The town is located 7 kilometres (4.3mi) northeast of Waipukurau and 46km (29mi) southwest of Hastings, on the northern bank of the Waipawa River, a tributary of the Tukituki River.[3][4] Waipawa was settled in the early 1860s.
It holds the main office of the Central Hawke's Bay District Council, and is New Zealand's oldest inland European settlement.[5]
Frederick Abbot was one of the early settlers[6] and Waipawa was originally called Abbotsford, when the township was being sold in 1859,[7] and there is still a children's home in Waipawa named Abbotsford.[8] However, it was often shown as Abbotsford, Waipawa[9] and Waipawa was more commonly used alone after the opening of the Waipawa railway station and Waipawa Mail in the late 1870s.[10]
A local newspaper, the Waipawa Mail, was published for most of the period from 1878 to 1980. It was one of 45 started by Joseph Ivess. In 1980 it merged to become the CHB Mail,[11] which is now a free weekly paper, published in Waipukurau.[12]
Demographics
Waipawa covers 6.80km2 (2.63sqmi)[1] and had an estimated population of 2,540 as of June 2024,[2] with a population density of 374 people per km2.
Waipawa had a population of 2,085 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 114 people (5.8%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 159 people (8.3%) since the 2006 census. There were 843 households, comprising 990 males and 1,095 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.9 males per female. The median age was 43.3 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 450 people (21.6%) aged under 15 years, 291 (14.0%) aged 15 to 29, 912 (43.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 429 (20.6%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 84.0% European/Pākehā, 25.3% Māori, 3.9% Pacific peoples, 1.7% Asian, and 1.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 13.8, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 54.2% had no religion, 32.5% were Christian, 2.3% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.1% were Buddhist and 2.7% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 216 (13.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 408 (25.0%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $26,400, compared with $31,800 nationally. 105 people (6.4%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 777 (47.5%) people were employed full-time, 261 (16.0%) were part-time, and 45 (2.8%) were unemployed.[13]
In October 2020, the Government committed $887,291 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade the two marae and three others, creating 12 jobs.[16]
Education
Waipawa School is a Year 1-8 co-educational state primary school.[17][18] It is a decile 3 school with a roll of 332 as of August 2024.[19][20] The school opened in 1862.[21][22]
Waipawa used to have a secondary school, Waipawa District High School. This was merged in 1959 with Waipukurau District High School to make Central Hawke's Bay College based in Waipukurau.[23]
Waipawa has been home to several youth organisations. Namely, the New Zealand Cadet Forces's ATC branch, as well as a Scouts New Zealand branch. However, since 2000, both major youth organisations have gone into recess.
From at least 1870[24] Waipawa was served by mail coaches running between Napier and Waipukurau.[25]
On 6 December 1981 the station closed to passengers, it was an unattended station from 20 November 1983, closed to all but parcels on 18 August 1984 and closed completely on 2 November 1984. By 1987 only a platform and goods shed remained.[26] The platform, goods shed and a single track still remain.[27]
Former adjoining stations
Waipukurau Line open, station closed 7.52km (4.67mi)
Waipukurau is the largest town in the Central Hawke's Bay District on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is located on the banks of the Tukituki River, 7 kilometres south of Waipawa and 50 kilometres southwest of Hastings.
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