Ngongotahā is a town on the western shores of

Lake Rotorua , image = Lake Rotorua.jpg , caption = Lake Rotorua , alt = Lake Rotorua , image_bathymetry = , pushpin_map=New Zealand#North Island , pushpin_map_alt = Location of Lake Rotorua , pushpin_relief=yes , caption_bathymetry = , location = R ...

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 ...

North Island The North Island, also officially named Te Ika-a-Māui, is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but much less populous South Island by the Cook Strait. The island's area is , making it the world's 14th-largest ...

. It is 10 kilometers northwest of

Rotorua Rotorua () is a city in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand's North Island. The city lies on the southern shores of Lake Rotorua, from which it takes its name. It is the seat of the Rotorua Lakes District, a territorial authority encompass ...

city, and is part of the Rotorua metropolitan area. Its population was as of Its name is derived from a legend of

Ihenga Ihenga was an early Māori people, Māori explorer, according to Te Arawa folklore. He is credited with exploring and naming many towns and natural features throughout the North Island. He was the grandson of Tama-te-kapua, who was the captain of ...

, the famous Māori explorer. It is said Īhenga met the Patu-paiarehe on Mount Ngongotahā and was offered a drink from a calabash. ''Ngongo'' means "''to drink''", and ''tahā'' means "''calabash''". Ngongotahā is often referred to by locals as the "Sunny side of the Mountain".

Demographics

Ngongotahā covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km². Ngongotahā had a population of 4,872 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 618 people (14.5%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 810 people (19.9%) 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 1,773 households, comprising 2,388 males and 2,478 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.96 males per female, with 1,023 people (21.0%) aged under 15 years, 867 (17.8%) aged 15 to 29, 2,088 (42.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 888 (18.2%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 68.2% 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 ...

, 41.9%

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 ...

, 5.5% Pacific peoples, 4.2%

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 1.6% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas was 14.3, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 52.2% had no religion, 34.9% 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 ...

, 3.1% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.4% 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 ...

, 0.2% 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 ...

, 0.2% 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 1.2% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 618 (16.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 804 (20.9%) people had no formal qualifications. 414 people (10.8%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,812 (47.1%) people were employed full-time, 576 (15.0%) were part-time, and 168 (4.4%) were unemployed.

Marae

Ngongotahā has six

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 ...

. Te Awawherowhero Marae is affiliated with the

Ngāti Whakaue Ngāti Whakaue is a Māori iwi, of the Te Arawa confederation of New Zealand. The tribe lives in the Rotorua district and descends from the Arawa waka. The Ngāti Whakaue village Ōhinemutu is within the township of Rotorua. Ngāti Whakaue tra ...

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 Rautao. Parawai Marae and its Whatumairangi meeting house are affiliated with the

hapū of Ngāti Tuteaiti and Te Whatumairangi, and Te Ure o Uenukukōpako hapū of Ngāti Te Ngākau and Ngāti Tura. Tarimano Marae and Tawakeheimoa meeting house are affiliated with the

Ngāti Rangiwewehi Ngāti Rangiwewehi is an iwi of the Te Arawa confederation of tribes. A Ngāti Rangiwewehi kapa haka group was founded in 1968 and has published their own songs and participated in various music festivals such as Te Matatini. The tribe is a two- ...

hapū of Ngāti Rangiwewehi ki Uta. In October 2020, the Government committed $4,525,104 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 the marae and nine others, creating an estimated 34 jobs. Tārukenga Marae and Te Ngākau meeting house are affiliated with the

hapū of Ngāti Te Ngakau and Ngāti Tura, and Te Ure o Uenukukōpako's hapū of Ngāti Te Ngākau and Ngāti Tura. Waikuta Marae and its Rangitunaeke meeting house are affiliated with the

hapū of Ngāti Rangitunaeke. Waitetī or Weriweri Marae and its Ngāraranui meeting house are affiliated with the

hapū of Ngāti Ngāraranui, and Te Ure o Uenukukōpako hapū of Ngāti Ngāraranui. In October 2020, the Government committed $372,420 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade the marae, and create 20 jobs.

Mount Ngongotahā

Mount Ngongotahā is a high

rhyolite Rhyolite ( ) is the most silica-rich of volcanic rocks. It is generally glassy or fine-grained (aphanitic) in texture, but may be porphyritic, containing larger mineral crystals (phenocrysts) in an otherwise fine-grained groundmass. The mineral ...

dome. It towers above the city; and hosts a Gondola to the top where there is a viewing platform, luge and restaurant. The Mount Ngongotahā Jubilee Track provides the only walking track to the summit, and passes through a scenic reserve. The first section of the track is through original native forest that has not been logged. One of the features is a rata tree tall, and in girth. The original track was cut on Jubilee Day, marking 50 years since the arrival of Captain William Hobson at Waitangi. Another visitor attraction on the slopes of Mount Ngongotahā is the

Wingspan National Bird of Prey Centre Wingspan National Bird of Prey Centre (Wingspan) is a captive breeding facility and visitor centre located on the slopes of Mount Ngongotahā in the Ngongotahā Valley in New Zealand's Rotorua district. Wingspan undertakes conservation, educa ...

