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Story: Manawatū and Horowhenua places

Roadside Stories: Foxton and flax

The sleepy town of Foxton was once home to a thriving flax-milling industry. Native flax was a vital source of durable fibre for Māori, who made it into baskets, fishing nets and clothing. An export trade began from the 1820s, and a major industry developed, with large mills around Foxton.

Listen to a Roadside Story about Foxton and the flax industry. Roadside Stories is a series of audio guides to places around New Zealand.

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How to cite this page

Malcolm McKinnon, Manawatū and Horowhenua places – Foxton and the coast, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/35276/roadside-stories-foxton-and-flax (accessed 10 June 2026).

Story by Malcolm McKinnon, published 9 January 2012, updated 22 April 2015.