Wairakei
Wairakei is a small settlement and geothermal area 8-kilometres (5 mi) north of Taupō, in the centre of the North Island of New Zealand, on the Waikato River. It is part of the Taupō Volcanic Zone and features several natural geysers, hot pools, boiling mud pools, and the Wairakei Power Station, a major geothermal electric power generating station.
The station was the second large-scale geothermal facility worldwide, and was commissioned in 1958. It was listed in the book 70 Wonders Of The Modern World published in 2000 by Reader's Digest to record The Eventful 20th Century.[6]
The settlement, referred to as Wairakei Village, was constructed to house the workers of both the power station and the neighbouring Aratiatia hydro power station.
From 31 October 2022 it had buses to Taupō, Mondays to Fridays.[7]
Demographics
Statistics New Zealand describes Wairakei Village as a rural settlement, which covers 0.36 km2 (0.14 sq mi).[4] and had an estimated population of 490 as of June 2024,[5] with a population density of 1,361 people per km2. The settlement is part of the larger Wairakei-Broadlands statistical area.[8]
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 465 | — |
| 2013 | 453 | −0.37% |
| 2018 | 510 | +2.40% |
| 2023 | 480 | −1.21% |
| Source: [9][10] | ||
Wairākei Village had a population of 480 in the 2023 New Zealand census, a decrease of 30 people (−5.9%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 27 people (6.0%) since the 2013 census. There were 246 males, 234 females, and 3 people of other genders in 147 dwellings.[11] 2.5% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 32.4 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 123 people (25.6%) aged under 15 years, 93 (19.4%) aged 15 to 29, 222 (46.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 45 (9.4%) aged 65 or older.[9]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 71.9% European (Pākehā); 46.2% Māori; 3.1% Pasifika; 1.9% Asian; 1.2% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.5% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.2%, Māori by 7.5%, Samoan by 0.6%, and other languages by 5.6%. No language could be spoken by 2.5% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 1.2%. The percentage of people born overseas was 11.2, compared with 28.8% nationally.[9]
Religious affiliations were 17.5% Christian, 0.6% Hindu, 5.6% Māori religious beliefs, and 1.2% New Age. People who answered that they had no religion were 63.8%, and 11.9% of people did not answer the census question.[9]
Of those at least 15 years old, 30 (8.4%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 210 (58.8%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 114 (31.9%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $35,500, compared with $41,500 nationally. 18 people (5.0%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 189 (52.9%) full-time, 60 (16.8%) part-time, and 6 (1.7%) unemployed.[9]
Wairakei-Broadlands statistical area
Wairakei-Broadlands statistical area covers 410.00 km2 (158.30 sq mi)[12] and had an estimated population of 1,320 as of June 2024,[13] with a population density of 3.2 people per km2.
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 1,092 | — |
| 2013 | 1,152 | +0.77% |
| 2018 | 1,236 | +1.42% |
| 2023 | 1,182 | −0.89% |
| Source: [14][15] | ||
Wairākei-Broadlands had a population of 1,182 in the 2023 New Zealand census, a decrease of 54 people (−4.4%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 30 people (2.6%) since the 2013 census. There were 621 males, 558 females, and 3 people of other genders in 417 dwellings.[16] 2.3% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 35.1 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 258 people (21.8%) aged under 15 years, 216 (18.3%) aged 15 to 29, 567 (48.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 138 (11.7%) aged 65 or older.[14]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 77.7% European (Pākehā); 36.5% Māori; 2.8% Pasifika; 3.3% Asian; 1.0% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.0% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.7%, Māori by 5.3%, Samoan by 0.3%, and other languages by 5.8%. No language could be spoken by 2.3% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.8%. The percentage of people born overseas was 13.5, compared with 28.8% nationally.[14]
