Waitākere, New Zealand

Not to be confused with the former Waitakere City.
Waitākere Township
Suburb
Coordinates: 36°51′00″S 174°32′35″E / 36.850°S 174.543°E / -36.850; 174.543
CountryNew Zealand
CityAuckland
Local authorityAuckland Council
Electoral wardWaitākere ward
Local boardWaitākere Ranges Local Board
Area
[1]
 • Land1,479 ha (3,655 acres)
Population
 (June 2024)[2]
 • Total
1,890
Train stationsWaitakere railway station
Waimauku Taupaki Massey
Muriwai
Waitākere
 Massey
Te Henga /
Bethells Beach		 (Waitākere Ranges) Swanson

Waitākere, often called Waitākere Township or Waitākere Town,[3][4] is a small, mostly rural settlement to the northwest of Auckland, New Zealand.

History

The settlement is in the traditional rohe of Te Kawerau ā Maki.[5] The many hills of the area were known as Ngā Rau Pou ā Maki, referring to the eponymous ancestor of the tribe.[6]

During the latter 19th century, the King brothers established a flax mill at Waitākere.[7] In 1881, the Waitākere railway station was opened, when the North Auckland Line was extended from New Lynn to Helensville.[8][9]

Waitakere Road had two bridges constructed to bypass the now Township Road making it a dead-end or cul-de-sac.

Demographics

Waitākere covers 14.79 km2 (5.71 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 1,890 as of June 2024,[2] with a population density of 128 people per km2.

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
20061,755—    
20131,674−0.67%
20181,818+1.66%
20231,812−0.07%
The 2006 population is for a larger area of 15.29 km2
Source: [10][11]
The fire station in Waitakere, near Waitakere railway station.

Waitākere had a population of 1,812 in the 2023 New Zealand census, a decrease of 6 people (−0.3%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 138 people (8.2%) since the 2013 census. There were 906 males, 900 females and 9 people of other genders in 612 dwellings.[12] 2.8% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 41.7 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 360 people (19.9%) aged under 15 years, 282 (15.6%) aged 15 to 29, 933 (51.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 237 (13.1%) aged 65 or older.[11]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 90.7% European (Pākehā); 14.6% Māori; 7.6% Pasifika; 5.5% Asian; 0.8% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.0% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 98.0%, Māori language by 2.6%, Samoan by 0.5%, and other languages by 7.8%. No language could be spoken by 1.3% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.2%. The percentage of people born overseas was 20.4, compared with 28.8% nationally.

Religious affiliations were 22.0% Christian, 1.0% Hindu, 0.7% Islam, 0.3% Māori religious beliefs, 0.2% Buddhist, 0.8% New Age, and 1.7% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 65.6%, and 7.6% of people did not answer the census question.

Of those at least 15 years old, 249 (17.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 798 (55.0%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 306 (21.1%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $51,100, compared with $41,500 nationally. 234 people (16.1%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 861 (59.3%) people were employed full-time, 216 (14.9%) were part-time, and 33 (2.3%) were unemployed.[11]

Education

Waitakere School is a coeducational full primary (years 1–8) school with a roll of 432 students as at July 2025.[13][14] It was established in 1921.[15]

List of places within Waitakere township

  • Waitakere RSA
  • Waitakere Dairy & Postshop there was an armed robbery in 2017.[16]
  • Waitakere railway station
  • Waitakere Township Hall[17]
  • Waitakere War Memorial Park
  • Waitakere Fire Station
  • Waitakere Kindergarten [18]

Notable people

  • Arthur "Artie" Campbell Jonkers Artie was a well known figure on the family farm in Waitakere township where he worked tirelessly farming sheep. [19]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 2 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 25 December 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  3. ^ Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area (PDF) (Report). Auckland Council. 14 April 2011. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  4. ^ "'There will be nails': Local's sinister threat in note left outside West Auckland primary school". The New Zealand Herald. 24 October 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  5. ^ Te Kawerau ā Maki; The Trustees of Te Kawerau Iwi Settlement Trust; The Crown (22 February 2014). "Te Kawerau ā Maki Deed of Settlement Schedule" (PDF). Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  6. ^ Diamond, John T.; Hayward, Bruce W. (1990). "Prehistoric Sites in West Auckland". In Northcote-Bade, James (ed.). West Auckland Remembers, Volume 1. West Auckland Historical Society. pp. 14, 18. ISBN 0-473-00983-8.
  7. ^ Dunsford, Deborah (2002). Doing It Themselves: the Story of Kumeu, Huapai and Taupaki. Huapai-Kumeu Lions Club. p. 50. ISBN 0-473-08969-6.
  8. ^ Scoble, Juliet (2010). "Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations" (PDF). Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 July 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  9. ^ Railway Stations of Auckland's Western Line (2004) by Sean Millar
  10. ^ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Waitakere (118000). 2018 Census place summary: Waitakere
  11. ^ a b c "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Waitākere (118001). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  12. ^ "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.
  13. ^ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  14. ^ Education Counts: Waitakere School
  15. ^ "Waitakere School golden jubilee 1921-1971 (record)". National Museum of New Zealand. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  16. ^ "Police backing dairy owners but robberies on the rise". stuff.co.nz. Stuff. 7 October 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  17. ^ Grevel, Louise. "Waitakere Township Hall". aucklandcouncil.govt.nz. Auckland Council. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  18. ^ "Waitakere Kindergarten". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office. 8 February 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  19. ^ Wigmore, Caryn (20 February 2014). "Old soldier a hard worker". stuff.co.nz. Stuff. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
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