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Ōwhiro Bay
Suburb
Coordinates: 41°20′38″S 174°45′32″E / 41.344°S 174.759°E / -41.344; 174.759
Country	New Zealand
City	Wellington City
Local authority	Wellington City Council
Electoral ward	Paekawakawa/Southern Ward Te Whanganui-a-Tara Māori Ward
Area
• Land	406 ha (1,003 acres)
Population
• Total	2,040

	Brooklyn	Kingston
Mākara	Ōwhiro Bay	Island Bay
	Cook Strait

Ōwhiro Bay is a southern suburb of Wellington, New Zealand, that overlooks Cook Strait. It is situated west of the larger suburb of Island Bay. The official name of the suburb was changed from Owhiro Bay to Ōwhiro Bay (with macron) by the New Zealand Geographic Board on 21 June 2019. The Bay and stream are named after the navigator Whiro, who landed the waka Nukutere there, and has been historically settled by the Kati Mamoe, Ngati Ira and Ngai Tara tribes.

The suburb has been an industrial area of southern Wellington since the 1950s with the opening of Bata Shoes and the Southern Landfill (1976).

Demographics

Ōwhiro Bay statistical area covers 4.06 km (1.57 sq mi). It had an estimated population of 2,040 as of June 2024, with a population density of 502 people per km.

Ōwhiro Bay had a population of 1,998 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 105 people (5.5%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 174 people (9.5%) since the 2006 census. There were 687 households, comprising 993 males and 1,005 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.99 males per female. The median age was 37.9 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 405 people (20.3%) aged under 15 years, 363 (18.2%) aged 15 to 29, 1,032 (51.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 201 (10.1%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 74.6% European/Pākehā, 12.2% Māori, 7.1% Pasifika, 16.8% Asian, and 3.8% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 29.7, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 49.2% had no religion, 31.4% were Christian, 0.8% had Māori religious beliefs, 3.9% were Hindu, 0.5% were Muslim, 3.3% were Buddhist and 3.6% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 603 (37.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 192 (12.1%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $42,500, compared with $31,800 nationally. 462 people (29.0%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 948 (59.5%) people were employed full-time, 213 (13.4%) were part-time, and 66 (4.1%) were unemployed.

Education

Ōwhiro Bay School is a coeducational state contributing primary (years 1–6) school. It has a roll of 94 students as of November 2024.

Notable features

Oku Street Reserve

Oku Street Reserve is a park situated on a promontory between Island Bay and Ōwhiro Bay. Views over Ōwhiro Bay can be obtained from the reserve.

References

1. ^ "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
2. ^ "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
3. "Notice of Approved Official Geographic Names". New Zealand Gazette. 21 June 2019. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
4. ^ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Ōwhiro Bay (252700). 2018 Census place summary: Ōwhiro Bay
5. "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
6. Education Counts: Owhiro Bay School

External links

• Owhiro Bay School

• Suburbs of Wellington City
• Bays of the Wellington Region