Tararua District

The Tararua District is a district near the south-east corner of New Zealand's North Island that is administered by the Tararua District Council. It has a population of 19,200 (June 2023),[4] and an area of 4,364.65 km². The Tararua District Council was created by the amalgamation of the Dannevirke Borough, Eketahuna County Council, Pahiatua Borough Council, Pahiatua County Council and Woodville District Council in the 1989 local government reforms.[5]

Tararua District
Territorial authority district
Council Chambers and Town Hall, Dannevirke
Council Chambers and Town Hall, Dannevirke
Coordinates: 40°24′S 176°00′E
CountryNew Zealand
RegionManawatū-Whanganui
WardsNorth Tararua
South Tararua
Formed1989
SeatDannevirke
Government
 • MayorTracey Collis[1]
 • Deputy MayorErana Peeti-Webber[2]
 • Territorial authorityTararua District Council
Area
[3]
 • Total4,364.65 km2 (1,685.20 sq mi)
Population
 (June 2023)[4]
 • Total19,200
 • Density4.4/km2 (11/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+12 (NZST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+13 (NZDT)
Postcode(s)
Map of postcodes
Websitewww.tararuadc.govt.nz

The district's northwest boundary runs along the top of the Ruahine Range; its south-east boundary is the Pacific Ocean. The catchment of the Manawatu River generally defines the north and south extremities. The catchment is also the reason the majority of the district is in the Manawatū-Whanganui Region, although traditionally many of the people of the district regard themselves as living in either Hawke's Bay (in the north) or Wairarapa (in the south).

Towns and regional government

The district's chief town is Dannevirke, settled by immigrants from Denmark in the 19th century. It is also the centre for a Community Board. Other towns (from south to north along the main valleys) include Eketāhuna and Pahiatua, which have their own Community Boards, and Woodville, Ormondville, and Norsewood. Near the coast are Pongaroa, Herbertville, Ākitio, and Alfredton.

While the vast majority (98.42% by land area) of Tararua District is part of the Manawatū-Whanganui Region, a small triangle of rural land (1.58% by land area) north of the Owahanga River in the south-east of the district is part of Wellington Region. According to the 2006 Census, this area, known as Mara, has only 3 residents (down from 12 in 1996 and 2001).

Dannevirke County Council

Dannevirke County Council was formed in 1907 by splitting Waipawa County Council. It lasted until 1987, when it amalgamated with Dannevirke Borough Council to form Dannevirke District Council, which lasted 2 years until becoming part of Tararua District.[6] Norsewood Town Board was added to DCC in 1936,[7] Ormondville Town Board in 1944,[8] Weber County in 1956[9] and Ākitio County in 1976.[10] In its final form, DCC had five ridings, Ākitio, Weber, Mangapuaka, Norsewood and Ruahine.[11] The County Office was at Barraud Street, Dannevirke.[12] In 1911, it was a single storey, wooden building.[13]

Demographics

Tararua District covers 4,364.65 km2 (1,685.20 sq mi)[3] and had an estimated population of 19,200 as of June 2023,[4] with a population density of 4.4 people per km2.

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
200617,634—    
201316,854−0.64%
201817,943+1.26%
Source: [14]

Tararua District had a population of 17,943 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 1,089 people (6.5%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 309 people (1.8%) since the 2006 census. There were 6,996 households, comprising 8,916 males and 9,027 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.99 males per female. The median age was 41.8 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 3,876 people (21.6%) aged under 15 years, 2,883 (16.1%) aged 15 to 29, 7,899 (44.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 3,285 (18.3%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 84.5% European/Pākehā, 24.6% Māori, 1.9% Pasifika, 2.7% Asian, and 1.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 8.7, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 49.6% had no religion, 36.7% were Christian, 3.2% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.3% were Hindu, 0.2% were Muslim, 0.3% were Buddhist and 1.4% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 1,431 (10.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 3,897 (27.7%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $26,300, compared with $31,800 nationally. 1,374 people (9.8%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 6,459 (45.9%) people were employed full-time, 2,298 (16.3%) were part-time, and 567 (4.0%) were unemployed.[14]

