Bridge Pa (sometimes spelled "Bridge Pā") is a rural

Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the C ...

settlement and surrounding area in

Hawke's Bay Hawke's Bay ( mi, Te Matau-a-Māui) is a local government region on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island. The region's name derives from Hawke Bay, which was named by Captain James Cook in honour of Admiral Edward Hawke. The region is ...

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

, located approximately 10 kilometres inland from

Hastings Hastings () is a large seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east to the county town of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to the north-west ...

. The '' pā'' itself comprises a school, a meetinghouse of the

LDS Church 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 ...

, two marae (Korongata Marae and a later addition in 1984 of the Mangaroa Marae), a cemetery, a disused quarry, and the 140-year-old historical Homestead of the Puriri Family. Bridge Pa is situated on flat land on the Heretaunga Plains with the major geographical feature of the township being the Karewarewa Stream. Located on the edge of an

unconfined aquifer An aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing, permeable rock, rock fractures, or unconsolidated materials (gravel, sand, or silt). Groundwater from aquifers can be extracted using a water well. Aquifers vary greatly in their characterist ...

, the surrounding land is free-draining and is used for sheep grazing, horticulture and wine production. The surrounding area includes Hastings Aerodrome, two golf clubs, a car club, and a Deer Stalkers hall. As well as the main settlement centred on the intersection of Maraekakaho Road and Raukawa Road, a satellite settlement is located on Ngatarawa Road (near the Valentine Road corner) and on State Highway 50 (near the corner with Maraekakaho Road in the shadow of Roy's Hill). A relatively large tract of the surrounding rural area (up to 5 km from the pā) is also classified as "Bridge Pa" by local authorities and the White Pages. The main road through the town is limited to 50 km/h and traffic is slowed through a variety of traffic calming measures. There is no sewerage. There is metropolitan style water reticulation. Wastewater is treated via individual homeowner septic tanks. The rural setting experiences between -3 °C frosts in winter (usually clearing to clear crisp days) to 40 °C heat in late summer. Bridge Pa is approximately 20 km from the coast, and with the central North Island mountain ranges of the Ruahines and Kawekas to intercept the prevailing westerly winds, the region enjoys a

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...

climate with around 2350 sunshine hours per annum and very low humidity.

Demographics

Bridge Pa settlement is in four SA1 statistical areas, which cover . The SA1 areas are part of the Bridge Pa statistical area. Bridge Pa settlement had a population of 618 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 102 people (19.8%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 54 people (9.6%) 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 168 households, comprising 297 males and 318 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.93 males per female, with 165 people (26.7%) aged under 15 years, 111 (18.0%) aged 15 to 29, 255 (41.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 84 (13.6%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 44.2% European/

Pākehā Pākehā (or Pakeha; ; ) is a Māori term for New Zealanders primarily of European descent. Pākehā is not a legal concept and has no definition under New Zealand law. The term can apply to fair-skinned persons, or to any non-Māori New Ze ...

, 65.5%

, 3.9% Pacific peoples, 0.5%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, and 0.5% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 34.5% had no religion, 55.3% were

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

, 2.9% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.5% were

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

, 0.5% were

Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

and 0.5% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 63 (13.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 93 (20.5%) people had no formal qualifications. 45 people (9.9%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 228 (50.3%) people were employed full-time, 78 (17.2%) were part-time, and 18 (4.0%) were unemployed.

Bridge Pa statistical area

Bridge Pa statistical area covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km². Bridge Pa had a population of 1,140 at the

, an increase of 57 people (5.3%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 117 people (11.4%) since the

. There were 225 households, comprising 738 males and 402 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.84 males per female. The median age was 35.8 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 186 people (16.3%) aged under 15 years, 264 (23.2%) aged 15 to 29, 567 (49.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 123 (10.8%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 47.9% European/

, 57.1%

, 6.3% Pacific peoples, 1.6%

, and 1.6% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas was 10.3, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 40.8% had no religion, 46.1% were

, 6.3% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.3% were

, 0.5% were

, 0.3% were

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

and 2.4% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 105 (11.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 180 (18.9%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $16,000, compared with $31,800 nationally. 78 people (8.2%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 396 (41.5%) people were employed full-time, 120 (12.6%) were part-time, and 51 (5.3%) were unemployed.

Bridge Pa Triangle

Bridge Pa Triangle is a grape growing area roughly delineated by three roads: Ngatarawa Road, State Highway 50 and Maraekakaho Road. It is recognised as a premium wine growing area in the

Hawke's Bay wine region The Hawke's Bay wine region is New Zealand wine, New Zealand's oldest and second-largest wine-production region, on the east coast of the North Island. Production reached 41,000 tonnes in 2018 from of planted vines, representing 10.2% of total n ...

. Wines grown include

Merlot Merlot is a dark blue–colored wine grape variety, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name ''Merlot'' is thought to be a diminutive of ''merle'', the French name for the blackbird, probably a reference to the ...

