Kawaha Point | |
|---|---|
 A small jetty at the edge of Lake Rotorua | |
 | |
| Coordinates: 38°06′41″S176°14′13″E / 38.111349°S 176.236947°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| City | Rotorua |
| Local authority | Rotorua Lakes Council |
| Electoral ward | Te Ipu Wai Auraki General Ward |
| Area | |
| • Land | 103 ha (255 acres) |
| Population (June 2024) [2] | |
• Total | 1,990 |
| Ngongotahā | (Lake Rotorua) | |
| Fairy Springs |   Kawaha Point  | |
| Selwyn Heights | Koutu |
Kawaha Point is a suburb of Rotorua in the Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand's North Island.
In 1910 the area was used for growing potatoes. [3] In 1917 a son of businessman and politician, Robert Gillies, Arthur William Gillies (1871 [4] -1940), [5] started the development of Kawaha Point, when he offered an area for a hospital, on condition that the government improve the road. [4] A loan to improve the road was approved in 1924. [5] Land was sold in 1927 [6] and more in 1929. [7] Initially development was only on the south side of the point. [8] The area to the north was built between about 1966 [9] and 2000. [10]
In 2023, Kāinga Ora proposed the replacement of six state houses on Kawaha Point Road with 16 modern houses of between two and five bedrooms. [11] Later the same year, Rotorua Lakes Council voted to develop council-owned land on Kawaha Point Road, creating about 30 sections, with more sections being likely on an adjoining rugby field. [12]
Kawaha statistical area, which corresponds to this suburb, covers 1.03 km2 (0.40 sq mi) [1] and had an estimated population of 1,990 as of June 2024, [2] with a population density of 1,932 people per km2.
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 1,641 | — |
| 2013 | 1,773 | +1.11% |
| 2018 | 1,902 | +1.41% |
| 2023 | 1,905 | +0.03% |
| Source: [13] [14] | ||
Kawaha had a population of 1,905 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 3 people (0.2%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 132 people (7.4%) since the 2013 census. There were 915 males, 987 females, and 6 people of other genders in 684 dwellings. [15] 3.3% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 39.6 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 378 people (19.8%) aged under 15 years, 357 (18.7%) aged 15 to 29, 843 (44.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 330 (17.3%) aged 65 or older. [13]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 62.4% European (Pākehā); 40.8% Māori; 7.4% Pasifika; 10.7% Asian; 1.3% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 1.9% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 95.6%, Māori by 14.3%, Samoan by 0.3%, and other languages by 13.4%. No language could be spoken by 1.7% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 20.5, compared with 28.8% nationally. [13]
Religious affiliations were 32.9% Christian, 1.7% Hindu, 0.2% Islam, 2.7% Māori religious beliefs, 1.1% Buddhist, 0.5% New Age, and 1.1% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 52.3%, and 7.6% of people did not answer the census question. [13]
Of those at least 15 years old, 369 (24.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 759 (49.7%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 396 (25.9%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $39,400, compared with $41,500 nationally. 168 people (11.0%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 711 (46.6%) full-time, 237 (15.5%) part-time, and 54 (3.5%) unemployed. [13]
Kawaha Point School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 6 students, [16] [17] with a roll of 209 as of March 2025. [18] [19] The school teaches some classes in the Māori language. [20] The school opened in 1979. [21]
Kawaha has been served by a bus since at least 1943 [22] and now has a half-hourly service. [23] Ngongotahā cycleway, which was opened in 2012, [24] runs to the west of Kawaha. [25]
