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Te Rahu

Te Rahu is a rural locality in the Waipā District and Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island.

It is located south of Ōhaupō and north of Te Awamutu, on State Highway 3.

Lake Ngaroto is northwest of the locality.

History

The Battle of Hingakākā was fought west of Te Rahu in the late 18th or early 19th centuries.[6]

Te Rahu was established after the Invasion of the Waikato of 1863–64,[7] and described as a thriving village in 1867.[8]

Farming in Te Rahu was more varied than other settlements in the area: two German settlers, Messrs Karl lived on the Overdale estate and farmed bees, an acacia farm was managed by a Mr Storey. Some settlers tried farming Monterey pines but this was not very profitable in comparison to the other ventures.[9]

A school was operating by 1878[7][10] and continued until at least 1939[11] but was gone by 1943.[12]

The Te Rahu District Hall Society was incorporated in 1905 and the design of the building's design matches the period; however, an article in the New Zealand Herald from 1927 report the opening of a new hall in Te Rahu.[7]

Demographics

Te Rahu settlement and its surrounds cover 22.14 km2 (8.55 sq mi).[4] The settlement is part of the larger Te Rahu statistical area.[13]

Historical population for Te Rahu and surrounds
YearPop.±% p.a.
2013423—    
2018492+3.07%
2023489−0.12%
Source: [5]

Te Rahu had a population of 489 in the 2023 New Zealand census, a decrease of 3 people (−0.6%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 66 people (15.6%) since the 2013 census. There were 246 males, 243 females, and 6 people of other genders in 189 dwellings.[14] 3.1% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. There were 90 people (18.4%) aged under 15 years, 66 (13.5%) aged 15 to 29, 228 (46.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 111 (22.7%) aged 65 or older.[5]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 92.0% European (Pākehā); 15.3% Māori; 2.5% Asian; 1.8% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 7.4% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 98.8%, Māori by 1.2%, and other languages by 5.5%. No language could be spoken by 1.2% (e.g. too young to talk). The percentage of people born overseas was 9.2, compared with 28.8% nationally.[5]

Religious affiliations were 31.9% Christian, 0.6% New Age, and 1.8% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 57.1%, and 8.6% of people did not answer the census question.[5]

Of those at least 15 years old, 66 (16.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 228 (57.1%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 99 (24.8%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. 69 people (17.3%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 210 (52.6%) full-time, 69 (17.3%) part-time, and 9 (2.3%) unemployed.[5]

Te Rahu statistical area

Te Rahu statistical area covers 54.04 km2 (20.86 sq mi)[15] and had an estimated population of 940 as of June 2024,[16] with a population density of 17 people per km2.

Historical population for the statistical area
YearPop.±% p.a.
2006906—    
2013765−2.39%
2018837+1.82%
2023855+0.43%
The 2006 population is for a larger area of 55.23 km2.
Source: [17][18]

Te Rahu statistical area had a population of 855 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 18 people (2.2%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 90 people (11.8%) since the 2013 census. There were 438 males, 417 females, and 3 people of other genders in 318 dwellings.[19] 2.5% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 41.3 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 171 people (20.0%) aged under 15 years, 111 (13.0%) aged 15 to 29, 417 (48.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 156 (18.2%) aged 65 or older.[17]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 90.5% European (Pākehā); 13.7% Māori; 1.1% Pasifika; 5.3% Asian; 0.4% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 4.2% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.5%, Māori by 1.4%, and other languages by 7.0%. No language could be spoken by 1.4% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.4%. The percentage of people born overseas was 14.4, compared with 28.8% nationally.[17]

Religious affiliations were 29.8% Christian, 1.4% Hindu, 0.4% Māori religious beliefs, 0.7% New Age, and 2.1% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 58.2%, and 7.4% of people did not answer the census question.[17]

Of those at least 15 years old, 126 (18.4%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 399 (58.3%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 162 (23.7%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $51,600, compared with $41,500 nationally. 96 people (14.0%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 381 (55.7%) full-time, 126 (18.4%) part-time, and 9 (1.3%) unemployed.[17]

References

  1. ^ "Mayor and Councillors". Waipā District Council. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
  2. ^ "Taranaki-King Country - Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  3. ^ "Hauraki-Waikato – Official Result". New Zealand Electoral Commission. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 1 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 21 April 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. 7012730, 7012732 and 7032881. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  6. ^ The Oxford companion to New Zealand military history, p. 653.
  7. ^ a b c McEwan, Ann (27 January 2017). "Memory box". Waikato Times.
  8. ^ "Farm at Te Awamutu – Cream of the Waikato". Daily Southern Cross. 22 April 1867. p. 2.
  9. ^ Vennell, C. W.; More, David (1976). Land of the Three Rivers: A Centennial History of Piako County. Wilson & Horton. p. 142.
  10. ^ "Anent Mr Maclaurin's Case!". Waikato Times. 23 July 1878. p. 3.
  11. ^ "Summer Show – Te Awamutu Display". New Zealand Herald. 14 February 1939. p. 16.
  12. ^ "Tenders for Removal of Macrocarpa Trees from Te Rahu School Site". New Zealand Herald. 19 August 1943. p. 2.
  13. ^ "Geographic Boundary Viewer". Stats NZ. Statistical Area 1 – 2023 and Statistical Area 2 – 2023.
  14. ^ "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.
  15. ^ "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 2 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 21 April 2025.
  16. ^ "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  17. ^ 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. Te Rahu (182201). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  18. ^ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Te Rahu (182200). 2018 Census place summary: Te Rahu
  19. ^ "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.