Waiuku is a rural town in the

Auckland Region Auckland () is one of the 16 regions of New Zealand, which takes its name from the eponymous urban areas of New Zealand, urban area. The region encompasses the Auckland, Auckland metropolitan area, smaller towns, rural areas, and the islands o ...

of New Zealand. It is located at the southern end of the

Waiuku River The Waiuku River, also known as the Waiuku Estuary, is an Estuary, estuarial arm of the Manukau Harbour, near the town of Waiuku, south-west of Auckland. It joins the harbour at the south west and extends south for , having its head close to th ...

, which is an

estuarial An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environm ...

arm of the

Manukau Harbour The Manukau Harbour is the second largest natural harbour in New Zealand by area. It is located to the southwest of the Auckland isthmus, and opens out into the Tasman Sea. Geography The harbour mouth is between the northern head ("Burnett ...

, and lies on the isthmus of the

Āwhitu Peninsula The Āwhitu Peninsula is a long peninsula in the North Island of New Zealand, extending north from the mouth of the Waikato River to the entrance to Manukau Harbour. The Peninsula is bounded in the west by rugged cliffs over the Tasman Sea, but ...

, which extends to the northeast. It is 40 kilometres southwest of

Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...

city centre, and 12 kilometres north of the mouth of the

Waikato River The Waikato River is the longest river in New Zealand, running for through the North Island. It rises on the eastern slopes of Mount Ruapehu, joining the Tongariro River system and flowing through Lake Taupō, New Zealand's largest lake. It th ...

. Settled in the 13th or 14th centuries, the Waiuku area was an important transportation hub, as the Te Pai o Kaiwaka

portage Portage or portaging ( CA: ; ) is the practice of carrying water craft or cargo over land, either around an obstacle in a river, or between two bodies of water. A path where items are regularly carried between bodies of water is also called a '' ...

was the preferred route for people travelling between the

and

. The area became a centre for Ngāti Kahukōkā, a

Waiohua Te Waiohua or Te Wai-o-Hua is a Māori people, Māori iwi (tribe) confederation that thrived in the early 17th century. The rohe (tribal area) was primarily the central Auckland, Tāmaki Makaurau area (the Auckland isthmus) and they had pā (for ...

hapū In Māori language, 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 ...

, by the 15th century.

Ngāti Te Ata Iwi () are the largest social units in New Zealand Māori society. In Māori, roughly means or , and is often translated as "tribe". The word is both singular and plural in the Māori language, and is typically pluralised as such in English. ...

developed as a union between Waiohua and

Waikato Tainui Waikato Tainui, Waikato or Tainui is a group of Māori ''iwi'' based in the Waikato Region, in the western central region of New Zealand's North Island. It is part of the larger Tainui confederation of Polynesian settlers who arrived to New Zeal ...

peoples, around the 17th century at Waiuku. Waiuku became a trading port in 1851, facilitating trade between the Waikato River and the port of

Onehunga Onehunga is a suburb of Auckland in New Zealand and the location of the Port of Onehunga, the city's small port on the Manukau Harbour. It is south of the city centre, close to the volcanic cone of Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill. Onehunga is ...

, and Purapura, a Ngāti Te Ata village was established at the navigable head of the Awaroa Creek to the south. After the

Invasion of the Waikato The invasion of the Waikato became the largest and most important campaign of the 19th-century New Zealand Wars. Hostilities took place in the North Island of New Zealand between the military forces of the colonial government and a federation ...

in 1863, the port of Waiuku suffered due to the lack of Māori produce being transported. By the end of the 19th century, Waiuku had begun developing into a centre for the

dairy A dairy is a place where milk is stored and where butter, cheese, and other dairy products are made, or a place where those products are sold. It may be a room, a building, or a larger establishment. In the United States, the word may also des ...

industry. In 1922, a railway line branch was constructed to Waiuku, and by 1955 Waiuku had grown enough to become an independent borough. In 1968, the

Glenbrook steel mill New Zealand Steel Limited is the owner of the Glenbrook Steel Mill, a steel mill located 40 kilometres south of Auckland, in Glenbrook, New Zealand. The mill was constructed in 1968 and began producing steel products in 1969. Currently, the ...

opened in neighbouring Glenbrook, becoming a major employer in Waiuku.

