Rahotu

Rahotu is a community in the west of Taranaki, in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located on State Highway 45, 16 kilometres north of Ōpunake and 11 km south of Warea.

The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "Long for the sun" for .

History

In 1826, on the eastern side of Rahotu, a pā of the Ngāti Maru was the site of a battle with Waikato Māori.

On 29 April 1834, a 240-ton barque called ''Harriet'' was wrecked off the coast near Rahuto, and some of the crew including the captain's wife and two young children were captured by local Māori. They were rescued by HMS ''Alligator'' five months later. The ''Harriets anchor is displayed outside the Rahotu Hotel.

A constabulary camp was formed at Rahotu in 1881 and a telegraph station established.

The current town was settled in the 1880s and was well established by the early 20th century.

Demographics

The Cape Egmont statistical area covers , including Warea, Pungarehu, Parihaka, Oaonui, and Rahotu. It had a population of 2,067 at the 2018 New Zealand census, a decrease of 39 people (-1.9%) since the 2013 census, and a decrease of 33 people (-1.6%) since the 2006 census. There were 774 households. There were 1,107 males and 960 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.15 males per female. The median age was 34.1 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 561 people (27.1%) aged under 15 years, 378 (18.3%) aged 15 to 29, 963 (46.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 168 (8.1%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 81.9% European/Pākehā, 28.2% Māori, 1.5% Pacific peoples, 2.3% Asian, and 2.6% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).

The proportion of people born overseas was 7.1%, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people objected to giving their religion, 56.0% had no religion, 31.9% were Christian, 0.6% were Buddhist and 2.9% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 174 (11.6%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 399 (26.5%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $32,400, compared with $31,800 nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 810 (53.8%) people were employed full-time, 267 (17.7%) were part-time, and 57 (3.8%) were unemployed.

Education

Rahotu School is a coeducational full primary (years 1-8) school with a roll of students as of The school was founded in 1884, with a second classroom added in 1908, and substantial expansion in 1953.

Notes

External links

Rahotu School website

{{South Taranaki District

South Taranaki District
Populated places in Taranaki