Taieri Mouth

Last updated

Taieri Mouth
Rural settlement
TaieriMouth.jpg
Fishing boats moored at Taieri Mouth
Taieri Mouth
Coordinates: 46°03′15″S170°11′32″E / 46.05417°S 170.19222°E / -46.05417; 170.19222
CountryNew Zealand
Region Otago
Territorial authority Clutha District
WardBruce
Electorates
Government
 • Territorial authority Clutha District Council
 • Regional council Otago Regional Council
 •  Mayor of Clutha Bryan Cadogan
 •  Taieri MP Ingrid Leary
 •  Te Tai Tonga MP Tākuta Ferris
Area
[1]
 • Total3.25 km2 (1.25 sq mi)
Population
 (June 2023) [2]
 • Total280
 • Density86/km2 (220/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+12 (New Zealand Standard Time)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+13 (New Zealand Daylight Time)
Postcode
9091
Local iwi Ngāi Tahu

Taieri Mouth is a small fishing village at the mouth of the Taieri River, New Zealand. Taieri Island (Moturata) lies in the ocean several hundred metres off the river's mouth.

Contents

It has a white sand beach for swimming and several picnic areas. Moturata is a distinctive landmark which can be walked to at low-tide. Caution is advised as the tides can change quickly. Another feature is the millennium walking track that follows the Taieri River from the mouth through the lower gorge to Henley.

The village is located 40 kilometres (25 mi) southwest of central Dunedin on the Southern Scenic Route. It is located in the Clutha District on the boundary of Dunedin City and 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) east of Lake Waihola. Immediately to its south is the smaller settlement of Taieri Beach, and the two are often considered parts of the same settlement.

It gained a little notoriety or sadness in the 1990s, relating to the Bain family murders, as the place where Robin Bain worked as the school principal.

History

Colourful shed at Taieri Mouth TaieriMouthShed.jpg
Colourful shed at Taieri Mouth

There was a Māori occupation site at Taieri Mouth, with moa bones, indicating it was from the Moa Hunter (early) period of Māori culture.

According to oral tradition in the early 18th century Tuwiriroa moved from Tititea on the Kawarau River near modern Queenstown and built a pa, Motupara, near Taieri Mouth. A rival, Tukiauau, had already built a pa, Whakaraupuka, inland on the Taieri Plain by Lake Waihola. Tuwiriroa had a daughter Haki Te Kura, famous for swimming across Lake Wakatipu. Tukiauau had a handsome son Korokiwhiti. The daughter and son now fell in love but the woman's father, the chief of the Taieri Mouth pa, disapproved. The young man's father was a hunted man. Hearing his enemies had discovered his whereabouts he decided to abandon the upriver settlement and move his people further south. As they came down the river in their canoes the distraught young woman attempted to jump from a rock into her lover's craft but struck the prow and was killed. Adding insult to injury her head was severed and held up angrily to her people on the shore as the flotilla passed by to the sea. There were repercussions and Tukiauau and his son were pursued and eventually killed. [3]

Bridge across the estuary of the Taieri River, Taieri Mouth Taieri Mouth Bridge.jpg
Bridge across the estuary of the Taieri River, Taieri Mouth

Maori occupation continued and Edward Shortland recorded a small settlement on the site in 1843 and Maori were still living here in 1850. [4] An early European settler was a former whaler, 'The Hermit of Taieri Mouth' (also known as John Bull) whose real name was John Edward O'Neil. He is remembered for his boisterous ways and prodigious strength. [5]

On 4 July 2024 the area saw the finding of a deceased intact 5 metres (16 ft) male blackish-silver specimen of the almost unknown Mesoplodon traversii (spade-toothed whale) was washed ashore. [6]

Demographics

Taieri Mouth is described by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement. It covers 3.25 km2 (1.25 sq mi), [1] and had an estimated population of 280 as of June 2023, [2] with a population density of 86 people per km2. It is part of the much larger Bruce statistical area. [7]

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
2006189—    
2013195+0.45%
2018252+5.26%
Source: [8]

Taieri Mouth had a population of 252 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 57 people (29.2%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 63 people (33.3%) since the 2006 census. There were 108 households, comprising 132 males and 123 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.07 males per female. The median age was 52.8 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 39 people (15.5%) aged under 15 years, 18 (7.1%) aged 15 to 29, 123 (48.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 72 (28.6%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 95.2% European/Pākehā, 10.7% Māori, 1.2% Pasifika, and 3.6% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 54.8% had no religion, 29.8% were Christian, 1.2% had Māori religious beliefs and 1.2% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 36 (16.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 57 (26.8%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $28,000, compared with $31,800 nationally. 15 people (7.0%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 81 (38.0%) people were employed full-time, 45 (21.1%) were part-time, and 3 (1.4%) were unemployed. [8]

Education

Taieri Beach School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students, [9] with a roll of 2 as of February 2024. [10] The school opened in 1862. [11]

Climate

Climate data for Taieri Mouth (1981–2010)
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)18.5
(65.3)		18.5
(65.3)		16.9
(62.4)		15.0
(59.0)		12.7
(54.9)		10.6
(51.1)		9.9
(49.8)		11.1
(52.0)		13.2
(55.8)		14.3
(57.7)		15.9
(60.6)		16.9
(62.4)		14.5
(58.0)
Daily mean °C (°F)14.2
(57.6)		14.1
(57.4)		12.6
(54.7)		10.5
(50.9)		8.6
(47.5)		6.6
(43.9)		5.7
(42.3)		6.8
(44.2)		8.6
(47.5)		9.8
(49.6)		11.4
(52.5)		12.8
(55.0)		10.1
(50.3)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)9.8
(49.6)		9.8
(49.6)		8.3
(46.9)		6.0
(42.8)		4.6
(40.3)		2.7
(36.9)		1.5
(34.7)		2.4
(36.3)		4.0
(39.2)		5.3
(41.5)		7.0
(44.6)		8.6
(47.5)		5.8
(42.5)
Average rainfall mm (inches)61.5
(2.42)		54.2
(2.13)		73.2
(2.88)		54.6
(2.15)		96.6
(3.80)		69.7
(2.74)		78.1
(3.07)		61.6
(2.43)		57.9
(2.28)		69.4
(2.73)		50.1
(1.97)		81.0
(3.19)		807.9
(31.79)
Source: NIWA (Rain 1971-2000) [12]

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References

  1. 1 2 "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  2. 1 2 "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)
  3. ↑ Anderson, A (1998) The welcome of strangers. Dunedin: University of Otago Press ISBN   1-877133-41-8
  4. ↑ Shortland, E., (1851) The southern districts of New Zealand: A journal. London: Longman, Brown, Green & Longmans
  5. ↑ "Taieri Mouth and Taieri Beach", from The cyclopedia of New Zealand (Otago and Southland Provincial Districts). Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  6. ↑ VYAS, Heloise (16 July 2024). "Rare spade-toothed whale washes ashore on New Zealand beach in discovery hailed as 'huge' for science". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  7. ↑ 2018 Census place summary: Bruce
  8. 1 2 "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7029034.
  9. ↑ "Taieri Beach School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
  10. ↑ "Taieri Beach School Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
  11. ↑ De Reus, Helena (24 October 2012). "Country school celebrates". Otago Daily Times.
  12. ↑ "CliFlo – National Climate Database : Taieri Mouth". NIWA. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
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