. It is a captive breeding facility and visitor centre located in the

Ngongotahā Valley Ngongotahā Valley is a valley formed by the Ngongotahā Stream west of Rotorua, in New Zealand. Springs on the stream were landscaped in 1939 and promoted as Paradise Valley Springs, and the main road into the valley is Paradise Valley Road. ...

. Wingspan undertakes conservation, education and research activities related to birds of prey found in New Zealand, and provides demonstrations of

falconry Falconry is the hunting of wild animals in their natural state and habitat by means of a trained bird of prey. Small animals are hunted; squirrels and rabbits often fall prey to these birds. Two traditional terms are used to describe a person ...

Sports

The village has strong football (

Ngongotaha AFC Ngongotaha AFC (nɔːŋgoʊtɑːhɑː), also known as the Villagers, is an association football club based in Rotorua, New Zealand. They play their home matches at Stembridge Road. They currently compete in the NRFL Southern Conference as Ngong ...

), rugby league (Ngongotaha Sports & Community Association), rugby union, netball and touch teams.

Transport

The main road through the village, known as

SH 36 The following highways are numbered 36: International * European route E36 Australia * City Road, Sydney * Domain Highway, Tasmania * Arnhem Highway Canada *Alberta Highway 36 * Ontario Highway 36 * Saskatchewan Highway 36 China * G36 Expr ...

, runs via Kaharoa and

Pyes Pa Pyes Pa is a suburb of Tauranga, New Zealand. The suburb is located in the southern part of Tauranga about 40.3 km from Rotorua. It includes The Lakes, Cheyne Road and the TECT All Terrain Park. It is named for Captain Charles Pye (1820 ...

Tauranga Tauranga () is a coastal city in the Bay of Plenty region and the fifth most populous city of New Zealand, with an urban population of , or roughly 3% of the national population. It was settled by Māori late in the 13th century, colonised by ...

. The

Rotorua Branch The Rotorua Branch is a railway line from Putāruru to Rotorua, in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions of the North Island of New Zealand. Construction of the line was commenced by the Thames Valley and Rotorua Railway Company and finished b ...

railway runs through Ngongotahā, although this has been unused since the turn of the century. A railway park, operated by a trust and run by volunteers, provides train rides on a scale model steam train and a mini diesel-locomotive on the western side of Ngongotahā near the former line.

Fishing

The Ngongotahā Stream, which flows through the village centre and onward into

is one of the most heavily fished areas in

. Specimen

rainbow trout The rainbow trout (''Oncorhynchus mykiss'') is a species of trout native to cold-water tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead (sometimes called "steelhead trout") is an anadromous (sea-run) form of the coasta ...

and

brown trout The brown trout (''Salmo trutta'') is a European species of salmonid fish that has been widely introduced into suitable environments globally. It includes purely freshwater populations, referred to as the riverine ecotype, ''Salmo trutta'' morph ...

are regularly taken by fly fishermen. Other nearby streams (Awahou, Waiteti and Hamurana) also offer good fishing.

Education

Ngongotaha School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 6 students, with a roll of as of .

Notable people

Despite its small size, Ngongotahā has produced a number of famous New Zealanders, including: *

Temuera Morrison Temuera Derek Morrison (born 26 December 1960) is a New Zealand actor and Singer who first gained recognition for his role as Dr. Hone Ropata on the soap opera ''Shortland Street''. He gained critical acclaim for his starring role as Jake "The ...

, actor *

Phillip Orchard Phillip Charles Orchard (28 July 1948 – 29 July 2018) was a New Zealand rugby league footballer who represented New Zealand in the 1972 and 1975 World Cups. He was later named in the New Zealand Rugby League's Team of the Century. His brother ...

, New Zealand international rugby league player (1960s–1970s) * Robert Orchard, New Zealand international rugby league player (1960s–1970s) * Jeremy Paul, Australian international rugby player, a 1999 World Cup winner *

Hika Reid Hikatarewa Rockcliffe "Hika" Reid (born 8 April 1958) is a former New Zealand rugby union player. A hooker, Reid represented Bay of Plenty and Wellington at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks ...

, New Zealand international rugby union player 1980–1986 *

Ron Russell Ronald Stanley Thornton Russell (22 July 1926 – 7 March 2019) was a Canadian politician and pilot who lived in Nova Scotia. Early life and education Russell was born in Ngongotahā, New Zealand. He was a pilot for the Royal New Zealand Air Fo ...

, Canadian politician

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ngongotaha Populated places in the Bay of Plenty Region Populated places on Lake Rotorua Volcanoes of the Bay of Plenty Region Rotorua Volcanic Centre