Etymology

The name is a

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 Co ...

name meaning "Waters of Uku"; being a type of clay used as a soap. The name recalls the story of a Ngāti Kahukōkā woman of high rank who was choosing between two suitors, Tamakau and Tamakae. Tamakae, having been working in the

kūmara The sweet potato or sweetpotato (''Ipomoea batatas'') is a dicotyledonous plant in the morning glory family, Convolvulaceae. Its sizeable, starchy, sweet-tasting tuberous roots are used as a root vegetable, which is a staple food in parts of the ...

gardens, was taken to the river by the elders of the area to be washed using from the shores of the Waiuku River, before meeting his potential new wife. The location where Tamakae was washed was the western banks of the Waiuku River, directly behind where the Waiuku Museum stands today.

Geography

Waiuku is located at the southern end of the

, an estuarial arm of the

. It is close to the town of

Pukekohe Pukekohe is a town in the Auckland Region of the North Island of New Zealand. The town is located at the southern edge of the Auckland Region, between the southern shore of the Manukau Harbour and the mouth of the Waikato River. The hills of Puke ...

to the east, and is directly north of the

mouth. Prior to European settlement, the Waiuku area was primarily a dense

kahikatea ''Dacrycarpus dacrydioides'', commonly known as kahikatea (from Māori language, Māori) and white pine, is a Pinophyta, coniferous tree endemism, endemic to New Zealand. A Podocarpaceae, podocarp, it is New Zealand's tallest tree, gaining hei ...

-dominated forest, with swamps areas near waterways. Since then, the majority of swamps have been drained.

Climate

History

Māori history

The

has been settled by

Tāmaki Māori Tāmaki Māori are Māori ''iwi'' and ''hapū'' (tribes and sub-tribes) who have a strong connection to Tāmaki Makaurau (the Auckland Region), and whose rohe was traditionally within the region. Among Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau (the M� ...

since around the 13th or 14th centuries. Tāmaki Māori of the southern Manukau Harbour traditionally used the food resources of the harbour, collecting shellfish such as cockles, sea urchins and

kōura ''Paranephrops'' is a genus of freshwater crayfish found only in New Zealand. They are known by the English common names freshwater crayfish and koura, the latter from their Māori language, Māori name of ''kōura''. Species The two species a ...

, and fished species including snapper, kahawai and parore. The Waiuku area was an important due to Te Pai o Kaiwaka, a

which was the main route for transport between the

and the

. The route followed the Awaroa Stream to the northernmost navigable point, after which

waka WAKA (channel 8) is a television station licensed to Selma, Alabama, United States, serving as the CBS affiliate for the Montgomery area. It is owned by Bahakel Communications alongside Tuskegee-licensed CW+ affiliate WBMM (channel 22); B ...

were hauled overland to the

. The portage was the preferred route, due to the unpredictable seas of the west coast. The existence of the portage meant that the Waiuku area has historically been difficult to settle during times of war. The

Ngāti Kahukōkā began occupying the southern Manukau Harbour and

mouth around the 15th century. Ngāti Kahukōkā's main centres were Puketapu on the

, Tītī, near modern-day Mauku. In the 17th century, Ngāti Kahukōkā were led by Te Ata-i-Rehia, granddaughter of Huakaiwaka, the eponymous ancestor of the

, a major confederation of

iwi Iwi () are the largest social units in New Zealand Māori society. In Māori, roughly means or , and is often translated as "tribe". The word is both singular and plural in the Māori language, and is typically pluralised as such in English. ...

