Waitaki District

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title: "Waitaki District" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["waitaki-district"] topic_path: "general/waitaki-district" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waitaki_District" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

FieldValue
nameWaitaki District
settlement_typeTerritorial authority district
image_skylineOamaru Post Office and war memorial.jpg
image_captionWaitaki District Council building, Thames Street, Oamaru
total_typeTotal
shield_size120x90px
image_mapWaitaki in the South Island.svg
map_captionWaitaki district in the South Island
coordinates
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_nameNew Zealand
subdivision_type1Regions
subdivision_name1{{unbulleted list
subdivision_type2Communities
subdivision_name2
subdivision_type3Wards
subdivision_name3
established_titleFormed
established_date1989
seatOamaru
parts_typeTowns
p1Hampden
p2Kakanui
p3Kurow
p4Moeraki
p5Omarama
p6Palmerston
p7Weston
p8Dunback
p9Duntroon
p10Herbert
p11Macraes
p12Maheno
p13Ngapara
p14Otematata
p15Pukeuri
p16Reidston
p17Waitaki Bridge
leader_titleMayor of Waitaki
leader_name
leader_title2Territorial authority
leader_name2Waitaki District Council
leader_title3Waitaki MP
leader_name3
leader_title4Te Tai Tonga MP
leader_name4
area_footnotes
area_land_km27107.94
population_as_of
population_footnotes
population_total
population_density_km2auto
timezoneNZST
utc_offset+12
timezone_DSTNZDT
utc_offset_DST+13
postal_code_typePostcode(s)
postal_codeMap of postcodes
postal2_code_typePostcode(s)
postal2_code7977
area_code03
website
::

| name = Waitaki District | settlement_type = Territorial authority district | image_skyline = Oamaru Post Office and war memorial.jpg | image_alt = | image_caption = Waitaki District Council building, Thames Street, Oamaru | total_type = Total | image_shield = | shield_size = 120x90px | image_map = Waitaki in the South Island.svg | mapsize = | map_caption = Waitaki district in the South Island | coordinates = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = New Zealand | subdivision_type1 = Regions | subdivision_name1 = {{unbulleted list |Canterbury (majority) |Otago (part) | subdivision_type2 = Communities | subdivision_name2 = | subdivision_type3 = Wards | subdivision_name3 = | established_title = Formed | established_date = 1989 | seat_type = | seat = Oamaru | parts_type = Towns | p1 = Hampden | p2 = Kakanui | p3 = Kurow | p4 = Moeraki | p5 = Omarama | p6 = Palmerston | p7 = Weston | p8 = Dunback | p9 = Duntroon | p10 = Herbert | p11 = Macraes | p12 = Maheno | p13 = Ngapara | p14 = Otematata | p15 = Pukeuri | p16 = Reidston | p17 = Waitaki Bridge | leader_title = Mayor of Waitaki | leader_name = | leader_title2 = Territorial authority | leader_name2 = Waitaki District Council | leader_title3 = Waitaki MP | leader_name3 = | leader_title4 = Te Tai Tonga MP | leader_name4 = | area_footnotes = | area_land_km2 = 7107.94 | population_as_of = | population_footnotes = | population_total = | population_density_km2 = auto | population_urban = | timezone = NZST | utc_offset = +12 | timezone_DST = NZDT | utc_offset_DST = +13 | postal_code_type = Postcode(s) | postal_code = Map of postcodes | postal2_code_type = Postcode(s) | postal2_code = 7977 | area_code = 03 | website =

Waitaki District is a territorial authority district in the Canterbury and Otago regions of the South Island of New Zealand. It straddles the former border between the two regions, the Waitaki River, and its seat is Oamaru.

History

Waitaki District is made up of the former Waitaki County, Waihemo County and Oamaru Borough, which were amalgamated in 1989. It is governed by the Waitaki District Council.

Name

During the colonial period, the area was also known as Molesworth. However, the Māori name Waitaki eventually prevailed.

Geography

It has a land area of 7107.73 km2, of which 4195.17 km2 or 59.02% is in the Canterbury Region and 2912.56 km2 or 40.98% in the Otago Region. It is the only district in the South Island that lies in two regions.

