Ruakākā
Ruakākā | |
|---|---|
 Seal | |
 | |
| Coordinates: 35°54′30.1″S 174°27′34.47″E / 35.908361°S 174.4595750°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Northland |
| Territorial Authority | Whangarei District |
| Ward | Bream Bay Ward |
| Pre 1989 | Whangarei County |
| Electorates | |
| Government | |
| • Territorial Authority | Whangarei District Council |
| • Regional council | Northland Regional Council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 15.59 km2 (6.02 sq mi) |
| Population (June 2024)[2] | |
| • Total | 2,990 |
| • Density | 190/km2 (500/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+12 (NZST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+13 (NZDT) |
| Website | http://www.ruakaka.co.nz |
Ruakākā is a small town in the north of New Zealand approximately 30 kilometres south of Whangārei in the Bream Bay area. Originally a small beachside community, Ruakākā saw development in the 1980s as a result of the expansion of the nearby Marsden Point, New Zealand's sole oil refinery. A recently established timber processing plant at Marsden Point has further stimulated growth.[3]
Geography
[edit]Naming
[edit]The name Ruakākā comes from the Māori term rua kākā, which means the nesting hole of the kākā (Nestor meridionalis), a native parrot that nests in cavities in hollow trees.[4] The name of the locality was usually spelled "Ruakaka", without macrons, until the official name was changed in 2019.[5]
Districts
[edit]The general area is made up of Ruakākā Beach, Ruakākā Township and Marsden Point. Other Bream Bay localities such as One Tree Point, Takahiwai and even Waipu are often included in general conversation regarding the area.
Ruakākā Beach lies near the mouth of the Ruakākā River which boasts a rare bird reserve and popular holiday parks. It is primarily a residential area made up of a mixture of permanent homes and beach shacks.
The Ruakākā Township was developed off the back of the Marsden Point Oil Refinery expansion in the 1980s where services were required to support the large influx of workers from all over the world involved in the project. A government requirement for a percentage of revenue invested in the project to be spent on the local community allowed for provision of services not common in communities this size (e.g. squash courts, sports grounds).
The Marsden Power Station Village was built to support the Marsden Power Stations (A & B) which have since been decommissioned. The area is now promoted as beachside living.
Beaches
[edit]The bay has beautiful sandy white beaches looking out towards Bream Head, the Hen and Chicken Islands, Mount Manaia and Sail Rock.
Demographics
[edit]Statistics New Zealand describes Ruakākā as a small urban area. It covers 15.59 km2 (6.02 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 2,990 as of June 2024,[2] with a population density of 192 people per km2.
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 1,917 | — |
| 2013 | 2,007 | +0.66% |
| 2018 | 2,586 | +5.20% |
| Source: [6] | ||
Ruakākā had a population of 2,586 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 579 people (28.8%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 669 people (34.9%) since the 2006 census. There were 960 households, comprising 1,281 males and 1,302 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.98 males per female. The median age was 43.1 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 525 people (20.3%) aged under 15 years, 420 (16.2%) aged 15 to 29, 1,101 (42.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 543 (21.0%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 77.7% European/Pākehā, 33.9% Māori, 4.8% Pacific peoples, 3.6% Asian, and 0.8% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 15.2, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 54.4% had no religion, 32.1% were Christian, 2.7% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.8% were Hindu, 0.1% were Muslim, 0.7% were Buddhist and 1.5% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 267 (13.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 498 (24.2%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $26,000, compared with $31,800 nationally. 258 people (12.5%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 870 (42.2%) people were employed full-time, 291 (14.1%) were part-time, and 87 (4.2%) were unemployed.[6]
Climate
[edit]The region's geographical location results in warm humid summers and mild winters. Typical summer temperatures range from 22 to 26 °C (72 to 79 °F), some of the warmest in the country. Ground frosts are virtually unknown. The hottest months are January and February. Typical annual rainfall for the region is 1500 – 2000 mm. Winds year-round are predominantly from the southwest. Ruakākā has a warm version of the oceanic climate[7] closely bordering on humid subtropical, a typical feature of Northland's climate.
