Waiotahe

Waiotahi
Rural settlement
Te Ara Ki Te Rawhiti - The pathway to the sunrise
Coordinates: 37°59′35″S 177°14′28″E / 37.993°S 177.241°E / -37.993; 177.241
Country	New Zealand
Region	Bay of Plenty
Territorial authority	Ōpōtiki District
Ward	Waioeka-Waiōtahe-Otara Ward
Electorates	East Coast Waiariki (Māori)
Government
• Territorial authority	Ōpōtiki District Council
• Regional council	Bay of Plenty Regional Council
Area [1]
• Total	7.90 km2 (3.05 sq mi)
Population  (2018 Census)[2]
• Total	318
Postcode(s)	3198

Waiotahe (for a time, Waiotahi) is a beach, settlement and rural community in the Ōpōtiki District and Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand's North Island, near the mouth and lowermost stretch of the Waiotahe River.

It includes a beach that attracts swimmers, surfers and anglers during the summer months, and river mouths that people fish from year-round. The beach is more dangerous during low tide due to stronger rips, but has natural hazards in all conditions.^[3]

Ōpōtiki District Council has banned vehicles from the mudflats of the Waiotahe estuary and a section of Waiotahe Beach.^[4] The council allows vehicles at other beaches, unlike most other New Zealand councils.^[5]

The town's official name reverted from Waiotahi back to the original Māori name Waiotahe in August 2015, following a decision by Land Information Minister Louise Upston, upheld by the New Zealand Geographic Board.^[6]

In July 2013, a couple in their 60s were attacked and held captive in their Waiotahe home by a former soldier who had spent the previous night sleeping rough near the town hall.^[7] The perpetrator fled the scene in their ute and was shot dead by police in Auckland.^[8] The couple were hospitalised for injuries to their hands and reported being traumatised by their ordeal.^[9]

The first case of Mycoplasma bovis in Bay of Plenty was recorded in a farm in Waiotahe in January 2020.^[10]

Waiotahe is in an SA1 statistical area which covers 7.90 km² (3.05 sq mi).^[1] The SA1 area is part of the Waiotahi statistical area.

The SA1 area had a population of 318 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 108 people (51.4%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 162 people (103.8%) since the 2006 census. There were 114 households, comprising 165 males and 153 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.08 males per female. The median age was 47.0 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 57 people (17.9%) aged under 15 years, 54 (17.0%) aged 15 to 29, 141 (44.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 69 (21.7%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 74.5% European/Pākehā, 35.8% Māori, 2.8% Pacific peoples, 5.7% Asian, and 1.9% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 54.7% had no religion, 29.2% were Christian, 3.8% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.9% were Hindu and 1.9% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 42 (16.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 51 (19.5%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $29,300, compared with $31,800 nationally. 27 people (10.3%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 123 (47.1%) people were employed full-time, 39 (14.9%) were part-time, and 6 (2.3%) were unemployed.^[2]

Waiotahe statistical area, which also includes Ōhiwa, covers 143.25 km² (55.31 sq mi)^[1] and had an estimated population of 1,750 as of June 2024,^[11] with a population density of 12 people per km².

Before the 2023 census, the statistical area was called Waiotahi and had a smaller boundary, covering 141.78 km² (54.74 sq mi).^[1] Using that boundary, Waiotahi had a population of 1,518 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 150 people (11.0%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 150 people (11.0%) since the 2006 census. There were 603 households, comprising 759 males and 756 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.0 males per female. The median age was 48.9 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 267 people (17.6%) aged under 15 years, 225 (14.8%) aged 15 to 29, 690 (45.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 333 (21.9%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 74.5% European/Pākehā, 40.3% Māori, 1.8% Pacific peoples, 3.0% Asian, and 1.2% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 9.9, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 53.2% had no religion, 27.7% were Christian, 8.1% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.4% were Hindu, 0.2% were Muslim, 0.6% were Buddhist and 1.4% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 204 (16.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 270 (21.6%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $28,900, compared with $31,800 nationally. 186 people (14.9%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 576 (46.0%) people were employed full-time, 195 (15.6%) were part-time, and 69 (5.5%) were unemployed.^[12]

Waiotahe Valley School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,^[13] with a roll of 109 as of August 2024.^[14] The school opened in 1921.^[15]

Kayaker Lisa Carrington was raised in the valley and went to the local school, where both of her parents are teachers. She regularly visits the area.^[16]