The establishment of a District High School at Lower Tākaka took a step closer in September of 1906 when a deputation, consisting of Frank Page and John Rose, waited on the Education Board to request approval to begin.
The committee had the names of 19 pupils who would attend the proposed high school, and these were forwarded to the Education Board. However, according to department requirements, 20 names were needed before anymore consideration was taken into the matter.
With an assurance that the number of 20 could easily be reached, a further application to the Department was lodged. By October, a total of 35 names were on the list of pupils who would attend the school. With approval to go ahead but no grants for the erection of schoolrooms, the committee searched for an appropriate venue, finally settling on an agreement to use Tyree’s Hall. Unfortunately, this fell through so arrangements were made to rent the Oddfellows Hall. Miss Emma Ainsworth was appointed as the first teacher.
The school officially opened on 30 July 1907 with around 20 pupils enrolling. More were expected but a seasonal outbreak of influenza saw a number of children having to remain at home.
By May 1908 a room was added to the Lower Tākaka School to allow the High School to have a permanent site. The opening was held on the first Thursday of the month and at an early hour an influx of vehicles and people arrived to celebrate the occasion. Shortly after 10am the various schools arrived, each with their own motto and banners. A procession formed near the Tākaka Post Office where Mr W. Boyes, headmaster, led them through the township, assisted by the band. On arrival at the school grounds, sports and games were the order of the day for the children after which a picnic lunch took place. Later the procession reformed, and the children were arranged at the front of the building for the speeches. Those attending were reminded that the importance of the establishment of a high school brought the possibility of secondary education within the reach of every child in the district and put them on an even footing with children from the more populated centres. With this, the high school building was declared to be open.
In 1911, a laboratory building was added to the school and in 1917 elementary dairy science was added to the curriculum.
Mr W. Boyes remained at the school as headmaster for 25 years before leaving in October 1919 to become the organising teacher for the Golden Bay district. The new headmaster was Mr John Frederick Hiddlestone who was in the position for around six years. It appears there was some friction between him and the Senior Inspector for Schools for the Nelson District, George Pitcaithley, and accusations flew that he had cost Hiddlestone the job at the high school due to personal enmity. In September 1939 the school colours were registered in accordance with the requirements published in the NZ Gazette of 12 May 1915, being dark blue and silver grey, badge dark blue, shield with one red chevron fern leaf across the top with letters TDHS, and a lighted lamp in the left and right top hand corners respectively and an open book in the lower section.
Over the ensuing years the name of the school changed several times, going from Lower Tākaka School to Lower Tākaka High School to Tākaka High School to Golden Bay High School to Te Waka Kura o Mohua – Golden Bay High School in 2024.
