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Katikati
Town
SH2 through the centre of Katikati
Coordinates: 37°33′S 175°55′E / 37.550°S 175.917°E / -37.550; 175.917
Country	New Zealand
Region	Bay of Plenty
Territorial authority	Western Bay of Plenty District
Ward	Waihi Beach/Katikati
Community	Waihi Beach Community
Electorates	Coromandel Waiariki (Māori)
Government
• Territorial Authority	Western Bay of Plenty District Council
• Regional council	Bay of Plenty Regional Council
Area
• Territorial	9.97 km (3.85 sq mi)
Population
• Territorial	5,920
• Density	590/km (1,500/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+12 (NZST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+13 (NZDT)
Postcode(s)	3129

Katikati is a town in New Zealand (North Island) located on the Uretara Stream near a tidal inlet towards the northern end of Tauranga Harbour, 28 kilometres south of Waihi and 40 kilometres northwest of Tauranga. State Highway 2 passes through the town; a bypass scheduled to have begun construction in 2008 is on hold.

Katikati has become known for its many murals painted on walls of commercial buildings. These were started in the 1990s to regenerate tourist interest in the town and district, and led to the town being recognised New Zealand's 'Most Beautiful Small Town' award for towns of less than 8,000 population in 2005 by the Keep New Zealand Beautiful Society.

In 2018, Katikati was named "Avocado Capital of New Zealand . Besides its avocado orchards, there are many kiwi-fruit orchards in and around Katikati.

There are hot springs three kilometres to the south of Katikati at Sapphire Springs.

History and culture

Pre-European history

Katikati was a Maori community that derived from the waka Mātaatua and is affiliated with the tribal group in Tauranga, Ngāi Te Rangi. It was later settled in 1875 by Ulster Scots people from County Tyrone in Ireland through the Orange Institution.

European settlement

The land upon which the town was built was taken from local Māori after the New Zealand Wars and was given to the settlers by the Central Government. The settlement was established by the Englishman George Vesey Stewart, who led two groups of mostly Irish settlers there aboard the ships Carisbrook Castle (1875) and Lady Jocelyn (1878).

The settlement was formed from two distinct groups: "the settlers useful" (tenant farmers) and "the settlers ornamental" (those with wealth). The settlement managed to withstand early economic problems and developed into a healthy town, based around farming and agriculture. In the latter 19th century, the kauri gum digging trade became an important industry in the area. Katikati was one of the southernmost areas where the gum could be found, as it is close to the historical southern limit for where kauri trees could thrive.

Marae

There are two marae in the Katikati area.

Te Rere a Tukahia Marae and its Tamawhariua meeting house are affiliated with the Ngāi Te Rangi hapū of Ngāi Tamawhariua.

Tuapiro Marae and its Ngā Kurī a Wharei meeting house are affiliated with the Ngāti Ranginui hapū of Ngāti Te Wai.

Transport

Katikati is situated on State Highway 2. There are proposals to bypass Katikati with an upgrade including two roundabouts.

Katikati was previously on the East Coast Main Trunk railway line. The railway closed in September 1978 when the Kaimai Tunnel opened. The railway from Apata through to Paeroa remained in place until 1980. There were proposals to keep the section of railway from Apata to Katikati before it was dismantled.

Demographics

Katikati covers 9.97 km (3.85 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 5,920 as of June 2024, with a population density of 594 people per km.

Before the 2023 census, the town had a smaller boundary, covering 9.53 km (3.68 sq mi). Using that boundary, Katikati had a population of 5,010 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 915 people (22.3%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 1,386 people (38.2%) since the 2006 census. There were 2,034 households, comprising 2,382 males and 2,625 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.91 males per female. The median age was 53.1 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 795 people (15.9%) aged under 15 years, 693 (13.8%) aged 15 to 29, 1,596 (31.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,923 (38.4%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 78.7% European/Pākehā, 11.5% Māori, 5.8% Pacific peoples, 11.4% Asian, and 1.1% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 28.3, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 43.4% had no religion, 36.5% were Christian, 1.0% had Māori religious beliefs, 3.4% were Hindu, 0.2% were Muslim, 0.7% were Buddhist and 6.2% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 492 (11.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 1,071 (25.4%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $22,800, compared with $31,800 nationally. 255 people (6.0%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,377 (32.7%) people were employed full-time, 546 (13.0%) were part-time, and 105 (2.5%) were unemployed.

Education

Katikati Primary School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 6 students, with a roll of 528 as of August 2024.

Katikati College is a co-educational state intermediate and high school for Year 7 to 13 students, with a roll of 780.

Notable people

• Alan Edward Mulgan, journalist, writer, and broadcaster
• Bunny Walters, singer
• Richard O'Brien, actor, director, and producer
• Dave Gallaher, rugby player

Climate

References

1. ^ "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
2. ^ "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
3. NZTA: Katikati Bypass Archived 2013-03-12 at the Wayback Machine
4. "Beautiful Cities and Towns 2005". Keep New Zealand Beautiful Society. Archived from the original on 10 November 2007.
5. "Katikati Travel Guide". Jasons Travel Media.
6. ^ "Te Kāhui Māngai directory". tkm.govt.nz. Te Puni Kōkiri.
7. BBC Northern Ireland report
8. Brett, Henry (1924). "The Lady Jocelyn". White Wings Vol I. Fifty Years Of Sail In The New Zealand Trade, 1850 to 1900. Auckland: NZETC (Victoria University of Wellington). pp. 40–43.
9. "Untitled". The Bay of Plenty Times. 12 October 1878. pp. 2–3.
10. Hayward, Bruce W. (1989). Kauri Gum and the Gumdiggers. The Bush Press. p. 4. ISBN 0-908608-39-X.
11. "Māori Maps". maorimaps.com. Te Potiki National Trust.
12. "Katikati bypass project on the backburner.. again". The New Zealand Herald. 4 June 2020.
13. "The Month in New Zealand". Rails. Southern Press Ltd: 18. September 1980. ISSN 0110-6155.
14. ^ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Katikati (190600). 2018 Census place summary: Katikati
15. "Katikati Primary School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
16. "Katikati Primary School Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
17. "Katikati College Official School Website". katikaticollege.school.nz.
18. "Katikati College Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
19. "Katikati College Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
20. "CliFlo – National Climate Database : Katikati 2". NIWA. Retrieved 14 September 2024.

External links

• Katikati Website
• Katikati Mobile App
• Katikati College
• Katikati Primary
• Matahui Primary

• Western Bay of Plenty District
• Populated places in the Bay of Plenty Region
• Populated places around the Tauranga Harbour