A major reason for this split was the governance of the Waitaki River, which formed a political boundary between Canterbury and Otago. With major hydro schemes on this river, it was decided to place the entire catchment in one administrative region, thus forming the split. Some people in the Canterbury Region of Waitaki District still regard themselves as part of Otago, and attempts have been made in the past to change the boundary. The district, which is agricultural by nature, comprises the wide alluvial fan of the river, and runs inland along the banks of the river, forming a roughly triangular region.

Urban areas and settlements

Oamaru, the district seat, is the only town in the Waitaki district with a population over 1,000. It is home to people, % of the district's population.

Other settlements and localities in the district include:

Ahuriri Ward:

Waihemo Ward:

Corriedale Ward:

Oamaru Ward:

Demographics

Waitaki District covers 7107.94 km2 and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2.

Waitaki District had a population of 23,472 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 1,164 people (5.2%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 2,643 people (12.7%) since the 2013 census. There were 11,658 males, 11,745 females and 69 people of other genders in 9,975 dwellings. 2.4% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 46.1 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 4,035 people (17.2%) aged under 15 years, 3,507 (14.9%) aged 15 to 29, 10,317 (44.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 5,610 (23.9%) aged 65 or older.

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 85.0% European (Pākehā); 9.5% Māori; 5.5% Pasifika; 6.9% Asian; 0.7% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.1% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.6%, Māori language by 1.4%, Samoan by 0.3% and other languages by 9.4%. No language could be spoken by 1.5% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.4%. The percentage of people born overseas was 18.6, compared with 28.8% nationally.

Religious affiliations were 36.4% Christian, 0.9% Hindu, 0.5% Islam, 0.2% Māori religious beliefs, 0.5% Buddhist, 0.6% New Age, 0.1% Jewish, and 1.1% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 51.8%, and 8.1% of people did not answer the census question.

Of those at least 15 years old, 2,262 (11.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 10,641 (54.7%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 5,844 (30.1%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $34,900, compared with $41,500 nationally. 1,311 people (6.7%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 9,210 (47.4%) people were employed full-time, 2,748 (14.1%) were part-time, and 333 (1.7%) were unemployed. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4b/2023_NZ_Census_Population_Density_-_Waitaki_District.png" caption="Population density in the 2023 census"] ::

::data[format=table title="Individual wards (2018 boundaries)"] | Name | Area (km2) | Population | Density (per km2) || Dwellings | Median age | Median income | New Zealand | 38.1 years | $41,500 | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Ahuriri Ward | 4,195.39 | 1,899 | 0.45 | 900 | 46.6 years | $39,100 | | | | Oamaru Ward | 38.55 | 14,499 | 376.11 | 6,069 | 46.3 years | $33,200 | | | | Waihemo Ward | 1,321.15 | 2,511 | 1.90 | 1,137 | 50.2 years | $32,400 | | | | Corriedale Ward | 1,552.85 | 4,560 | 2.94 | 1,869 | 43.2 years | $41,300 | | | ::

Economy

A relatively sparsely settled area, the District has a large number of farms. However, in recent times (late 2000s), numerous proposals for new farming operations have locals fearing that the agriculture will be transformed from often family-held farms to large agribusiness operations, causing local ecological damage and siphoning off capital overseas.

References

References

  1. (27 April 1934). "What's In A Name? Geographic Board's Work". [[The Evening Post (New Zealand).
  2. "ArcGIS Web Application".
  3. Siobhan Downes, [https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/destinations/nz/dunedin/300311308/why-waitaki-wants-its-name-on-the-tourism-map "Why Waitaki wants its name on the tourism map"], stuff.co.nz, 19 May 2021.
  4. "ArcGIS Web Application".
  5. {{NZ census 2018. Waitaki District (068). waitaki-district. Waitaki District
  6. "Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer.
  7. "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer.
  8. "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer.
  9. "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer.
  10. "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer.
  11. "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer.
  12. Taylor, Gary. (8 February 2010). "A national treasure is being squandered". [[The New Zealand Herald]].

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

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