of the

Tāmaki isthmus The Auckland isthmus, also known as the Tāmaki isthmus, is a narrow stretch of land on the North Island of New Zealand in the Auckland Region, and the location of the central suburbs of the city of Auckland and the Auckland CBD, central busi ...

and

South Auckland South Auckland ( or ) is one of the major geographical regions of Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand. The area is south of the Auckland isthmus, and on the eastern shores of the Manukau Harbour. The area has been populated by Tāmaki M� ...

areas. Te Ata-i-Rehia was gifted land after Ngāti Kahukōkā were helped in conflicts by Waiohua. The iwi were also known by the name Te Ruakaiwhare, referencing the

taniwha In Māori mythology, taniwha () are large supernatural beings that live in deep pools in rivers, dark caves, or in the sea, especially in places with dangerous currents or deceptive breakers (giant waves). They may be considered highly respecte ...

guardian of the Manukau Harbour, Kaiwhare, who looked over the tribe.Then took name from Te Ata I Rehia. Continuing to face invasions from neighbouring tribes, Te Ata-i-Rehia married the

Ngāti Mahuta Ngāti Mahuta is a sub-tribe (or hapū) of the Waikato (iwi), Waikato tribe (or iwi) of Māori people, Māori in the North Island of New Zealand. The territory (rohe) of Ngāti Mahuta is the Kawhia Harbour, Kawhia and Huntly, New Zealand, Hunt ...

chief Tapaue. A new tribal identity grew from the union between Waiohua and

. Upon her death, the iwi took the name

, making Te Ata-i-Rehia the eponymous ancestor of the iwi. After the death of Tapaue, the couples' son Pāpaka secured Waiuku for Ngāti Te Ata. By 1700, Te Awaroa / Te Pae o Kaiwaka

Pā The word pā (; often spelled pa in English) can refer to any Māori people, Māori village or defensive settlement, but often refers to hillforts – fortified settlements with palisades and defensive :wikt:terrace, terraces – and also to fo ...

had been established as a defensive fortification on the eastern banks of the Awaroa Creek, surrounded by a forested swamp.

Ngāti Tamaoho Ngāti Tamaoho is a Māori iwi (tribe) of Auckland and the Waikato District of New Zealand. It is part of the Waiohua confederation of tribes. They have three marae, which are at Karaka, Mangatangi and Pukekohe. The tribe is a strong support ...

, an iwi closely related to Ngāti Te Ata, began to have a presence on the

and southern Manukau Harbour by the 18th century.

Musket Wars

By the early 19th century, the southwestern Manukau Harbour and Waikato River mouth was a densely settled area, where interrelated hapū, Ngāti Te Ata,

, Ngāti Tiipa and Ngāti Pou, had established

kāinga A kāinga ( southern Māori: ''kaika'' or ''kaik'') is the traditional form of village habitation of pre-European Māori in New Zealand. It was unfortified or only lightly fortified, and over time became less important than the well-fortified ...

. In March 1822, a

Ngāpuhi Ngāpuhi (also known as Ngāpuhi-Nui-Tonu or Ngā Puhi) is a Māori iwi associated with the Northland regions of New Zealand centred in the Hokianga, the Bay of Islands, and Whangārei. According to the 2023 New Zealand census, the estimate ...

taua (war party) led by

Hongi Hika Hongi Hika ( – 6 March 1828) was a New Zealand Māori rangatira (chief) and war leader of the iwi of Ngāpuhi. He was a pivotal figure in the early years of regular European contact and settlement in New Zealand. As one of the first Māor ...

attacked the

settlements. While Ngāti Te Ata successfully repelled the attackers at Waiuku, most members of Ngāti Te Ata fled the area for safety, with only a small number remaining for

ahi kā Ahi kā or Ahi kaa (burning fires) is a principle in Māori culture, referring to take whenua (land rights) through visible occupation and use of land. Ahi kā is one of the traditional means to establish mana whenua (authority over land). Exte ...

