The Makarewa River
Makarewa, located just north of Invercargill, developed as a small but industrious rural community shaped by farming, rail transport, and later the meat‑processing industry. Its early growth was tied to the expansion of Southland’s agricultural frontier in the late 19th century, when the region was actively recruiting European settlers to clear land, establish farms, and build stable communities. The district grew around the Makarewa River and the railway line connecting Invercargill with northern Southland. By the early 20th century, Makarewa had established churches, schools, and community clubs, many of which are documented in local archives. These include the Church of St Margaret of Scotland and long‑standing community organisations such as the Makarewa Badminton and Bowling Clubs, which reflect the area’s strong social fabric.
A significant chapter in Makarewa’s early history involves the arrival of Lutheran Polish immigrants in 1875. These families were part of a broader wave of Polish migration to Otago and Southland between 1872 and 1880, driven by political repression and economic hardship in the Prussian‑controlled region of West Prussia. Passenger lists from 1875 show several ships bringing Polish families to the south of the South Island, including the P. Dallam Tower and Reichstag. Many of these settlers were from villages in rural Greater Poland, specifically from the Province of Posen, a region created by Prussia in 1815 after the partitions of Poland. The Capital: Posen (Poznań) included Chodzież, Wągrowiec, Gniezno, Śrem, Krotoszyn, etc. The population was a mix of Polish, German, and Jewish and the religion was mostly Catholic Poles, refered to as Polans, but with Lutheran German/Polish minorities. They were accustomed to hard agricultural labour—skills that made them well suited to Southland’s developing farmland.
- The P. Dallam Tower arrives in Wellington after a long voyage via the Cape of Good Hope.
- Immigration officials classify the group as “North German/Polish Lutherans.”
- The Taranaki sailed to Otago with 160 of the Dallam Tower immigrants on March 22nd. A number of passengers travelled on to Invercargill taking the ship Wanganui to Bluff.
- They are sent to the Invercargill Immigration Barracks for processing and allocation.
- Work camps are established near Makarewa, Myross Bush, and Waikiwi, placing the families in the district where many later settled permanently.
Old house at Makarewa
While some Polish groups were directed to settlements such as Jackson Bay, others were placed in Southland districts including Makarewa, where they worked on land development, drainage, and farm establishment. These settlers were typically Lutheran, distinguishing them from the larger Catholic Polish communities in other parts of New Zealand.
“We are glad to notice that the Waste Lands Board at its last meeting— on the motion of the Chief Commissioner, Mr Pearson, seconded by Sir John Richardson—has determined to carry out, under the provisions of clause 12 of the Southland Waste Lands Act, 1875, the recommendation made to the Government by Mr Pearson in his letter oi 11th August last (which appeared in the Times of the 4th September) namely, to sell on deferred payment, with a residence and improvement condition, suburban lands at Gore, Mataura, and Makarewa Bush. This will foster bona fide settlement by the laboring man of small means, who cannot compete with mere speculators. Such a system must prove a great boon to the district, as little centres of population will be formed in the heart of agricultural districts, from which labor can be drawn at those critical times, such as shearing, harvesting, &c, when expedition of operation by the employment of a number of hands simultaneously, is of the greatest moment both to agriculturist and squatter. It will also enable the laborer to secure a home near his work and provide him with occupation on his own property during slack times, when his labor is not in demand by others. We hail with much satisfaction the inauguration of so liberal and enlightened a policy.” Southland Times, 23 January 1877, p2.
“WASTE LANDS BOARD. Thursday, 23rd August, 1877. Present – the Chief Commissioner and Messrs Denniston and Toshach… It was resolved that sections 7, 8, 15, and 16, block 1, Makarewa township be sold by auction, section 8 subject to a valuation of L 515 for improvements, the other sections without valuation. The sale to take place as quickly as possible.” Southland Times, 24 August 1877, p 2.
The families are assigned to government contracts for:
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- bush clearing
- drainage of swampy farmland
- railway formation on the Invercargill–Winton line
- After completing contract work, several families lease or purchase small sections around Makarewa and Invercargill North.
- The Schiefelbein family is one of the earliest to establish a stable household in the Makarewa area.
- The settlers maintain Lutheran worship informally in homes; clergy visit from Dunedin or Riverton.
- Children begin attending local schools, accelerating integration.
