston North, electrified in 1988. Electrification ends just north of the post (distance north of Wellington). A locomotive depot and marshalling yard incorporated the Racecourse station site. There is also a concrete sleeper factory at Te Rapa.

£720 was spent to open Te Rapa Racecourse passenger platform, on 15 October 1924. The mileage to the middle of the Racecourse platform was reported as 82 mile (132 km) in 1924 (Frankton Jct was 83 mile (134 km) from Auckland in 1882, but that station was moved north in 1909). The last advert was in November 1943. In 1930 the line was double tracked and equipped with automatic signalling. Associated with that work, footbridge No 62A was built in 1929 (it was removed about 1963) and long landings were formed at rail level on both lines, with access to the back of the racecourse. By January 1935 horse loading banks had been completed. Approval to remove them was given in 1953, after being disused for years.'' and an area to the north, was later used for the marshalling yard and then the locomotive and freight depot.

On 1 April 2003 a container terminal opened, with overhead lines, for shunting by electric locomotives.''''

Fonterra's Crawford St depot is linked by rail to local dairy factories at Te Awamutu, Morrinsville, Waitoa, Hautapu, Waharoa, Lichfield and Tīrau. It sends about 33,000 containers of milk powder and cheese a year for export via the Port of Tauranga. An automated cool store was added in 2009 to handle about 235,000 tonnes a year.

Construction of a new marshalling yard near the Racecourse began in December 1967. The yard replaced Frankton goods yard and opened on 10 January 1971. It had a hump for shunting, which used Westinghouse retarders and 31 sidings.

Te Rapa School is a full primary school catering for years 1 8. It has students. Te Rapa School has been the local primary school since 1906. St Peter Chanel Catholic School is a state integrated full primary school catering for years 1 8. It has students. Both these schools are coeducational. Rolls are as of