Syrah Syrah (), also known as Shiraz, is a dark-skinned grape variety grown throughout the world and used primarily to produce red wine. In 1999, Syrah was found to be the offspring of two obscure grapes from southeastern France, Dureza and Mondeuse B ...

Chardonnay Chardonnay (, , ) is a green-skinned grape variety used in the production of white wine. The variety originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern French wine, France, but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from English wine, Englan ...

and

Sauvignon blanc is a green-skinned grape variety that originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French words ''sauvage'' ("wild") and ''blanc'' ("white") due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in ...

. In ancient times the area was blanketed by the pumice

tephra Tephra is fragmental material produced by a volcanic eruption regardless of composition, fragment size, or emplacement mechanism. Volcanologists also refer to airborne fragments as pyroclasts. Once clasts have fallen to the ground, they rem ...

of numerous Taupo volcanic events. Much of the Triangle area covers the historical (pre-1860s earthquake) riverbed of the nearby

Ngaruroro River The Ngaruroro River is located in the eastern North Island of New Zealand. It runs for a total of 164 kilometres southeast from the Kaweka Range, Kaimanawa Range and Ruahine Range and then east before emptying into Hawke Bay roughly halfway betwe ...

. As such soil types include Ngatarawa Gravels, Takapau Silty-loam (free draining red metal of mixed alluvial and volcanic origin) and shallow clay-loam soils with underlying deep free draining pumice. Alwyn Corban and Garry Glazebrook of Ngatarawa Wines pioneered wine production in the area in the 1980s and it is only with the growth of other boutique wineries in the late 1990s the "Bridge Pa Triangle" has been delineated and named. The area is also sometimes described as The Maraekakaho Triangle and The Ngatarawa Triangle. Bordering Ngatarawa Road and to the north of the area along State Highway 50 is the

Gimblett Gravels The Hawke's Bay wine region is New Zealand's oldest and second-largest wine-production region, on the east coast of the North Island. Production reached 41,000 tonnes in 2018 from of planted vines, representing 10.2% of total national production ...

wine growing area.

Marae

Bridge Pa has two

marae A ' (in New Zealand Māori, Cook Islands Māori, Tahitian), ' (in Tongan), ' (in Marquesan) or ' (in Samoan) is a communal or sacred place that serves religious and social purposes in Polynesian societies. In all these languages, the term a ...

. Korongatā Marae and Nukanoa meeting house is a meeting place of the

Ngāti Kahungunu Ngāti Kahungunu is a Māori iwi located along the eastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand. The iwi is traditionally centred in the Hawke's Bay and Wairārapa regions. The tribe is organised into six geographical and administrative di ...

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 ...

Ngāti Pōporo 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 ...

and

Ngāti Whatuiāpiti 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 ...

. Mangaroa Marae and Hikawera II meeting house is a meeting place of the

hapū of

and

Ngāti Rahunga 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 ...

. In October 2020, the Government committed $6,020,910 from the

Provincial Growth Fund Shane Geoffrey Jones (born 3 September 1959) is a New Zealand politician. He served as a New Zealand First list MP from 2017 to 2020 and was previously a Labour list MP from 2005 to 2014. Jones was a cabinet minister in the Fifth Labour Gove ...

to upgrade a group of 18 marae, including both Korongatā and Mangaroa. The funding was expected to create 39 jobs.

Education

Bridge Pa School is a co-educational Year 1-8 state primary school, with a roll of as of

Notable people

* Tori Reid - New Zealand rugby union player * Charlene Otene - Tall Fern, Silver Fern *

Kevin Tamati Kevin Ronald Tamati (born 21 September 1953) is a New Zealand former rugby league representative player and coach. He played at representative level for New Zealand, New Zealand Māori, Auckland, Central Districts and Wellington, and professio ...

- Kiwi Rugby League * Jack Maere - Tall Black *

Caroline Evers-Swindell Caroline Frances Meyer (née Evers-Swindell, born 10 October 1978), is a New Zealand former rower. She competed in the double sculls with her identical twin sister Georgina Evers-Swindell. In November 2005 she and her sister were named ''Rowi ...

- Olympic rowing gold medalist *

Georgina Evers-Swindell Georgina Emma Buchanan Earl (born 10 October 1978 in Hastings, New Zealand), better known under her maiden name Georgina Evers-Swindell, is a former New Zealand rower. She competed in the double sculls with her identical twin sister Caroline Ev ...

- Olympic rowing gold medalist, indoor rower *Peter Lyons - New Zealand Gliding champion *

Taine Randell Taine Randell (born 5 November 1974) is a retired New Zealand rugby union player. He was a versatile loose forward and a former All Blacks captain. He was born in Hastings, New Zealand, and is of Ngāti Kahungunu and Waikato Tainui descent. ...

- All Black

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bridge Pa Hastings District Populated places in the Hawke's Bay Region