Awapuni is an area and council ward of
Palmerston North
Palmerston North (; mi, Te Papa-i-Oea, known colloquially as Palmy) is a city in the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Located in the eastern Manawatu Plains, the city is near the north bank of the ...
,
Manawatū-Whanganui
Manawatū-Whanganui (; spelled Manawatu-Wanganui prior to 2019) is a region in the lower half of the North Island of New Zealand, whose main population centres are the cities of Palmerston North and Whanganui. It is administered by the Manawat ...
, New Zealand. It is located south west of
Palmerston North Central
Palmerston North Central is the central suburb and central business district of Palmerston North, on New Zealand's North Island.
State Highway 3 passes through the area along Rangitikei Street, Main Street East, Grey Street and Princess Stre ...
. The New Zealand
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
The Ministry for Culture and Heritage (MCH; ) is the department of the New Zealand Government responsible for supporting the arts, culture, built heritage, sport and recreation, and broadcasting sectors in New Zealand and advising government on ...
gives a translation of "blocked-up river" for ''Awapuni''.
Te Hotu Manawa Marae and its
Tūturu Pumau meeting house are located in Awapuni. It is a tribal meeting ground for the
Rangitāne
Rangitāne is a Māori people, Māori iwi (tribe). Their rohe (territory) is in the Manawatū-Whanganui, Manawatū, Horowhenua, Wairarapa and Marlborough Region, Marlborough areas of New Zealand.hapū
In Māori and New Zealand English, a ' ("subtribe", or "clan") functions as "the basic political unit within Māori society". A Māori person can belong to or have links to many hapū. Historically, each hapū had its own chief and normally opera ...
of
Ngāti Kapuārangi,
Ngāti Rangiaranaki,
Ngāti Rangitepaia,
Ngāti Hineaute and
Ngāti Tauira
Iwi () are the largest social units in New Zealand Māori society. In Māori roughly means "people" or "nation", and is often translated as "tribe", or "a confederation of tribes". The word is both singular and plural in the Māori language, an ...
.
Demographics
Awapuni North, comprising the statistical areas of Awapuni North, Maraetarata and Awapuni South, covers .
It had a population of 8,292 at the
2018 New Zealand census
Eighteen or 18 may refer to:
* 18 (number), the natural number following 17 and preceding 19
* one of the years 18 BC, AD 18, 1918, 2018
Film, television and entertainment
* ''18'' (film), a 1993 Taiwanese experimental film based on the sho ...
, an increase of 447 people (5.7%) since the
2013 census, and an increase of 345 people (4.3%) since the
2006 census
6 (six) is the natural number following 5 and preceding 7. It is a composite number and the smallest perfect number.
In mathematics
Six is the smallest positive integer which is neither a square number nor a prime number; it is the second small ...
. There were 3,003 households. There were 3,957 males and 4,335 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.91 males per female, with 1,812 people (21.9%) aged under 15 years, 1,830 (22.1%) aged 15 to 29, 3,408 (41.1%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,242 (15.0%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 76.4% European/Pākehā, 20.3% Māori, 6.2% Pacific peoples, 10.7% Asian, and 3.2% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).
The proportion of people born overseas was 18.8%, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people objected to giving their religion, 51.1% had no religion, 35.2% were Christian, 1.3% were Hindu, 1.6% were Muslim, 0.6% were Buddhist and 3.0% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 1,461 (22.5%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 1,122 (17.3%) people had no formal qualifications. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 3,159 (48.8%) people were employed full-time, 891 (13.8%) were part-time, and 285 (4.4%) were unemployed.
Suburbs
Awapuni North
Awapuni North features Awapuni School and Kia Toa Sports Club rooms. It is also the location of Awapuni and Alexander Parks, and Rugby, Panako and Raleigh Reserves.
College Street divides Awapuni North from Awapuni South.
Awapuni North had a population of 3,503 in 2018.
Awapuni South
![Waitoetoe Park, Palmerston North, New Zaland (30)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/Waitoetoe_Park%2C_Palmerston_North%2C_New_Zaland_%2830%29.JPG)
Awapuni South contains Riverdale School and Awapuni School,
Awatapu College
Awatapu College is a State Co-Educational Secondary School in Awapuni, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
About the School
Geography
Awatapu College is located in West End, a suburb of Palmerston North, at the bend of Botanical Road. The area kno ...
and a chapel of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...
