Waerenga

Waerenga is the name of a hamlet,[1] 11 km (6.8 mi) east of Te Kauwhata,[2] which is part of a statistical area unit in the Waikato District.[3] Waerenga-a-Hika, near Gisborne has a similar name.

Waerenga
Hamlet
Waerenga
Coordinates: 37.368264°S 175.244932°E / -37.368264; 175.244932
RegionWaikato
Territorial authorityWaikato District
ElectorateWaikato
Time zoneUTC+12 (NZST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+13 (NZDT)
Postcode
3781
Area code(s)07

The area is in the Hukanui Waerenga and Whangamarino wards of Waikato District Council.[4]

Settlements in the area

The area unit stretches between the Waikato River and the summits of the Hapuakohe Range, at the boundary of Hauraki District. The area excludes Te Kauwhata, the largest settlement within it, but includes Hampton Downs, Ohinewai, Rangiriri, Spring Hill Prison, Taniwha, Lake Waikare, Whangamarino and Whangamarino River.[3]

Centres not covered in other articles are -

Taniwha

Taniwha is about 6 km (3.7 mi) south east of Waerenga.[5] It is in meshblock 0937700, which had 60 people in 18 households in 2013, with a median personal income of $28,800.[3] About 1900 the Taniwha estate was divided into smaller farms, with a creamery opened in 1902 and Taniwha School in 1905.[6] The school closed in 1962,[7] but the listed building remains.[8]

Waerenga

The hamlet has a garage,[9] a few kilometres to the south on Taniwha Rd is a school and, further along, a 1928 war memorial church and 1962 hall.[10] Meshblocks 0937800, 0936900, 0937200 and 0937300 meet at the hamlet, with total 2013 populations of 171 in 60 dwellings.[3]

Waerenga School started in 1881, was moved to a schoolhouse in 1882, moved 400 m (440 yd) in 1928 and used as the school library from 1980.[6] The years 1-6 school had 92 pupils in 2018[11] and 97 in 2015.[12]

The original access was a bridle track from Rangiriri and a track to Lake Waikare, which was crossed by boat. The road from Te Kauwhata opened in 1880.[6]

The Waerenga Stream is too polluted for swimming, having high levels of E coli and nitrogen, less than 10 km (6.2 mi) from its source.[13]

Other localities

Other places in the area have had schools, or halls, but are even smaller. They include -

Matahuru is about 3 km (1.9 mi) south of Taniwha.[14] Its school, built in 1901, has closed. Matahuru and Waiterimu Hall was built in 1919[6] and refurbished recently.[15]

Okaeria is about 6 km (3.7 mi) north east of Waerenga.[16] Its school, built in 1918,[6] closed in 1968.[7]

Waiterimu is about 6 km (3.7 mi) south west of Matahuru[17] and 19 km (12 mi) north east of Huntly.[18] Its school, built in 1903 on Waiu Road, was first known as Matahuru No. 2 School. A new open-air block was built in 1937.[6] It closed in 2014,[19] but became Huntly College Primary Industry Academy in 2016.[20]

Demographics

The area had these census results -[3]

Year Population Households Median income National median
2001 1,695 579 $21,500 $18,500
2006 1,785 609 $28,400 $24,100
2013 2,538 666 $25,400 $27,900

In 2013 there were 129 unoccupied dwellings. Europeans formed 70.2% of the population, Māori 22.6%, Pacific people 10.3% and Asian 3.7%. 15% were born overseas.[21]

Spring Hill Prison, which opened on 25 September 2007,[22] had 817 prisoners in 2013.[23] Presumably that is reflected by 410 (45.6%) being employed in public administration in 2013, 1,653 of the population being men, but only 882 women[21] and the increased population and lower income from 2006.

The next highest employment category was agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 200 employees (22.2%).[21]

History and culture

Several pā sites exist[24] and Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Naho and Ngāti Pou are associated with marae in the area.[25] In 1863, at the Battle of Rangiriri, the area was lost and, after the invasion of the Waikato was completed, the land was confiscated. Parts were later returned, but most was sold to settlers,[26] or granted to soldiers of the Third Waikato Regiment.[6] The Great South Road came through the area in 1863[27] and the railway in 1877.[28]

There are two marae in the area, affiliated with the Waikato Tainui hapū of Ngāti Tai, Ngāti Kuiaarangi, Ngāti Mahuta and Ngāti Whāwhākia: the Ōkarea Marae and Pokaiwhenua meeting house, and the Taniwha Marae and Me Whakatupu ki te Hua o te Rengarenga meeting house.[29][30]

Education

Waerenga School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 6 students,[31][32] with a roll of as of March 2020.[33]

Notable people
gollark: I ask them what they would be doing instead of talking to me, then, if I am apparently "wasting“ their time.
gollark: Do you NOT know of electric motors?
gollark: But I have a lower bound on it.
gollark: Knowledge of generic monster #1 health and damage?
gollark: Useful information.

References
  1. "Waerenga, Waikato". NZ Topo Map. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  2. "Waerenga to Te Kauwhata". Waerenga to Te Kauwhata. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  3. "2013 Census map – QuickStats about a place". archive.stats.govt.nz. Retrieved 5 November 2018.
  4. "Hukanui Waerenga Ward" (PDF). Waikato District Council.
  5. "Taniwha, Waikato". NZ Topo Map. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  6. "WDC District Plan Review – Built Heritage Assessment Historic Overview – Te Kauwhata & District" (PDF).
  7. "Our Community". Waerenga School. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  8. "Built heritage items" (PDF). Waikato District Council. 30 November 2016.
  9. "1160 Waerenga Rd". Google Maps. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  10. "Waerenga First World War memorial". nzhistory.govt.nz. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  11. "Ministry of Education - Education Counts". www.educationcounts.govt.nz. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  12. "Waerenga School - 16/06/2015". Education Review Office. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  13. "Waerenga Stream at Taniwha Rd". Waikato Regional Council. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  14. "Matahuru, Waikato". NZ Topo Map. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  15. "Transpower CommunityCare Fund » Find funding » Sport New Zealand". sportnz.org.nz. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  16. "Okaeria, Waikato". NZ Topo Map. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  17. "Waiterimu, Waikato". NZ Topo Map. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  18. "Huntly to Waiterimu". Google maps. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  19. "Waiterimu School (2070) Closure Notice - 2014". gazette.govt.nz. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  20. "Primary industries academy allows students to get hands on". Stuff. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  21. "2013 Census Quick Stats about Waerenga".
  22. "Opening of Springhill Corrections Facility". www.scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  23. "Prison facts and statistics - September 2013". www.corrections.govt.nz. 19 December 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  24. "Proposed District Plan (Stage 1) Schedule 30.3 Maaori Sites of Significance" (PDF). Waikato District Council. 18 July 2018.
  25. "Te Kahui Mangai - Waikato". www.tkm.govt.nz. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  26. Payne, Dione Lee Marama (2014). "The Confiscation of Pōkaewhenua in the National Interest - 1961-1969 Victoria University of Wellington" (PDF).
  27. "Heritage Trails: The Auckland-to-Waikato Great South Road". Contractor Magazine. 20 December 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  28. New Zealand Railway and Tramway Atlas (Fourth ed.). Quail Map Co. 1993. ISBN 0 900609 92 3.
  29. "Te Kāhui Māngai directory". tkm.govt.nz. Te Puni Kōkiri.
  30. "Māori Maps". maorimaps.com. Te Potiki National Trust.
  31. "Official School Website". waerengaschool.co.nz.
  32. "Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
  33. "Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
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