Ruapuke | |
|---|---|
 Ruapuke from Karioi summit, with Aotea Harbour and Albatross Point beyond | |
  Ruapuke | |
| Coordinates: 37°54′49″S174°47′13″E / 37.91351°S 174.78702°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Waikato |
| Territorial authority | Waikato District |
| Population (2013) | |
| • Total | 114 |
| Time zone | UTC+12 (NZST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+13 (NZDT) |
Ruapuke is a small farming community (predominantly sheep and cattle farmers) in the Waikato region on the slopes of Karioi, between Raglan and Kawhia in New Zealand.
The introduction to 'Ruapuke' says, "The greater part of the Ruapuke District is of a sandy loam, and at one time carried a large population of Maoris, as is evidenced by old pas, great heaps of shells, warehouse sites and numerous kumara storage pits. When the first Europeans arrived the sandy country was covered with patches of light bush, with a big proportion of Karaka, Pūriri, and Cabbage trees. The balance was covered with Tauhinu, Teatree, Flax and Fern. The clay portion of the district, (inland and on the slopes of Mt Karioi) was in heavy bush." [1] The archaeological map shows over 40 sites in the area. [2] The European settlers, George Charlton and his sons-in-law, Captains Swann and Liddell, arrived in the 1850s. [1]
The 4,413 acres (1,786 ha) Ruapuke block was bought by the government from Ngāti Whakamarurangi between 1854 and 1856 for £300. A Waitangi Tribunal report says, " McLean appears to have applied pressure on Māori sellers to induce them to accept a price they had previously rejected . . . We find that, in this way, the Crown failed to act honourably and in good faith". [3]
Ruapuke had a school from 1877 till 1954. [1] The school was rebuilt in 1937. [4] It has been replaced by a school bus. [5]
There was a store at Motakotako from the 1860s. From about 1875 to 1883 it was run by John William Ellis, who later founded Ellis & Burnand. Another store opened briefly in the 1890s. [1]
From 1873 [6] until the 1900s there were up to three flaxmills running. [1]
The area north of Ruapuke Beach Rd is in meshblock 0853300 (N) and south of it in 0861800 (S). They had these census figures [7] -
| Population | Households | Median age | Average income | National average | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | N | S | total | N | S | total | N | S | N | S | |
| 2001 | 60 | 57 | 117 | 24 | 15 | 39 | 39.5 | 37.5 | $22,500 | $12,500 | $18,500 |
| 2006 | 39 | 69 | 108 | 18 | 21 | 49 | 40 | 34 | $28,300 | $15,400 | $24,100 |
| 2013 | 54 | 60 | 114 | 27 | 24 | 51 | 43.8 | 41.5 | $32,500 | $20,800 | $27,900 |
Ruapuke is about 12 km (7.5 mi) from Te Mata. [8] 840 m (0.52 mi) of Ruapuke Road was sealed and some bends removed in 2011. [9] It is often used for rally car competitions. [10]
The north end of Ruapuke Beach is about 23 km (14 mi) from Raglan via Whaanga Road and Te Toto Gorge, which is gravel, winding, [11] mountainous and described as 'iconic' in descriptions of Rally New Zealand. [12]
Until 1864 settlement was along the coast and relied on access by boat. Then a track was cut along what is now Waimaori Rd. [13]
Ruapuke Rd (originally known as Ruapuke Mountain Rd) was built as a shorter route from 1902 [14] and was metalled in 1935. [15]
Until the 1990s the beach largely remained unknown, used by local residents and a few surfing and surfcasting fishing enthusiasts. Ruapuke beach is sometimes used as a backup beach for events such as the Billabong Pro Junior Series (2007), [16] and the Backdoor Oceanbridge Manu Bay Pro (2019), [17] due to conditions.
Raglan is a small beachside town located 48 km west of Hamilton, New Zealand on State Highway 23. It is known for its surfing, and volcanic black sand beaches.
The Waipā River is in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand. The headwaters are in the Rangitoto Range east of Te Kūiti. It flows north for 115 kilometres (71 mi), passing through Ōtorohanga and Pirongia, before flowing into the Waikato River at Ngāruawāhia. It is the Waikato's largest tributary. The Waipā's main tributary is the Puniu River.
Waikato District is a territorial authority of New Zealand, in the northern part of Waikato region, North Island. Waikato District is administered by the Waikato District Council, with headquarters in Ngāruawāhia.
