Misplaced Pages

Auroa is a locality in southern Taranaki, New Zealand. Ōpunake is to the west, Kaponga to the northeast, and Manaia to the southeast. Mount Taranaki is directly north of Auroa.

The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "long cloud" for Auroa.

Demographics

Auroa is in two SA1 statistical areas which cover 41.13 km (15.88 sq mi). The SA1 areas are part of the larger Taungatara statistical area.

The SA1 areas had a population of 270 at the 2018 New Zealand census, a decrease of 21 people (−7.2%) since the 2013 census, and a decrease of 27 people (−9.1%) since the 2006 census. There were 99 households, comprising 132 males and 135 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.98 males per female, with 57 people (21.1%) aged under 15 years, 66 (24.4%) aged 15 to 29, 126 (46.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 24 (8.9%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 87.8% European/Pākehā, 11.1% Māori, 2.2% Pacific peoples, 2.2% Asian, and 2.2% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 48.9% had no religion, 38.9% were Christian, 1.1% had Māori religious beliefs, and 1.1% were Buddhist.

Of those at least 15 years old, 21 (9.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 54 (25.4%) people had no formal qualifications. 39 people (18.3%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 123 (57.7%) people were employed full-time, 33 (15.5%) were part-time, and 6 (2.8%) were unemployed.

Taungatara statistical area

Taungatara statistical area, which also includes Te Kiri and Pihama, covers 313.03 km (120.86 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 1,490 as of June 2024, with a population density of 4.8 people per km.

Taungatara had a population of 1,326 at the 2018 New Zealand census, a decrease of 54 people (−3.9%) since the 2013 census, and a decrease of 105 people (−7.3%) since the 2006 census. There were 456 households, comprising 702 males and 624 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.12 males per female. The median age was 32.0 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 357 people (26.9%) aged under 15 years, 270 (20.4%) aged 15 to 29, 603 (45.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 96 (7.2%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 89.4% European/Pākehā, 18.3% Māori, 0.9% Pacific peoples, 2.7% Asian, and 1.1% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 8.1, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 49.5% had no religion, 38.7% were Christian, 1.4% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.7% were Hindu, 0.2% were Muslim, 0.5% were Buddhist and 0.9% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 123 (12.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 228 (23.5%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $38,600, compared with $31,800 nationally. 174 people (18.0%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 588 (60.7%) people were employed full-time, 156 (16.1%) were part-time, and 27 (2.8%) were unemployed.

Otakeho

Otakeho is a part of the Taungatara statistical area, to the south of Auroa and west of the Otakeho Stream (rising on Mount Taranaki and reaching the Tasman Sea at Otakeho), on SH45. It has a hall (built in 1897 to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee), a boarded up store (probably built about 1920) and a few houses. To the west of Otakeho is Ngāruahine's Tawhitinui Marae.

Otakeho has a small sandy beach, beyond Dingle Road, at the foot of 40 m (130 ft) high cliffs. It is used for fishing and has a poorly protected, nationally threatened, variety of Craspedia, Craspedia Otakeho.

It once also had a school (1884-2003 - the buildings remain), a Category 2 listed church (sold in 2018 and moved to Pihama in 2021), an hotel (rebuilt after a 1907 fire and since burnt down again), a post office, a smithy and a dairy factory, which occupied several buildings.

The Ōpunake to New Plymouth bus runs through Otakeho daily in each direction, except at weekends.

Education

Auroa School is a coeducational full primary (years 1-8) school with a roll of 189 students as of August 2024. Schools at Pihama, Riverlea and Te Kiri were closed and merged into Auroa School in 2004.

Association Football

The Auroa Association Football club was formed in May 1907. After the First World War the club re-emerged with two sides. A story of an Auroa player who covered nearly 20 miles on a ladies bicycle in just over an hour to deliver a misplaced bag to the Hawera train station appeared in the local newspaper in 1923. In 1924 Mr. W. Brown from Auroa captained Taranaki against Chinese Universities at Hawera's Showgrounds. In 1926 Auroa won the Taranaki Championship and Julian Cup. In 1927 Mr. Freakley from Auroa captained Taranaki against Canada at New Plymouth's Pukekura Park.