(visible occupation land rights). In 1823 during the war, Hongi Hika hauled his waka over the portage at Waiuku, to reach the Waikato River. The area remained depopulated until the mid-1830s. As a result of the Musket Wars, the Waiohua and Waikato hapū of the southern Manukau developed closer ties.

Early colonial era

The first Europeans to live in the area arrived in September 1836, when Robert Maunsell chose Moeatoa as the location of the first

Christian Missionary Society station. The Maunsells moved to

Port Waikato Port Waikato is a New Zealand town that sits on the south bank of the Waikato River, at its outflow into the Tasman Sea, in the northern Waikato. Port Waikato is a well-known surfing and whitebaiting destination and a popular holiday spot. ...

in the following year, where they established the Te Kohanga Mission. By the late 1830s, Ngāti Tamaoho chief

Ēpiha Pūtini Ēpiha Pūtini ( 1816 – 22 March 1856) , born Te Rangiata-Ahua Ngamuka and later known as Jabez Bunting was a prominent chief of Ngāti Tamaoho, who occupied the area south of Papatoetoe and through the Hunua Ranges to the Bombay Hills. As ran ...

began envisioning the Waiuku area as a planned European settlement, which would facilitate trade between the Manukau Harbour and the Waikato River. Ngāti Te Ata used the Waiuku portage to transport goods to the Manukau Harbour, until the Government funded the construction of a bullock track between the Waiuku and Awaroa rivers in the late 1840s. The New Zealand Government sold Waiuku allotments to settlers in 1851. This included early settler Edward Constable, who established the Kentish Hotel in 1851 or early 1852. The hotel quickly became the focal point for the new settlement of Waiuku, which flourished as a trading port by the mid-1850s. Ngāti Te Ata and European settlers mingled together in the settlement, and Ahipene Kaihau,

rangatira In Māori culture, () are tribal chiefs, the leaders (often hereditary) of a (subtribe or clan). Ideally, were people of great practical wisdom who held authority () on behalf of the tribe and maintained boundaries between a tribe's land ( ...

of Ngāti Te Ata, was a close confidant of Governor

George Grey Sir George Grey, KCB (14 April 1812 – 19 September 1898) was a British soldier, explorer, colonial administrator and writer. He served in a succession of governing positions: Governor of South Australia, twice Governor of New Zealand, Gov ...

, who regularly invited to stay at Waiuku. Grey commissioned a ship to service the route between Onehunga and Waiuku. By 1856, the Māori village of Purapura was established to the south of Waiuku, at the northernmost point on the Awaroa Creek navigable by waka. In 1856, five European families settled to the east at Mauku, and a church called St. Bride's was established for the village. Mauku was the first European settlement visited by the first

Māori King 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 Co ...

Pōtatau Te Wherowhero Pōtatau Te Wherowhero (died 25 June 1860) was a Māori people, Māori rangatira who reigned as the inaugural Māori King Movement, Māori King from 1858 until his death. A powerful nobleman and a leader of the Waikato (iwi), Waikato iwi of the ...

, after his coronation in 1858. One of the founders of St Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Waiuku in the 19th century was Captain Sir John Makgill. Makgill arrived with his family in Waiuku in 1882 and established a farm called 'Brackmont' at Taurangaruru. He eventually increased his holdings there to about 2500 acres, and also bought land at Orua Bay. Sir John Makgill died at Brackmont on 14 November 1906. His wife was Margaret Isabella Haldane, sister of Lord Haldane, and their eldest son was

George Makgill Sir George Makgill, 11th Baronet, ''de jure'' 11th Viscount of Oxfuird (24 December 1868 – 16 October 1926) was a Scottish peer, novelist and right-wing propagandist. Biography George Makgill was born in Stirling, the son of Captain Sir John ...

