Waikuku Beach is a small settlement on the coast of the Canterbury region of New Zealand, about 3 km (1.9 mi) east of the settlement of Waikuku.

Waikuku Beach
Rural settlement
Waikuku beach sign
Waikuku beach sign
Map
Coordinates: 43°17′13″S 172°42′58″E / 43.287°S 172.716°E / -43.287; 172.716
CountryNew Zealand
RegionCanterbury
Territorial authorityWaimakariri District
WardKaiapoi-Woodend Ward
CommunityWoodend-Sefton Community
Electorates
Government
 • Territorial AuthorityWaimakariri District Council
 • Regional councilEnvironment Canterbury
 • Mayor of WaimakaririDan Gordon
 • Waimakariri MPMatthew Doocey
 • Te Tai Tonga MPTākuta Ferris
Area
 • Total
1.52 km2 (0.59 sq mi)
Population
 (June 2024)[2]
 • Total
1,070
 • Density700/km2 (1,800/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+12 (NZST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+13 (NZDT)
Postcode
7402
Area code03

The sandy beach is popular with surfers and swimmers, and the large estuary of the Ashley River hosts many species of birds.[3] The Waikuku beach has been rated as one of the ten best to learn to surf at.[4]

Demographics

edit

Waikuku Beach is described by Statistics New Zealand as a small urban area and covers 1.52 km2 (0.59 sq mi).[1] It had an estimated population of 1,070 as of June 2024,[2] with a population density of 704 people per km2. Waikuku Beach is part of the larger Waikuku statistical area.[5]

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
2006858—    
2013900+0.69%
2018912+0.27%
Source: [6]
 
Waikuku Beach Surf Club (2021)

Before the 2023 census, the town had a smaller boundary, covering 1.30 km2 (0.50 sq mi).[1] Using that boundary, Waikuku Beach had a population of 912 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 12 people (1.3%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 54 people (6.3%) since the 2006 census. There were 342 households, comprising 468 males and 444 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.05 males per female, with 168 people (18.4%) aged under 15 years, 141 (15.5%) aged 15 to 29, 477 (52.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 126 (13.8%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 95.4% European/Pākehā, 13.2% Māori, 1.3% Pasifika, 1.0% Asian, and 1.6% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 62.2% had no religion, 28.3% were Christian, 0.3% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.3% were Muslim and 1.0% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 147 (19.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 144 (19.4%) people had no formal qualifications. 141 people (19.0%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 402 (54.0%) people were employed full-time, 132 (17.7%) were part-time, and 18 (2.4%) were unemployed.[6]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  3. ^ "Ashley-Rakahuri". Ashley-Rakahuri Rivercare Group. Archived from the original on 3 July 2013. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  4. ^ "GO NZ: 10 of the best places to learn to surf in New Zealand". NZ Herald. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  5. ^ 2018 Census place summary: Waikuku
  6. ^ a b "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7024080–7024082 and 7024085–7024087.