Waitōtara

Quality 0.50 · 1 view · Updated 2 months ago

Settlement in Taranaki Region, New Zealand

title: "Waitōtara" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["south-taranaki-district", "populated-places-in-taranaki"] description: "Settlement in Taranaki Region, New Zealand" topic_path: "general/south-taranaki-district" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waitōtara" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Settlement in Taranaki Region, New Zealand ::

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

Field	Value
name	Waitōtara
population_footnotes
population_as_of
population_total
area_total_km2	0.25
area_footnotes
population_density_km2	auto
subdivision_type	Country
subdivision_name	New Zealand
subdivision_type1	Region
subdivision_name1	Taranaki
subdivision_type2	Territorial authority
subdivision_name2	South Taranaki District
subdivision_type3	Ward
subdivision_name3
subdivision_type4	Community
subdivision_name4	Pātea Community
seat_type	Electorates
seat
leader_title	Territorial Authority
leader_name	South Taranaki District Council
leader_title1	Regional council
leader_name1	Taranaki Regional Council
leader_title2	Mayor of South Taranaki
leader_name2
leader_title3	Whanganui MP
leader_name3
leader_title4	Te Tai Hauāuru MP
leader_name4
mapframe	yes
mapframe-zoom	9
coordinates
::

Waitōtara is a town in South Taranaki, New Zealand. Waverley is 10 km to the north-west, and Whanganui is 34 km to the south-east. State Highway 3 passes through it. The Waitōtara River flows past the east side of the town.

More than 30 homes were evacuated during flooding in February 2004.

A local freezing works is a major employer.

In April 2025 the 104-year old Waitotara Hotel, which was also used as a grocery story and postal centre, was devastated by a fire.

Demographics

Waitōtara is described by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement. It covers 0.25 km2 and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2. It is part of the larger Manutahi-Waitotora statistical area.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Waitotara,Taranaki(redoubt_from_the_NZ_Wars)_(16685005984).jpg" caption="Site of the Waitōtara Redoubt, built during the [[Second Taranaki War]] (shown in 1948)."] ::

Waitōtara had a population of 69 in the 2023 New Zealand census, a decrease of 3 people (−4.2%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 3 people (4.5%) since the 2013 census. There were 39 males and 30 females in 36 dwellings. The median age was 54.3 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 9 people (13.0%) aged under 15 years, 12 (17.4%) aged 15 to 29, 27 (39.1%) aged 30 to 64, and 21 (30.4%) aged 65 or older.

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 73.9% European (Pākehā), 34.8% Māori, and 4.3% Asian. English was spoken by 100.0%, and Māori by 4.3%. No language could be spoken by 4.3% (e.g. too young to talk). The percentage of people born overseas was 4.3, compared with 28.8% nationally.

Religious affiliations were 21.7% Christian, and 4.3% Hindu. People who answered that they had no religion were 56.5%, and 17.4% of people did not answer the census question.

Of those at least 15 years old, 3 (5.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 27 (45.0%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 30 (50.0%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $26,500, compared with $41,500 nationally. 3 people (5.0%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 21 (35.0%) full-time, 6 (10.0%) part-time, and 6 (10.0%) unemployed.

Marae

Waitōtara has marae associated with the hapū of Ngā Rauru Kītahi:

Te Ihupuku Marae and Te Kawerau and Karepoonia are affiliated with Ngāti Hinewaiata.
Kaipō or Wharetapapa Marae and its Tokanuhea III meeting house are affiliated with Ngāti Hou Tipua.
Takirau Marae and Ko Te Marunga Nui o Pourua meeting house are affiliated with Ngāti Pourua.
Tauranga Ika Marae and Te Aputa ki Wairau meeting house are affiliated with Ngāti Ruaiti.
Waipapa Marae and Ngā Paiaka meeting house are affiliated with Ngā Ariki.

In October 2020, the Government committed $522,926 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade Te Ihupuku Marae, Waipapa Marae and Te Aroha Marae, creating 92 jobs.

Education

Waitotara School is a coeducational full primary (years 1–8) school with a roll of students as of The school was founded in 1874.

References

(2004). "Reed New Zealand Atlas". Reed Books.
Roger Smith, GeographX. (2005). "The Geographic Atlas of New Zealand". Robbie Burton.
(26 February 2004). "Cyclone set to miss NZ but heavy rain coming". [[The New Zealand Herald]].
Maslin, John. (15 May 2008). "Dannevirke works closure could mean expansion at Waitotara". [[Wanganui Chronicle]].
"Stuff".
(18 April 2025). "Taranaki town loses its 'focal point' Waitotara Hotel in devastating fire".
(18 April 2025). "'Fully involved': South Taranaki hotel burns down in a dramatic blaze".
"Stats NZ Geographic Data Service".
"Geographic Boundary Viewer". Stats NZ.
{{NZ census 2018. 7017544
"Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer.
"Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer.
"Te Kāhui Māngai directory". [[Te Puni Kōkiri]].
"Māori Maps". Te Potiki National Trust.
(9 October 2020). "Marae Announcements". [[Provincial Growth Fund]].
{{TKI. 2474. Waitotara School
"Welcome to Waitotara School". Waitotara School.

::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. ::