Aotea Harbour is a settlement and smallest of three large natural inlets in the Tasman Sea coast of the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located between Raglan Harbour to the north and Kawhia Harbour to the south, 30 kilometres southwest of Hamilton.
Kawhia Harbour is one of three large natural inlets in the Tasman Sea coast of the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located to the south of Raglan Harbour, Ruapuke and Aotea Harbour, 40 kilometres southwest of Hamilton. Kawhia is part of the Ōtorohanga District and is in the King Country. It has a high-tide area of 68 km2 (26 sq mi) and a low-tide area of 18 km2 (6.9 sq mi). Te Motu Island is located in the harbour.
Mount Pirongia is an extinct stratovolcano located in the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. It rises to 959 m (3,146 ft) and is the highest peak around the Waikato plains. Pirongia's many peaks are basaltic cones created by successive volcanic eruptions between the late Pliocene and early Pleistocene, about 2.5 million years ago. In the adjacent picture, the characteristic profile of the mountain can be seen, along with a prominent accessory cone to the right.
Ngāti Koata or Ngāti Kōata is a Māori iwi of New Zealand, originating on the west coast of Waikato, but now mainly at the northern tip of South Island.
The Opotoru River is a river of the Waikato Region of New Zealand's North Island. It flows north, reaching the Raglan Harbour southwest of the town of Raglan. There is no regular monitoring of pollution, but 38 kilometres (24 mi) (31.2%) of the river has been fenced to protect it from farm stock.
Karioi or Mount Karioi is a 2.4 million year old extinct stratovolcano 8 km (5.0 mi) SW of Raglan in the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. It was the earliest of the line of 6 calcalkalic volcanoes, the largest of which is Mount Pirongia. Karioi forms a background to many parts of Raglan.
Te Kawa railway station was a station on the North Island Main Trunk in New Zealand, located at Te Kawa.
Whatawhata, previously also spelt Whata Whata, is a small town in the Waikato region on the east bank of the Waipā River, at the junction of State Highways 23 and 39, 12 km (7.5 mi) from Hamilton. Te Araroa tramping route passes through Whatawhata.
State Highway 39 (SH 39) is a New Zealand state highway that forms a western bypass of the city of Hamilton. Gazetted in 1999, it is a generally quicker route to get between Auckland and New Plymouth as well as connecting to the Waitomo Caves, just south of the SH 39 southern terminus. The southernmost 14 km section has a concurrency with SH 31, as this highway has existed for much longer.
State Highway 23 (SH 23) is a New Zealand state highway that connects the towns of Raglan and Hamilton.
Te Mata is a small settlement 47 km (29 mi) from Hamilton and 15 km (9.3 mi) from Raglan.
Te Uku is a small, mainly farming, settlement on SH23 in the North Island of New Zealand, located 34 km (21 mi) from Hamilton and 11 km (6.8 mi) from Raglan. It has a 4-Square shop, church, coffee stall and art gallery, filling station, hall, school and Xtreme Zero Waste recycle bins.
Public transport in Hamilton and the Waikato Region consists mainly of bus services, as well as some limited train and ferry services. Services are mainly infrequent, and investment hasn't been sufficient to compete with cars, so that subsidies, first introduced in 1971, have increased.
Te Ākau is a small farming settlement in the North Island of New Zealand, located 62 km (39 mi) north west of Hamilton, 39 km (24 mi) south west of Huntly, 45 km (28 mi) south of Port Waikato and 47 km (29 mi), or 19 km (12 mi) by ferry and road, north of Raglan. It has a hall and a school.
Hauturu is a village near the eastern shores of the Kawhia Harbour, in the Otorohanga District and Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island.
Waitetuna is a rural community in the Waikato District and Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located on the valley of the Waitetuna River, upstream from the Raglan Harbour.
Te Rore was in the 1850s an important transhipment point on New Zealand's Waipā River, between the agriculture of the Waikato basin and its Auckland market. That was ended in 1864 by the Invasion of the Waikato, when Te Rore was, for a few months, part of the supply route to four redoubts set up nearby. It is now a rural community in the Waipa District, 6 km (3.7 mi) north of Pirongia and roughly the same distance south of Ngāhinapōuri on State Highway 39.
Neighbouring areas | |
|---|---|