who spent most of his adult life in Scotland, becoming 11th Baronet of Makgill on his father's death. One other son John E Makgill continued to farm at Taurangaruru, while another Robert Haldane Makgill was a key figure in the development of New Zealand's public health system. He was one of the country's first district health officers, at a time when central government took on greater responsibility for public health. He was to play an important role during the 1918 influenza pandemic and its aftermath, notably as 'the chief architect' of 'the most useful legacy of the 1918 influenza pandemic': the 1920 Health Act.'Late Sir G. Makgill: Formerly of Waiuku', Waiuku News, 26 October 1926, p. 2; 'Coming to Waiuku', Barnacle Bulletin, April 1995, . 9 Heather Makgill and Val Loh, The Pioneering Baronet: Makgill Family Reunion 2000, Waiuku, 2000; 'The Makgills of Taurangaruru and Orua Bay', Peninsularama, no. 165, May 2000, pp. 20-1

Invasion of the Waikato

In 1861, Governor George Grey ordered the construction of the Great South Road further into the Waikato, due to fears of potential invasion of

. On 9 July 1863, due to fears of the

Māori King Movement 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 Co ...

, Governor Grey proclaimed that all Māori living in the South Auckland area needed to swear loyalty to the Queen and give up their weapons. Most people refused due to strong links to Tainui, leaving for the south before the Government's

. Small numbers of people remained, in order to tend to their farms and for ahi kā. Most Māori who lived south of Auckland felt they had no choice due to their strong ties to Tainui and

, and were forced to flee to the south. Immediately prior to the war, the government constructed the Mauku Stockade near Waiuku. On 23 September 1863, a skirmish began at the Māori village of Tītī near Mauku, and nine European soldiers were killed. September saw a number of skirmishes between Ngāti Tamaoho and related hapū and the Mauku Company of Forest Rifles, led by Daniel H. Lusk. While considered a "friendly" iwi by Grey during the war due to Grey's relationship with Ahipene Kaihau, after the war a combined of Ngāti Te Ata land was confiscated by the Crown in December 1864, with further confiscations in early 1865. Most members of the iwi left for the Waikato in the aftermath of the war. After a period, some members of Ngāti Te Ata when some of the confiscated lands were returned, many living at Moeatoa Marae, opposite the modern Glenbrook Steel Mill, where the Christian Missionary Society mission had been located. Waiuku township suffered as a trading post after the invasion, as Māori produce from the Waikato and Manukau were no longer sent through Waiuku. A canal scheme was proposed, that would link the Waikato River to the Manukau Harbour, but plans for the canal never progressed.

Growth of Waiuku township

In 1868, Edward Constable constructed flax mills at Purapura and Waipapa, which led to Waiuku becoming a centre for the flax trade in the 1870s. Between 1870 and 1900, Waiuku, Karaka and the

became major centres for the

kauri gum Kauri gum is resin from kauri trees (''Agathis australis''), which historically had several important industrial uses. It can also be used to make crafts such as jewellery. Kauri forests once covered much of the North Island of New Zealand, bef ...

industry. Waiuku developed as a town when refrigeration made

farming financially viable in the late 19th century. Dairy pastures were developed to the south at Otaua and Aka Aka in the late 1880s. Development of the area was slow, in part due to the shallow port on the Waiuku River hindering ships at low tide. In 1901, oyster reserves were established along the Waiuku River, and by 1915, a butter factory had been established at Waiuku. The first great Waiuku fire occurred on 28 August 1916, which destroyed many of the shops and offices to the east of Queen Street. The fire leads the Waiuku Town Board to proclaim that areas of central Waiuku could only have new buildings constructed from brick or masonry. During the 1920s, 96 Ngāti Te Ata families were evicted from Moeatoa Marae. The land had gone into public administration after the death of the titled landholder of the marae land (the

Māori Land Court The Māori Land Court () is the specialist court of record in New Zealand that hears matters relating to Māori land. Established in 1865 as the Native Land Court, its purpose was to translate customary communal landholdings into individual ti ...