References

1. ^ "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
2. ^ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7017385 and 7017387.
3. Peter Dowling, ed. (2004), Reed New Zealand Atlas, Reed Books, pp. map 34, ISBN 0-7900-0952-8
4. Roger Smith, GeographX (2005), The Geographic Atlas of New Zealand, Robbie Burton, pp. map 96, ISBN 1-877333-20-4
5. "1000 Māori place names". New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 6 August 2019.
6. "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
7. ^ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Taungatara (220600). 2018 Census place summary: Taungatara
8. "Otakeho Water Quantity Data". Land, Air, Water Aotearoa (LAWA). Retrieved 9 January 2022.
9. "Geographic Boundary Viewer". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Archived from the original on 9 January 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
10. Ron. "Otakeho Hall - 1897". ketenewplymouth.peoplesnetworknz.info. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
11. "2071 South Rd Otakeho, Taranaki". Google Maps. June 2021. Archived from the original on 9 January 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
12. "BUSINESS NOTICES. HAWERA & NORMANBY STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 23 March 1921. Archived from the original on 9 January 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
13. "Tawhitinui Marae". Archived from the original on 22 April 2017.
14. ^ "Inventory of coastal areas of local or regional significance in the Taranaki Region" (PDF). January 2004. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 April 2017.
15. "Otakeho Stream, Taranaki". NZ Topo Map. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
16. "The Taranaki Inc Biodiversity Strategy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 April 2017.
17. "New Zealand Flora". nzflora.landcareresearch.co.nz. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
18. "EDUCATIONAL MILESTONE. HAWERA STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 4 May 1934. Archived from the original on 9 January 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
19. "Otakeho war memorial". nzhistory.govt.nz. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
20. "2121 South Rd Otakeho, Taranaki". Google Maps. February 2010. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
21. "Otakeho church tender offers closed, attracts a flurry of interest". Stuff. 8 June 2018. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
22. "Search the List | St John the Divine Church (Former) [Relocated] | Heritage New Zealand". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
23. "photograph of Otakeho Hotel with a group of people outside". Nelson Provincial Museum. 1890. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
24. "HAWERA & NORMANBY STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 11 January 1908. Archived from the original on 9 January 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
25. "FIRE AT OTAKEHO. HAWERA & NORMANBY STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 2 August 1907. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
26. "Nicholls Story Farming Agricultural Vetenarian Scholarships BA Taranaki". Bashford-Nicholls Trust. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
27. "Otakeho". nzetc.victoria.ac.nz. 1908. Archived from the original on 9 December 2012. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
28. Ron. "T.L. Joll Co-op - Otakeho Factory". ketenewplymouth.peoplesnetworknz.info. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
29. "Hāwera-New Plymouth (extending from Ōpunake first service)". July 2021. Archived from the original on 9 January 2022.
30. "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
31. Education Counts: Auroa School
32. "Education Review Report: Auroa School". Education Review Office. April 2006. Retrieved 26 June 2008.
33. "Auroa". Opunaki Times. 21 May 1907. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
34. "Association Football". Papers Past. 23 November 2021. Archived from the original on 22 November 2021.
35. "New Zealand - List of Champions". RSSSF. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
36. "Association Football". Stratford Evening Post. 23 May 1927. Retrieved 9 June 2020.

Further reading

General historical works

• Brown, Beryl, ed. (1991), Auroa: school & districts centennial, 1891-1991, Stratford, : Stratford Press & Printing, ISBN 0-908904-09-6

Clubs and organisations

• Auroa Highland Pipe Band Inc.: 1928-1978: Golden Jubilee souvenir booklet: 3rd & 4th June,1978., Auroa, : Auroa Highland Pipe Band Inc., 1978

Schools

• School register index: Oeo 1910 - 1984 : Otakeho to 1984 : Te Roti to 1984 : Tokaora to 1984 : Matapu to 1984 : Auroa : Okaiawa to 1984 : Kapuni, n.p.: n.p., n.d.{{citation}}: CS1 maint: year (link)

• Brown, Beryl, ed. (1991), Auroa: school & districts centennial, 1891-1991, Stratford, : Stratford Press & Printing, ISBN 0-908904-09-6

• Robins, Patricia, ed. (1966), Auroa (Ratanui) School 75th jubilee, 1891-1966, Auroa, : 75th Jubilee Executive Committee

• South Taranaki District
• Populated places in Taranaki