Domain, it agreed to assist financially. The eventual outcome of this arrangement was that ultimately control of the domain passed to the county council. From Lands and Survey’s perspective this was seen as being advantageous because it placed less of a strain on the Crown’s financial resources. A Lands and Survey field officer said in 1957:
I think the assistance given to the Katikati Domain Board by the Tauranga County Council is commendable and if you consider there is no irregularity or precedent being created, I would recommend that a £1 to £2 subsidy be offered to the County on the amount expended (£368.3s.9p.) in assisting the Katikati Domain Board with development work on Bowentown Heads Domain.95
In 1960 the board began work on building the camping ground, with ablutions and kitchen facilities (see figure 6). The following year, electricity was installed with the aim of attracting more campers to the area. The cost was £4,900 which would be recovered by the increased usage of the domain. In 1961 the board issued a ‘Seven Yearly Report’ which identified the role of the Crown and the council in providing financial assistance, and commended the board on its own revenue generating ventures.96 No such Crown assistance was, as far as we are aware, provided to Roretana and his people.
By 1963 the board was able to report that although the financial burden of developing the campsite was heavy, the use made of it by the public justified the expense. The board felt confident enough, to start new projects on the domain. These included the planting of trees, developing the parking area, improving the roads on the domain, and allowing the waterskiing club to flag areas for recreation at Shelly Bay.97
By the mid 1960s Bowentown Domain was being actively promoted as a holiday destination in the Automobile Association Bulletin, and in national and regional newspapers, such as the article below from the Waihi Gazette in January 1964. This article shows the varied ways that the reserve was being used, but makes no mention of the cultural significance of the heads:
Beautiful Bowentown Bids Fair To Beat The Best Of Beaches
Hundreds Of Holidaymakers Discover Unique Attractions
This summer, many hundreds of campers, cararavaners, and day-trippers have really discovered Bowentown - and by no means are all of them strangers to the area. The grand work of a most enthusiastic Katikati Domain Board under the aegis of the Tauranga County Council, has really opened up this historic area, which has everything in natural scenic beauty that better known resorts provide and much more besides.
The old adage, you need a boat for Bowentown, is no more. Even for the day visitors there is surf fishing as good as will be found any where on the coast. There are mussels, pipis, even an incredible number of blackberries just for the picking as well as good surfing on Ocean Beach, first-class boating from the Anzac Bay and Pio’s beaches, and smooth water for surf-skiers at sheltered Shelly Bay with its glistening white beach and fine native bush.
95 Field Officer to Commissioner of Crown Lands, 28 February 1957, LS 3/2/40
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