Ohawe or Ōhawe is a rural community in South Taranaki, New Zealand. It is located about 9 kilometres west of Hāwera, and south of State Highway 45. Ohawe is at the mouth of the Waingongoro River, where it reaches the South Taranaki Bight.[3]

Ohawe
Ōhawe
Ohawe settlement
Ohawe settlement
Map
Coordinates: 39°35′06″S 174°11′56″E / 39.585°S 174.199°E / -39.585; 174.199
CountryNew Zealand
RegionTaranaki Region
Territorial authoritySouth Taranaki District
Ward
  • Te Hāwera General Ward
  • Te Kūrae Māori Ward
CommunityTe Hāwera Community
Electorates
Government
 • Territorial AuthoritySouth Taranaki District Council
 • Regional councilTaranaki Regional Council
Area
 • Total
0.90 km2 (0.35 sq mi)
Population
 (June 2024)[2]
 • Total
230
 • Density260/km2 (660/sq mi)
Postcode
4671

The name means "place of a river bend", referring to the winding Waingongoro River.[4]

A coastal walk at low tide goes to Waihi Beach.[5]

History

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Māori settled in the area around 1300 CE. They hunted moa and other birds. Richard Taylor described it as "a regular necropolis" in 1843. In 1847, Walter Mantell realised that Māori and moa had lived in the area at the same time.[6]

In 1865, during the Second Taranaki War, General Duncan Cameron built redoubts on both sides of the Waingongoro river mouth. About 45 troops killed during the war are buried at Ohawe Soldiers' Cemetery.[6][5]

Demographics

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Ohawe is defined by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement that covers 0.90 km2 (0.35 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 230 as of June 2024,[2] with a population density of 256 people per km2. It is part of the larger Okaiawa statistical area.[7]

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
2006213—    
2013183−2.15%
2018216+3.37%
Source: [8]

Okawe had a population of 216 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 33 people (18.0%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 3 people (1.4%) since the 2006 census. There were 99 households, comprising 105 males and 108 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.97 males per female. The median age was 46.4 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 42 people (19.4%) aged under 15 years, 21 (9.7%) aged 15 to 29, 120 (55.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 33 (15.3%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 83.3% European/Pākehā, 27.8% Māori, 1.4% Pacific peoples, and 4.2% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 54.2% had no religion, 38.9% were Christian, and 1.4% had Māori religious beliefs.

Of those at least 15 years old, 21 (12.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 39 (22.4%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $37,300, compared with $31,800 nationally. 39 people (22.4%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 81 (46.6%) people were employed full-time, 36 (20.7%) were part-time, and 3 (1.7%) were unemployed.[8]

References

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  1. ^ a b "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  3. ^ Harriss, Gavin (August 2022). Ohawe, Taranaki (Map). NZ Topomap.
  4. ^ "Ohawe". New Zealand History. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Ōhawe Beach to Waihi Beach Coastal Walk". South Taranaki District Council. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  6. ^ a b Lambert, Ron (1 September 2016). "Taranaki Places—Page 6. Hāwera—Ōhawe". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand.
  7. ^ 2018 Census place summary: Okaiawa
  8. ^ a b "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7017446.