Ramarama, previously known as Sheppards Bush, is a small community at the far south of the Auckland Region in New Zealand's North Island, located just to the north of the Bombay Hills (a point commonly regarded as the most southern part of the Auckland region). Ramarama has an off-ramp at exit 466 on the motorway south of Auckland. The suburb is effectively sliced in two by the motorway, this section of which was constructed in 1978. The main settlement of Ramarama contains a convenience store and several small businesses. Most of the land in the area is made up of market gardens, farms and lifestyle blocks as would be expected from the entirely rural region in which it is located. There are several floral/garden/nursery businesses with large glasshouses and a number of poultry/egg producing farms in the surrounding area. Ramarama is named after ramarama, a small tree with leaves that can cure bruises if crushed. History Ramarama was originally only bushland and also there was a pā site inhabited by the Ngāti Pou tribe of the Māori. It also hid pathways between Tamaki, Hauraki and the Waikato. In the 1850s, the British built the Great South Road through the land. At the time of the Waikato War, the area was known as Sheppards Bush. Reverend McDonald, a famed priest at the time, decided to build a church, where the Pratts Road Cemetery stands now. The church was called Saint Brigids and also functioned as a school. The church itself was moved to Selwyn Oaks, but the school was called Maketu School and henceforth Ramarama School. The Te Maketu Waterfall is hidden behind the Pratts Road Cemetery. Reverend McDonald wrote a book on it called “The Well Known Secret of the Waterfall”. Country Women's Institute The Ramarama branch of the Country Women's Institute, like many women's CWI groups across New Zealand supported the women and their families in the area. First formed in Ramarama on May 10th 1933, it took a very active part in raising money for the building of the Ramarama Hall. They held a Queen Carnival and took an active part in all other fund raising for the project. The Northern Military District Convalescent Depot, opened in December 1942 as a place for troops to recover. It was between Ramarama and Bombay. In late 1945 ash from Ruapehu polluted the water supply of the Chateau and patients who