having individuated Ngāti Te Ata land titles in the late 19th century). On 5 January 1922, the Waiuku branch railway line was opened between Paerata and Waiuku. This led to the port of Waiuku no longer being used; with passenger services to Onehunga ceasing in 1925, and shipping ceasing a few years after. Within a few years, the railway was no longer financially viable, as local residents preferred to use roads. Passenger rail services to Waiuku were replaced by buses in 1948, and goods trains cease using the Waiuku branch line in 1967. A spur to the steel mill (detailed below) was opened in 1968, saving the line from being closed entirely. In 1939, Ngāti Te Ata land southwest of Waiuku was requisitioned by the Department of Public Works, in order to protect land against coastal erosion, and to establish the Waiuku State Forest. Further land was requisitioned in 1959 to expand the forest. By 1955, the town had grown enough that the Borough of Waiuku was created, independent from Franklin County. In 1966, the New Zealand Government announced a scheme to establish a

steel mill A steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel. It may be an integrated steel works carrying out all steps of steelmaking from smelting iron ore to rolled product, but may also be a plant where steel semi-fini ...

near Waiuku. The

Glenbrook Steel Mill New Zealand Steel Limited is the owner of the Glenbrook Steel Mill, a steel mill located 40 kilometres south of Auckland, in Glenbrook, New Zealand. The mill was constructed in 1968 and began producing steel products in 1969. Currently, the ...

began operating in 1968, and from 1969 began harvesting ironsand from requisitioned Ngāti Te Ata lands along the Waikato River. Over time, Waiuku has developed into a service centre for the surrounding rural area, and residence for many

New Zealand Steel New Zealand Steel Limited is the owner of the Glenbrook Steel Mill, a steel mill located 40 kilometres south of Auckland, in Glenbrook, New Zealand. The mill was constructed in 1968 and began producing steel products in 1969. Currently, the ...

employees.

Demographics

Stats NZ describes Waiuku as a small urban area, which covers . It had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km². Waiuku had a population of 9,531 in the

2023 New Zealand census The 2023 New Zealand census, which took place on 7 March 2023, was the thirty-fifth national census in New Zealand. It implemented measures that aimed to increase the Census' effectiveness in response to the issues faced with the 2018 census, i ...

, an increase of 258 people (2.8%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 1,119 people (13.3%) since the 2013 census. There were 4,716 males, 4,788 females and 30 people of other genders in 3,396 dwellings. 2.3% of people identified as

LGBTIQ+ LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, asexual, aromantic, agender, and other individuals. The group is ...

. The median age was 39.4 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 2,007 people (21.1%) aged under 15 years, 1,623 (17.0%) aged 15 to 29, 4,197 (44.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,704 (17.9%) aged 65 or older. People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 81.0%

European European, or Europeans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe and other West ...

(

Pākehā ''Pākehā'' (or ''Pakeha''; ; ) is a Māori language, Māori-language word used in English, particularly in New Zealand. It generally means a non-Polynesians, Polynesian New Zealanders, New Zealander or more specifically a European New Zeala ...

); 22.0%

; 6.7% Pasifika; 8.0% Asian; 0.8% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.2% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.2%, Māori language by 3.4%, Samoan by 0.5%, and other languages by 9.5%. No language could be spoken by 1.9% (e.g. too young to talk).

New Zealand Sign Language New Zealand Sign Language or NZSL () is the main language of the deaf community in New Zealand. It became an official language of New Zealand in April 2006 under the New Zealand Sign Language Act 2006. The purpose of the act was to create rights ...

was known by 0.3%. The percentage of people born overseas was 21.9, compared with 28.8% nationally. Religious affiliations were 27.2%

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

, 1.7%

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

, 0.5%

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

, 1.0%

Māori religious beliefs 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 Co ...