- Their surnames begin appearing in:
- Makarewa school rolls
- Invercargill North rate books
- Southland cemetery records
- Many work in sawmills, on farms, or in seasonal labour around the Makarewa River.
“MAKAREWA BUSH SETTLEMENT. Settlers in, Makarewa Bush are complaining of the want of a road giving communication, with the peopled interior, and beginning at the Junction Hotel. Seeing that the Statute provides for the outlay on roads of one-third of the rents from deferred payment purchasers, and that the whole of the early instalments is available for this purpose, it seems strange that any district containing, like Makarewa, land bought on such terms should languish for want of a road through it. We would recommend the sufferers to make immediate application to the Road Board or to the County Council, either of which bodies are in duty bound to put them in the way of having their grievance redressed. This, it is said, is not a solitary case of neglect, but the deferred payment settlers on the Makarewa consider themselves hardly used owing to particular circumstances. The greater number of them, and there are, we believe over thirty, bought their lots with the intention of utilising the timber upon them in the form of firewood, the proceeds of which would put them in a position to go in with improvements. The want of a road almost debars them from turning their property to account, consequently retards progress, and, moreover, shuts up, so far, a source of supply for fuel for the town. Besides the deferred payment selectors there are a goodly number of other settlers in the bush and on the banks of the river beyond it. The settlers up towards Forest Hill would also find the road a great convenience, as there is a good ford which can be safely used for the greater portion of the year, and they would thus save the long detour by Wallacetown. Attention having been drawn to the necessity which exists for the road being made, and the just claims of the settlers to have it, it may be hoped the present season will not be allowed to slip past without the work being done.” Southland Times, 31 December 1879, p 2.
The Makarewa River, Burton Brothers Dunedin, 2136
“Waste Lands Board. The following applications for village allotments (pash) in Makarewa were granted:— P. Ross, section 4, block 5; John Kallm, section, 12, block 6; and Gottlieb Dey, section 5, block; 7. A number of deferred-payment sections m the same township were applied for and granted as follows:— Rudolph Neas, section 1, block 5; W. Cook, section 7, block 5; W. Judge, section 5, block 7; D. Maloney, section 9, block 6; and D. Ford, section 2, block 6. There were two applicants for section 7, block 6; Makarewa, and the ballot resulted in favor of W. Judge, junior.” Southland Times, 3 August 1883, p4.
The Polish families contributed to the early agricultural economy, clearing bush, establishing small farms, and providing labour for local industries. Their presence helped stabilise the young settlement and added to the cultural diversity of Southland’s rural population. Over time, the descendants of these families integrated into the wider community, with surnames evolving through anglicisation or spelling variations—common among Polish settlers across Otago and Southland. Their legacy persists in local family histories, burial records, and the genealogical work of researchers documenting the 150‑year history of Polish settlement in the region.
- The settlers transition from labourers to small farmers, sharemilkers, and tradesmen.
- The railway station at Makarewa becomes a hub for timber and farm produce, providing steady employment.
- The families integrate into local institutions while retaining elements of Pomeranian culture—especially naming traditions and Lutheran observance.
- Children of the original settlers marry into other Southland families, spreading the surnames across:
- Makarewa
- Myross Bush
- Wallacetown
- Waikiwi
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Makarewa
Some descendants move into Invercargill for work at the freezing works and timber yards.
- The original settlers are now recognised as part of the early European fabric of the Makarewa district.
“LOCAL AND GENERAL. When a sheep will be sent to the new freezing works at Makarewa, in Southland, nothing will be wasted. The carcase will be frozen, the hide tanned, the wool dried and packed, the offal placed in the digester and the tallow extracted, and what remains will be crushed and made up into manure. From the trotters neatsfoot oil will be extracted, and from the blood the highest class of manure will be manufactured. A more complete utilisation of what used to be called “waste products” can hardly be imagined, remarks the Invercargill “Times.” Star, 6 February 1912, p 2.
By the mid‑20th century, Makarewa had become known for its dairy and meat‑processing industries, particularly the Southland Frozen Meatworks, which provided employment for generations of residents. Oral histories from locals describe a close‑knit rural community shaped by farming life, schooling, church activities, and the gradual arrival of modern conveniences such as electricity. Modern Makarewa remains a semi‑rural district with strong ties to Invercargill. Though small, it carries a layered history—one in which the 1875 Lutheran Polish settlers played a meaningful role in shaping the early community.