. It features Riverdale, Ahimate and Paneiri Parks; the riverside Dittmer Drive Reserve includes a stopbank and walking track.
The area College Street divides Awapuni North from Awapuni South. The suburb is bounded by the Manawatu River. Dittmer Drive (which runs the bank of the river) has a stopbank, which is the first defence if there is a chance of flooding. There are many large houses along Dittmer Drive.
The area had a resident population of 3,366 in 2018.
Maraetarata
Maraetarata, previously called Awapuni West, is centred around Awapuni Racecourse. It features Rangitaane, Mangaone, Otira and Totaranui parks.
Maxwells Line divides Maraetarata from Awapuni North and Awapuni South. The Mangaone Stream mostly forms the western boundary. Other features of Maraetarata include the Awapuni Landfill. Maraetarata is the site of the ancient Awapuni Lagoon, upon which the racecourse is now situated.
The area had a population of 537 in 2018.
Awapuni Racecourse
Awapuni is known nationally for having the Awapuni Racecourse, the racing centre for thoroughbred horses (gallopers) in the Manawatu region. The Awapuni Racecourse holds a number of nationally significant races, including the:
*
Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes
The Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes is a Group One horse race held for Thoroughbred two-year-olds at Awapuni Racecourse in Palmerston North, New Zealand.
Run over 1400 metres in late March or early April, for a stake of $225,000 (2021) it, and t ...
which is a Group One race (the highest level) for 2 year olds run over 1400m in late March or early April. This race is arguably New Zealand's best race for 2 year old horses.
*
Awapuni Gold Cup
The Awapuni Gold Cup is held annually in Palmerston North, New Zealand. It is a set weight and penalties race over 2,000 metres for a total stake of $100,000.
History
First held in 1915, the race has been won by many of New Zealand's most famous ...
, an open class Group Two race over 2000m also raced in late March or early April, which has been won by some of New Zealand's greatest horses such as the
Japan Cup
The is one of the most prestigious horse races in Japan. It is contested on the last Sunday of November, post time of 15:40 at Tokyo Racecourse in Fuchu, Tokyo at a distance of 2400 meters (about miles) run under weight for age conditions with ...
winner
Horlicks
Horlicks is a sweet malted milk hot drink powder developed by founders James and William Horlick. It was first sold as "Horlick's Infant and Invalids Food", soon adding "aged and travellers" to their label. In the early 20th century, it was so ...
, and
Balmerino
Balmerino is a small village and former monastic centre in Fife, Scotland. It is the home of Balmerino Abbey and the former abbots of Balmerino who were great regional landlords. It became a secular lordship in 1605 when the abbey's lands wer ...
.
* Manawatu Classic, a Group Three event over 2000m for 3 year olds.
* Manawatu Breeders Stakes, a Group Three Weight-for-age event over 2000m in April.
* Merial Metric Mile, an open class Group Three event in mid September.
* Eulogy Stakes, a Group Three event for 3 year old fillies over 1550min mid December.
* Manawatu Challenge Stakes, a Group Two Weight-for-age event over 1400m, in late December.
* Manawatu Cup, a Group Three open class event over 2100m in late December.
In the past there were a number of race tracks in the region, such as Feilding and Marton, which have been closed and some of those Club's key races are now held at the Awapuni Racecourse, thereby preserving their history such as the:
* Feilding Gold Cup, a Listed race (the 4th tier) for open class horses over 2100m in early November.
* Marton Cup, a Listed race for open class horses over 2100m in early January.
* Rangitikei Gold Cup, a Listed race for open class horses over 1550m in May.
The Awapuni Racecourse has a large function centre
and is a racehorse training centre used by a number of prominent horse trainers.
See also
Awapuni railway station
Awapuni railway station was a station in Kairanga County, on the Foxton Branch and, from 1908, the North Island Main Trunk in New Zealand, now in the Palmerston North suburb of Awapuni. It was beside the Mangaone Stream, near its confluence w ...
References
{{Palmerston North City
Suburbs of Palmerston North
Manawatū-Whanganui
Populated places on the Manawatū River