, 0.3%

Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

, 0.5%

New Age New Age is a range of Spirituality, spiritual or Religion, religious practices and beliefs that rapidly grew in Western world, Western society during the early 1970s. Its highly eclecticism, eclectic and unsystematic structure makes a precise d ...

, 0.1%

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

, and 1.5% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 58.6%, and 8.7% of people did not answer the census question. Of those at least 15 years old, 1,146 (15.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 4,263 (56.7%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 2,118 (28.1%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $41,500, compared with $41,500 nationally. 954 people (12.7%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 3,864 (51.4%) people were employed full-time, 816 (10.8%) were part-time, and 213 (2.8%) were unemployed.

Marae

Waiuku has two

marae A ' (in Māori language, New Zealand Māori, Cook Islands Māori, Tahitian language, Tahitian), ' (in Tongan language, Tongan), ' (in Marquesan language, Marquesan) or ' (in Samoan language, Samoan) is a communal or sacred place that serves reli ...

affiliated with the

of Te Ākitai,

Ngāti Paretaua Waikato Tainui, Waikato or Tainui is a group of Māori ''iwi'' based in the Waikato Region, in the western central region of New Zealand's North Island. It is part of the larger Tainui confederation of Polynesian settlers who arrived to New Zeal ...

and

: Reretēwhioi Marae and its Arohanui meeting house, and Tāhuna Marae and its Teuwira meeting house.

Local government

The first local government in the area were the Waipipi and Waiuku Highway Districts, which were formed in 1867 to administer road upkeep and public works projects. The highway districts split Waiuku township in two. Waiuku became a part of the Franklin County in 1914, and within a few months the Waiuku Town District was established on 29 July 1914, as an entity within the county. In 1939, the Waiuku Town Board offices were constructed on Queen Street opposite the Kentish Hotel, which were in use by 1940. By 1955, Waiuku had grown enough to become a borough, independent from the Franklin County. The Waiuku Borough had two majors during its existence: R. S. Whiteside who served from 1955 to 1971, and S. K. Lawrence, who served from 1971 to 1989. In 1989, the Borough of Waiuku was merged with the newly formed

Franklin District Franklin District was a New Zealand territorial authorities of New Zealand, territorial authority that lay between the Auckland metropolitan area and the Waikato Plains. As a formal territory, it was abolished on 31 October 2010 and divided be ...

. In November 2010, all cities and districts of the Auckland Region were amalgamated into a single body, governed by the

Auckland Council Auckland Council () is the local government council for the Auckland Region in New Zealand. It is a territorial authority that also has the responsibilities, duties and powers of a regional council and so is a unitary authority, according to t ...

. Waiuku is a part of the

Franklin Franklin may refer to: People and characters * Franklin (given name), including list of people and characters with the name * Franklin (surname), including list of people and characters with the name * Franklin (class), a member of a historic ...

local board area. The residents of Waiuku elect a local board, and one councillor from the

Franklin ward The Franklin Ward is the southernmost ward on the Auckland Council. The Franklin ward has one local board, also called Franklin; the Franklin Local Board has three subdivisions - Wairoa, Pukekohe and Waiuku. Franklin is currently represented by A ...

to sit on the

Attractions

The local pub, called

The Kentish Hotel The Kentish Hotel is a pub in Waiuku, Waiuku, New Zealand that lays claim to the longest continuous liquor licence in the country. The Kentish Hotel has stood the test of time as being one of the most famous established watering holes in the F ...