Individual wards
NameArea (km2)PopulationDensity (per km2)HouseholdsMedian ageMedian income
North Tararua Ward2,384.159,7834.103,79542.7 years$26,300
South Tararua Ward1,980.508,1574.123,20440.9 years$26,300
New Zealand37.4 years$31,800

"Forty-Mile Bush"

When Europeans settled the area, it was almost entirely forested and was called "Forty-Mile Bush". Industrious clearance has made it a busy pastoral district, although the region close to the Pacific coast is still sparsely populated. The original name lives on in that of the local National Provincial Championship rugby union team, Wairarapa-Bush.

Economy

Agriculture is the district's main industry. Other industries include textiles, food processing, and retailing. Commercial forestry is expected to become more important to the district's economy in the next few years.

Weather forecasts

Before 2006, weather forecasts on National Radio (as provided by MetService) had usually mentioned Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa but rarely if ever Tararua District, probably leaving Tararua District residents wondering which applied to them when the forecasts differed.

Officially it is considered a sub-region of the Wairarapa district. Since early in 2006, Met Service policy is that a separate Tararua District forecast will be issued only if the expected weather in that area differs significantly from the other sub-regions (Masterton, Carterton, and South Wairarapa). However, by the time the forecast is actually broadcast over National Radio (at least until early March 2006), Tararua District is simply listed as a separate District if it is mentioned at all (commonly in the phrase "Tararua and Wairarapa"), and if it is mentioned separately or bracketed with other areas apart from Wairarapa there is no indication that the Wairarapa forecast excludes Tararua District.

Schools
Main article: List of schools in Manawatū-Whanganui § Tararua District

Secondary:

Primary:

  • Norsewood and District, Norsewood (Year 1-8)
  • Kumeroa School, Kumeroa (Year 1-8)
  • Huia Range Dannevirke (Year 1-8)
  • Dannevirke South School (Year 1-8)
  • St Joseph School Dannevirke (Year 1-8)
  • Ruahine School Dannevirke (Year 1-8)
  • Woodville School, Woodville
  • Eketāhuna School, Eketāhuna (Year 1-8)
  • Alfredton School, Alfredton (Year 1-8)
  • Ballance School, Woodville (Year 1-8)
  • Makuri School (Year 1-8)
  • Mangatainoka School (Year 1-8)
  • Pahiatua School (Year 1-8)
  • Papatawa School (Year 1-8)
  • Pongaroa School (Year 1-8)
  • St Anthony's School (Pahiatua) (Year 1-8)
  • Weber School (Year 1-8)

References
  1. "Meet your Mayor". Tararua District Council. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  2. "Councillors". Tararua District Council. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  3. "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  4. "Subnational population estimates (RC, SA2), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (regional councils); "Subnational population estimates (TA, SA2), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (territorial authorities); "Subnational population estimates (urban rural), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (urban areas)
  5. "Tararua District Council". Archives Central. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  6. "Dannevirke County Council". archivescentral.org.nz. Retrieved 2022-06-18.
  7. "Norsewood Town Board". archivescentral.org.nz. Retrieved 2022-06-18.
  8. "Ormondville Town Board". archivescentral.org.nz. Retrieved 2022-06-18.
  9. "Weber County Council". archivescentral.org.nz. Retrieved 2022-06-18.
  10. "Akitio County Council". archivescentral.org.nz. Retrieved 2022-06-18.
  11. "Map of Dannevirke County showing riding boundaries". archivescentral.org.nz. Retrieved 2022-06-18.
  12. "MANAWATU TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 23 Nov 1926. Retrieved 2022-06-18.
  13. "DBC 4 Dannevirke County Council". ketetararua.peoplesnetworknz.info. Retrieved 2022-06-18.
  14. "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Tararua District (041). 2018 Census place summary: Tararua District
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