Whirinaki is a small coastal settlement in Hawke's Bay, in the eastern North Island of New Zealand. It sits just north of the mouth of the Esk River, a few kilometres north of Bay View and a similar distance east of Eskdale. It lies on State Highway 2, just north of its junction with State Highway 5.
Whirinaki | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coordinates: 39°22′34″S 176°53′36″E / 39.37611°S 176.89333°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Hawke's Bay |
| Territorial authority | Hastings District |
| Ward |
|
| Electorates | |
| Government | |
| • Territorial Authority | Hastings District Council |
| • Regional council | Hawke's Bay Regional Council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.23 km2 (0.47 sq mi) |
| Population (June 2023)[2] | |
| • Total | 460 |
| • Density | 370/km2 (970/sq mi) |
Pan Pac timber and wood pulp mill, one of Hawke's Bay's largest industrial plants, is at Whirinaki. The diesel-powered Whirinaki Power Station opened next to the mill in 1978, later closed and then reopened in 2004. Designed to be a standby power station, it has a total capacity of 155MW and is owned and operated by Contact Energy.[3] A mountain bike park is immediately north of the mill.
Pētane Marae[a] is in a rural area nearby. It is a meeting place for Ngāti Matepū and Ngāti Whakaari, two hapū (sub-tribes) of the Ngāti Kahungunu iwi (tribe). Te Amiki is the name of the meeting house.[4][5] In October 2020, the Government committed $6,020,910 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade 19 Hawke's Bay marae, including Pētane Marae. The funding was expected to create 39 jobs.[6] The marae was flooded during Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023.[7]
Demographics edit
Statistics New Zealand describes Whirinaki as a rural settlement, which covers 1.23 km2 (0.47 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 460 as of June 2023,[2] with a population density of 374 people per km2. It is part of the larger Puketapu-Eskdale statistical area.[8]
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 342 | — |
| 2013 | 336 | −0.25% |
| 2018 | 384 | +2.71% |
| Source: [9] | ||
Whirinaki had a population of 384 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 48 people (14.3%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 42 people (12.3%) since the 2006 census. There were 150 households, comprising 192 males and 198 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.97 males per female, with 57 people (14.8%) aged under 15 years, 42 (10.9%) aged 15 to 29, 204 (53.1%) aged 30 to 64, and 84 (21.9%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 92.2% European/Pākehā, 13.3% Māori, 0.8% Pasifika, 3.1% Asian, and 3.9% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 57.0% had no religion, 33.6% were Christian, 0.8% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.8% were Muslim, 0.8% were Buddhist and 1.6% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 66 (20.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 63 (19.3%) people had no formal qualifications. 78 people (23.9%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 171 (52.3%) people were employed full-time, 66 (20.2%) were part-time, and 9 (2.8%) were unemployed.[9]
Notes edit
- ^ Written Petāne Marae in some sources.
References edit
- ^ a b "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
- ^ a b "Subnational population estimates (RC, SA2), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (regional councils); "Subnational population estimates (TA, SA2), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (territorial authorities); "Subnational population estimates (urban rural), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (urban areas)
- ^ Radio New Zealand (1 June 2004). "Whirinaki power station opened". Television New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 26 September 2008.
- ^ "Ahuriri hapū". Te Kāhui Māngai (Directory of Iwi and Māori Organisations). Te Puni Kōkiri. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
- ^ "Petāne". Māori Maps. Te Potiki National Trust. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
- ^ "Marae Announcements" (XLXS). growregions.govt.nz. Provincial Growth Fund. 9 October 2020.
- ^ Sharpe, Marty (1 August 2023). "Cyclone-hit marae asked to surrender building consent for Category 3 site". Stuff. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
- ^ 2018 Census place summary: Puketapu-Eskdale
- ^ a b "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7015841 and 7015842.