Hannam Vale is a quaint historical village.
First occupied by wood cutters in the 1870s as it is an area rich in red cedar trees. Other settlers followed the woodcutters into the valley, clearing land for growing crops such as maize, arrowroot, potatoes and vegetables. Most of the early settlers also planted a variety of fruit trees, especially oranges, and kept cattle for dairy farming. By the mid-1930s, dairy farming and logging had become the principal activities in the larger Hannam Vale area of Stewarts River, Hannam Vale and Waitui.
The region’s high rainfall and dairy farming legacy, along with associated planting of grasses such as kikuyu, is the reason for the present day lush-green landscape.
The epicentre of the Village of Hannam Vale is the Hannam Vale General Store first opened in 1914, the primary school (first established 1899 and still operates today as a primary school for the local area), Salvation Army Chapel, church hall and tennis courts.
Chat with us, it’s a great little village to visit!