, is New Zealand's longest continuously licensed hotel. It was built by one of the first European settlers in Waiuku, Edward Constable, as an inn in 1851. His presence can still be felt in the name of the pub (he was from Kent), and the street behind it - Constable Road. The Kentish, with its ornate verandahs, provides a historical centre point to the town and the nearby Tamakae Reserve. At the entrance to the Reserve stands a statue of Tamakae carved from swamp kauri logs. The logs were found during some excavation work at New Zealand Steel and gifted to the local iwi (tribe), Ngati Te Ata. The Reserve also has a small historic "village" with several restored buildings including Hartmann House, dating back to 1886, now operating as a local craft studio, Pollock Cottage (1890), Waiuku Jail (1865) and The Creamery (1890s). The nearby Waiuku Museum has colonial era memorabilia, Māori artifacts, old sailing boats and historic photographs. A heritage trail around town points out further sites of historic interest in Waiuku including Wesley Methodist Church (1883), from where visitors to the town can get a panoramic view across Waiuku and the waterfront reserve. Waiuku Museum, a museum on local history, opened in 1965.

Glenbrook Vintage Railway The Glenbrook Vintage Railway (GVR) is a heritage steam railway in Glenbrook, New Zealand. The GVR is run by a trust board of three trustees elected and appointed from Railway Enthusiasts Society (RES) membership. The board appoints a general ...

is a heritage railway opened in 1977. It operates the section of the Waiuku branch line from Glenbrook to Waiuku that was closed in 1967 and was in the process of being lifted. The West Coast black sand beach, Karioitahi, is located nearby. Waiuku has a pistol club with a ranges, and one of New Zealand's largest

airsoft Airsoft, also known as survival game () in Japan where it was popular, is a team sport, team-based shooting sport, shooting game in which participants eliminate opposing players out of play by shooting them with airsoft pellets, spherical plast ...

clubs.

Education

Waiuku College is a secondary school (years 9–13) with a roll of . Waiuku Primary School, View Road School and Sandspit Road School are full primary schools (years 1–8) with rolls of , and students, respectively. All these schools are coeducational. Rolls are as of

Notable people

Notable people from Waiuku include: * David Aspin, Olympic wrestler *

Zinzan Brooke Zinzan Valentine Brooke (born Murray Zinzan Brooke on 14 February 1965) is a former New Zealand rugby union footballer who played at number eight. Brooke played 58 tests for New Zealand, and 42 non-international matches for the All Blacks. He ...

, rugby player *

Stephen Donald Stephen Rex Donald (born 3 December 1983) is a New Zealand rugby union player who played for the Green Rockets Tokatsu, NEC Green Rockets in the Japanese Top League. A Fly-half (rugby union), first five-eighth or Centre (rugby union), centre, he ...

, rugby player *

Ross Ihaka George Ross Ihaka (born 1954) is a Māori people, Māori New Zealander statistician who was an associate professor of statistics at the University of Auckland until his retirement in 2017. Alongside Robert Gentleman (statistician), Robert Gentle ...

, statistics professor *

Elsie Locke Elsie Violet Locke (née Farrelly; 17 August 1912 – 8 April 2001) was a New Zealand Communism, communist writer, historian, and leading activist in the feminism and peace movements. Also available to subscribers at Oxford Reference Online'. P ...

, peace activist, historian and writer. Locke spent much of her childhood in Waiuku, and set her children's book ''The End of the Harbour: An Historical Novel for Children'' (1968) in 1860s Waiuku. *

, Scottish baronet and novelist. Makgill's father owned a station at Waiuku in the 1870s.Gaskell, E., ''Suffolk leaders'', c. 1910 * John Campbell Paterson, Bishop of Auckland from 1994 to 2010 *

Kevin Skinner Patrick Kevin Skinner (born February 25, 1974) is an American country music singer from the Jackson Purchase region of Kentucky. He is the winner of the fourth season of ''America's Got Talent''. Early life and career Skinner is from the D ...

, rugby player * Pat Walsh, rugby player

References

Bibliography

* * *

External links

Waiuku Town
website created by the Waiuku Business and Development Association
Waiukufamilies.org.nz - General information about Waiuku

Waiuku attractions
{{Subject bar, auto=y, d=y 1851 establishments in New Zealand Franklin Local Board Area Kauri gum Populated places around the Manukau Harbour Populated places in the Auckland Region Populated places established in 1851