| Climate data for Ruakākā | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 24.9 (76.8) |
24.8 (76.6) |
23.7 (74.7) |
21.1 (70.0) |
18.9 (66.0) |
16.6 (61.9) |
15.6 (60.1) |
16.2 (61.2) |
17.6 (63.7) |
19.5 (67.1) |
21.0 (69.8) |
23.4 (74.1) |
20.3 (68.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 20.1 (68.2) |
20.4 (68.7) |
19.2 (66.6) |
17.2 (63.0) |
14.9 (58.8) |
12.4 (54.3) |
11.8 (53.2) |
12.3 (54.1) |
13.6 (56.5) |
15.2 (59.4) |
16.5 (61.7) |
18.7 (65.7) |
16.0 (60.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 15.3 (59.5) |
15.9 (60.6) |
14.7 (58.5) |
13.3 (55.9) |
10.8 (51.4) |
8.2 (46.8) |
7.9 (46.2) |
8.4 (47.1) |
9.5 (49.1) |
10.9 (51.6) |
11.9 (53.4) |
14.0 (57.2) |
11.7 (53.1) |
| Source: [8] | |||||||||||||
History
[edit]The area of Ruakākā is located in Bream Bay which was named by Captain Cook during his first voyage to New Zealand when he visited the region on 25 November 1769. It was named due to the ease of capture of 90–100 fish (likely snapper), that he identified as bream, soon after anchoring. The area was a location for the late 19th/early 20th century kauri gum digging trade.[9]
Education
[edit]Bream Bay College is a secondary (years 7–13) school with a roll of 605 students.[10]
Ruakākā School is a contributing primary (years 1–6) school. It has a roll of 326.[11]
Both schools are coeducational. Rolls are as of August 2024.[12]
Ruakākā School opened in 1898 in North Ruakākā. Until 1916 it was a half-time school sharing a teacher with Mata School. The school moved to its present site in 1912. Bream Bay College started in 1972 as a Forms 3–7 (years 9–13) school on the site of Waipu District High School. It moved to Ruakākā in February 1974 and expanded to include Forms 1 and 2 (years 7–8).[13][14]
Attractions and landmarks
[edit]- Ruakaka Race Course
Railway proposal
[edit]A branch line railway to Marsden Point from Oakleigh on the North Auckland Line has recently been proposed. This Marsden Point Branch will primarily serve freight interests, but the Northland Regional Land Transport Committee has suggested that passenger trains for commuters between Ruakākā and Whangārei are a long-term option.[15]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
- ^ a b "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
- ^ "Forestry and Wood Processing". Enterprise Northland.
- ^ Best, Elsdon (1908). "Maori forest lore: Being some account of native forest lore and woodcraft, as also of many myths, rites, customs, and superstitions connected with the flora and fauna of the Tuhoe or Ure-wera district. — Part II". Transactions of the New Zealand Institute. 41: 236. Retrieved 25 April 2021 – via Papers Past.
rua kaka – holes in trees wherein the kaka parrot nested
- ^ "Ruakākā". New Zealand Gazetteer. Land Information New Zealand. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
- ^ a b "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Ruakaka (108800). 2018 Census place summary: Ruakākā
- ^ "Ruakaka, New Zealand Climate Summary". Weatherbase. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
- ^ "Ruakaka, New Zealand Temperature Averages". Weatherbase. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
- ^ Hayward, Bruce W. (1989). Kauri Gum and the Gumdiggers. The Bush Press. p. 4. ISBN 0-908608-39-X.
- ^ Education Counts: Bream Bay College
- ^ Education Counts: Ruakākā School
- ^ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
- ^ Richards, Judy (1984). Ruakaka (A Brief History). pp. 77–80, 84.
- ^ Gordon, Charles MacNeill (Mac) (2002). "Education Always a Priority". Pride of the Lion: Waipu – the People and the Place. pp. 209–221. ISBN 0-473-08890-8.
- ^ "All aboard for Ruakaka", Whangarei Leader, 21 February 2006.