Waimārama is a seaside village in

Hastings District Hastings is a town in the United Kingdom, most famous for the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Hastings may also refer to: Places Australia * Hastings, Tasmania, a locality * Hastings, Victoria, Australia ** Electoral district of Hastings, Victoria, ...

Hawke's Bay Hawke's Bay () is a region on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island. The region is named for Hawke Bay, which was named in honour of Edward Hawke. The region's main centres are the cities of Napier and Hastings, while the more rural ...

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

. Waimārama is a popular surf beach, known as a beach break on a sandy beach, with a rocky point. It offers both left and right handers and conditions are often suitable for surfers of all levels. The beach has strong rip currents, and is patrolled by surf lifeguards at weekends from November to March. Motu-o-Kura or Bare Island is located just off the coast and is a popular spot for fishing and diving. The beach town attracts people from across the region, with a restaurant, bar and shop. It also has about 240 permanent residents, with many former holiday baches becoming homes. On 28 April 2011, heavy rain hit the village, causing floods and mudslides.

Demographics

Statistics New Zealand describes Waimārama as a rural settlement, which covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km². It is part of the larger Kahuranaki statistical area. Waimārama had a population of 216 at the

2018 New Zealand census The 2018 New Zealand census, which took place on Tuesday 6 March 2018, was the thirty-fourth national census in New Zealand. The population of New Zealand was counted as 4,699,755 – an increase of 457,707 (10.79%) over the 2013 census. Resu ...

, an increase of 33 people (18.0%) since the 2013 census, and a decrease of 6 people (−2.7%) since the 2006 census. There were 84 households, comprising 111 males and 105 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.06 males per female. The median age was 52.6 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 36 people (16.7%) aged under 15 years, 30 (13.9%) aged 15 to 29, 105 (48.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 48 (22.2%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 80.6% European/

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 ...

, 30.6%

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 ...

, 2.8% Pacific peoples, 1.4% Asian, and 1.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 44.4% had no religion, 44.4% were

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 ...

, 2.8% had

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 ...

and 1.4% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 27 (15.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 33 (18.3%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $33,100, compared with $31,800 nationally. 27 people (15.0%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 87 (48.3%) people were employed full-time, 30 (16.7%) were part-time, and 3 (1.7%) were unemployed.

Kahuranaki statistical area

Kahuranaki statistical area covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km². Before the 2023 census, Kahuranaki had a smaller boundary, covering . Using that boundary, Kahuranaki had a population of 1,413 at the

, an increase of 240 people (20.5%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 309 people (28.0%) since the 2006 census. There were 495 households, comprising 711 males and 702 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.01 males per female. The median age was 44.4 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 285 people (20.2%) aged under 15 years, 207 (14.6%) aged 15 to 29, 720 (51.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 195 (13.8%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 87.3% European/

, 20.6%

, 1.3% Pacific peoples, 0.6% Asian, and 2.1% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas was 19.7, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 53.9% had no religion, 35.0% were

, 2.1% had

, 0.2% were

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 ...

, 0.2% were

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

, 0.4% were

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 ...

and 1.5% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 285 (25.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 129 (11.4%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $37,500, compared with $31,800 nationally. 228 people (20.2%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 615 (54.5%) people were employed full-time, 201 (17.8%) were part-time, and 30 (2.7%) were unemployed.

Marae

The local Waimārama Marae and Taupunga meeting house is a meeting place for the

Ngāti Kahungunu Ngāti Kahungunu is a Māori iwi (tribe) 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 Kahungunu iwi also comprises 86 hapū (sub-tribes ...

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 ...

of Ngāti Hikatoa, Ngāti Kurukuru, Ngāti Urakiterangi and Ngāti Whakaiti. 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 and a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives for the New Zealand First party. Jones' political career began 2005 New Zealand general election, in 2005 as a l ...

to upgrade a group of 18 marae, including Waimārama Marae. The funding was expected to create 39 jobs.

Education

Waimārama School is a co-educational state primary school, with a roll of as of The school started in 1906.

Demographics

Kahuranaki statistical area

Marae

Education

Notes

Further reading