Otūmoetai is a suburb of Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand.

Otūmoetai
Otūmoetai Beach
Otūmoetai Beach
Map
Coordinates: 37°40′S 176°09′E / 37.667°S 176.150°E / -37.667; 176.150
CountryNew Zealand
CityTauranga
Local authorityTauranga City Council
Electoral wardMatua-Otūmoetai General Ward
Area
 • Land332 ha (820 acres)
Population
 (June 2024)[2]
 • Total8,620
Matua (Tauranga Harbour)
Bellevue
Otūmoetai
Tauranga Central
Brookfield (Waikareao Estuary)

The Otūmoetai peninsula includes both the Otūmoetai suburb, and the neighbouring suburbs of Matua and Bellevue.

History

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The name is claimed to translate to "Peaceful Waters" from Māori to English, as the Matua Saltmarsh and Tauranga Harbour borders Otūmoetai. The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "place where the tide stands still as if asleep" for Ōtǖmoetai.[3]

Before the 1950s Otūmoetai was largely orchards and farms but then houses started to be built in Brookfield, Otūmoetai Central and Pillans Point. Following this the suburb started to take shape and in the 1990s the last pieces of land left in the suburb were developed into housing.

In the 21st century, the suburb has gone through intensification with the building of apartments.

Demographics

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Otūmoetai covers 3.32 km2 (1.28 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 8,620 as of June 2024,[2] with a population density of 2,596 people per km2.

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
20067,086—    
20137,155+0.14%
20188,034+2.34%
Source: [4]
 
Ōtūmoetai Pā, Tauranga, 1842–1843. George Augustus Bennett, RE

Otūmoetai had a population of 8,034 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 879 people (12.3%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 948 people (13.4%) since the 2006 census. There were 3,252 households, comprising 3,789 males and 4,245 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.89 males per female, with 1,551 people (19.3%) aged under 15 years, 1,146 (14.3%) aged 15 to 29, 3,516 (43.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,824 (22.7%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 88.5% European/Pākehā, 11.6% Māori, 1.5% Pacific peoples, 6.6% Asian, and 2.2% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 20.1, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 52.5% had no religion, 37.1% were Christian, 0.4% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.8% were Hindu, 0.3% were Muslim, 0.6% were Buddhist and 2.4% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 1,503 (23.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 966 (14.9%) people had no formal qualifications. 1,212 people (18.7%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 3,030 (46.7%) people were employed full-time, 1,041 (16.1%) were part-time, and 177 (2.7%) were unemployed.[4]

Individual statistical areas
Name Area
(km2)
Population Density
(per km2)
Households Median age Median
income
Otūmoetai North 1.72 4,248 2,470 1,818 46.4 years $33,100[5]
Otūmoetai South 1.60 3,786 2,366 1,434 41.4 years $36,000[6]
New Zealand 37.4 years $31,800

Education

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Otūmoetai has two co-educational state primary schools for Year 1 to 6 students: Ōtūmoetai Primary School,[7][8] with a roll of 570,[9] and Pillans Point School,[10][11] with a roll of 517.[12]

Otumoetai College and Ōtūmoetai Intermediate are located in neighbouring Bellevue.[13]

References

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  1. ^ a b "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  3. ^ "1000 Māori place names". New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 6 August 2019.
  4. ^ a b "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Otumoetai North (193200) and Otumoetai South (193300).
  5. ^ 2018 Census place summary: Otūmoetai North
  6. ^ 2018 Census place summary: Otūmoetai South
  7. ^ "Otumoetai Primary School Official School Website". ops.school.nz.
  8. ^ "Otumoetai Primary School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
  9. ^ "Otumoetai Primary School Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
  10. ^ "Pillans Point School Official School Website". pillanspoint.school.nz.
  11. ^ "Pillans Point School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
  12. ^ "Pillans Point School Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
  13. ^ "Campus". www.otc.school.nz. Retrieved 17 April 2021.