Religious affiliations were 20.8% Christian, 0.8% Hindu, 3.6% Māori religious beliefs, 0.5% Buddhist, 0.8% New Age, and 1.0% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 62.2%, and 10.7% of people did not answer the census question.[14]
Of those at least 15 years old, 105 (11.4%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 549 (59.4%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 270 (29.2%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $44,200, compared with $41,500 nationally. 78 people (8.4%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 540 (58.4%) full-time, 138 (14.9%) part-time, and 15 (1.6%) unemployed.[14]
Education
Wairakei School is a co-educational state primary school,[17][18] with a roll of 326 as of March 2025.[19][20] The school opened in 1959.[21]
Notable people
- Louise Rennison, lived here as a teenager[22]
Climate
| Climate data for Wairakei (1962–1987 normals, extremes 1952–1988) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 32.9 (91.2) |
34.0 (93.2) |
30.0 (86.0) |
26.9 (80.4) |
21.2 (70.2) |
18.3 (64.9) |
17.8 (64.0) |
18.8 (65.8) |
23.0 (73.4) |
28.3 (82.9) |
28.0 (82.4) |
31.2 (88.2) |
34.0 (93.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 23.5 (74.3) |
23.7 (74.7) |
21.7 (71.1) |
18.4 (65.1) |
14.4 (57.9) |
11.9 (53.4) |
11.4 (52.5) |
12.5 (54.5) |
14.3 (57.7) |
16.8 (62.2) |
19.2 (66.6) |
21.6 (70.9) |
17.5 (63.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 16.9 (62.4) |
16.9 (62.4) |
15.4 (59.7) |
12.2 (54.0) |
9.0 (48.2) |
6.8 (44.2) |
6.3 (43.3) |
7.3 (45.1) |
9.1 (48.4) |
11.2 (52.2) |
13.3 (55.9) |
15.5 (59.9) |
11.7 (53.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 10.3 (50.5) |
10.2 (50.4) |
9.1 (48.4) |
6.1 (43.0) |
3.5 (38.3) |
1.9 (35.4) |
1.0 (33.8) |
2.1 (35.8) |
3.9 (39.0) |
5.6 (42.1) |
7.4 (45.3) |
9.3 (48.7) |
5.9 (42.6) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −0.5 (31.1) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
−2.6 (27.3) |
−6.4 (20.5) |
−5.9 (21.4) |
−6.8 (19.8) |
−7.0 (19.4) |
−7.1 (19.2) |
−6.6 (20.1) |
−4.6 (23.7) |
−3.2 (26.2) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
−7.1 (19.2) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 83.3 (3.28) |
85.6 (3.37) |
98.0 (3.86) |
80.4 (3.17) |
99.5 (3.92) |
110.2 (4.34) |
118.2 (4.65) |
119.3 (4.70) |
111.4 (4.39) |
94.3 (3.71) |
93.2 (3.67) |
123.8 (4.87) |
1,217.2 (47.93) |
| Source: NIWA[23] | |||||||||||||
References
- ^ "Mayor and Councillors". Taupō District Council. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
- ^ New Zealand Electoral Commission. "Taupō - Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ "Waiariki – Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
- ^ a b "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Urban Rural 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 17 May 2025.
- ^ a b "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
- ^ Antony Mason, 70 Wonders Of The Modern World, ISBN 0-86449-376-2
- ^ "38 Wairakei to Taupō". BusIt. 31 October 2022.
- ^ "Geographic Boundary Viewer". Stats NZ. Urban Rural – 2023 and Statistical Area 2 – 2023.
- ^ a b c d e "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Wairākei Village (1212). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7013315–7013317.
- ^ "Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 2 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 17 May 2025.
- ^ "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
- ^ a b c d e "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Wairākei-Broadlands (188200). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Wairakei-Broadlands (188200). 2018 Census place summary: Wairakei-Broadlands
- ^ "Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ "Wairakei School Official School Website". wairakei.school.nz.
- ^ "Wairakei School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
- ^ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
- ^ "Wairakei School Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
- ^ "History". Wairakei School. Archived from the original on 26 January 2022. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
- ^ "Louise Rennison".
- ^ "CliFlo -The National Climate Database (Agent numbers: 1845, 1846)". NIWA. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
External links
- Wairakei Archived 15 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine - information at Environment Waikato
- Wairakei Geyser (1933 article)
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