A once-thriving sawmilling industry on the outskirts of Tauranga would inspire the naming of the Tauranga suburb 'Tauriko'. Listen now.

A once-thriving local sawmilling industry inspired the naming of the Tauranga suburb 'Tauriko'.

The business name 'Tauranga Rimu Timber Company' seemed a bit long-winded so sawmill operators, the Gamman brothers shortened the name to Tau-Ri-Co.

The letter 'C' is not a consonant in the Māori language so it was replaced with the letter 'K' which formed the contracted name 'Tauriko' a suburb on the outskirts of Tauranga.

Tauriko is now home to the new housing development area 'The Lakes' and the retail and industrial hub 'Tauranga Crossing'.

The history of sawmilling begins with Samuel John Gamman who arrived in the country on board the Cameo in 1859.

Samuel and his wife Eliza lived at Akaroa in Canterbury before moving north to the Manawatu and the Tararua districts. Together they had 10 children, two of which died young, but his surviving sons would follow their father into the dangerous industry of sawmilling.

In 1908 Henry, Ernest, Arthur and George opened new mills in the Bay of Plenty.

Debbie McCauley is an author of narrative non-fiction children's books and has written extensively on the sawmilling industry in the region.

"They're big names in sawmilling in New Zealand, they start a sawmill at Oropi and George Gamman buys some bush at Omanawa falls and from there they put a tramline through from the Wairoa river and transport massive timber logs."

During this time, New Zealand timber was in high demand, and the Gammans exported it to Australia. As business thrived Debbie says the brothers went to register their business name but decided on a simpler version.

"The story is because 'Co' wasn't in the Māori language it was changed to 'Ko' and the name was Tauriko...that's why a lot of people think it's a Māori word," she says.

Charlie Rāhiri lives in Tauranga and has whakapapa to Ngāti Paoa, Ngāti Kahu and Ngai Tamarāwaho, he says while the history of the name 'Tauriko' is based on a major industry set up by a migrant family, the history of the land is one of historical significance to tangata whenua.

"Ngai Tamarāwaho they have a large presence in The Lakes area, Ngāti Hangarau do aswell...their significant pa was called Tupenga and then Wairoa while we had no pa we had a number of kainga" …

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details