Bus Thames Connector buses run 5 times a day between Tararu and Parawai. Go Kiwi operate a shuttle bus from the east coast of Coromandel, via Thames, to Auckland. InterCity run twice a day between Auckland and Tauranga via Thames. Education Thames High School is a secondary (years 9–13) school with a decile rating of 6 and a roll of . The school was established in 1880 and is the second oldest secondary school in the Auckland Province. Moanataiari School, Parawai and Thames South are full primary (years 1–8) schools with decile ratings of 5, 6 and 3 and rolls of , and , respectively. St Francis School is a full primary (years 1–8) school with a decile rating of 7 and a roll of . It is a state integrated Catholic school. All these schools are coeducational. Rolls are as of A former local institution of learning was the Thames School of Mines. Another former school, Thames North, was at Tararu. It is now Thames Art Gallery. Notable people from Thames Kylie Bax – model and actress Frances Haselden – headmistress of Kauaeranga Girls' School in Thames Thomas Alexander O'Brien – cinema owner and entrepreneur Sir Graham Liggins - medical/obstetrical researcher Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park – WW2 Air Commander and AOC 11 Group during Battle of Britain (July – October 1940) Sonny Parker – Welsh international rugby union player Bruce Purchase – British actor Lloyd Stephenson – hockey player Eruini Heina Taipari – tribal leader References External links Thames Information 1871-74 tram route Populated places in Waikato Thames-Coromandel District Populated places around the Firth of Thames