Ruakākā

Ruakākā
Ruakākā
	Seal
	Coordinates: 35°54′30.1″S 174°27′34.47″E / 35.908361°S 174.4595750°E
Country	New Zealand
Region	Northland
Territorial Authority	Whangarei District
Ward	Bream Bay Ward
Pre 1989	Whangarei County
Electorates	Whangārei; Te Tai Tokerau;
Government
• Territorial Authority	Whangarei District Council
• Regional council	Northland Regional Council
• Mayor of Whangārei	Vince Cocurullo
• Whangārei MP	Shane Reti
• Te Tai Tokerau MP	Mariameno Kapa-Kingi
Area
• Total	15.59 km2 (6.02 sq mi)
Population (June 2024)
• Total	2,990
• Density	190/km2 (500/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+12 (NZST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+13 (NZDT)
Website	http://www.ruakaka.co.nz

Ruakākā is a small town in the north of New Zealand approximately 30 kilometres south of Whangārei in the Bream Bay area. Originally a small beachside community, Ruakākā saw development in the 1980s as a result of the expansion of the nearby Marsden Point, New Zealand's sole oil refinery. A recently established timber processing plant at Marsden Point has further stimulated growth.^[3]

Geography

Naming

The name Ruakākā comes from the Māori term rua kākā, which means the nesting hole of the kākā (Nestor meridionalis), a native parrot that nests in cavities in hollow trees.^[4] The name of the locality was usually spelled "Ruakaka", without macrons, until the official name was changed in 2019.^[5]

Districts

The general area is made up of Ruakākā Beach, Ruakākā Township and Marsden Point. Other Bream Bay localities such as One Tree Point, Takahiwai and even Waipu are often included in general conversation regarding the area.

Ruakākā Beach lies near the mouth of the Ruakākā River which boasts a rare bird reserve and popular holiday parks. It is primarily a residential area made up of a mixture of permanent homes and beach shacks.

The Ruakākā Township was developed off the back of the Marsden Point Oil Refinery expansion in the 1980s where services were required to support the large influx of workers from all over the world involved in the project. A government requirement for a percentage of revenue invested in the project to be spent on the local community allowed for provision of services not common in communities this size (e.g. squash courts, sports grounds).

The Marsden Power Station Village was built to support the Marsden Power Stations (A & B) which have since been decommissioned. The area is now promoted as beachside living.

Beaches

The bay has beautiful sandy white beaches looking out towards Bream Head, the Hen and Chicken Islands, Mount Manaia and Sail Rock.

Demographics

Statistics New Zealand describes Ruakākā as a small urban area. It covers 15.59 km² (6.02 sq mi)^[1] and had an estimated population of 2,990 as of June 2024,^[2] with a population density of 192 people per km².

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	1,917	—
2013	2,007	+0.66%
2018	2,586	+5.20%
2023	2,817	+1.73%
Source: ^[6]^[7]

Ruakākā had a population of 2,817 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 231 people (8.9%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 810 people (40.4%) since the 2013 census. There were 1,389 males, 1,419 females and 6 people of other genders in 1,113 dwellings.^[8] 2.4% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 46.3 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 501 people (17.8%) aged under 15 years, 390 (13.8%) aged 15 to 29, 1,179 (41.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 747 (26.5%) aged 65 or older.^[7]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 79.0% European (Pākehā); 31.1% Māori; 5.5% Pasifika; 4.4% Asian; 0.6% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.1% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 98.1%, Māori language by 6.7%, Samoan by 0.4%, and other languages by 5.2%. No language could be spoken by 1.6% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.4%. The percentage of people born overseas was 16.0, compared with 28.8% nationally.

Religious affiliations were 29.4% Christian, 0.5% Hindu, 0.2% Islam, 2.4% Māori religious beliefs, 0.9% Buddhist, 0.3% New Age, 0.1% Jewish, and 1.4% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 57.0%, and 7.9% of people did not answer the census question.

Of those at least 15 years old, 258 (11.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 1,284 (55.4%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 687 (29.7%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $33,400, compared with $41,500 nationally. 177 people (7.6%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 969 (41.8%) people were employed full-time, 309 (13.3%) were part-time, and 69 (3.0%) were unemployed.^[7]

Climate

The region's geographical location results in warm humid summers and mild winters. Typical summer temperatures range from 22 to 26 °C (72 to 79 °F), some of the warmest in the country. Ground frosts are virtually unknown. The hottest months are January and February. Typical annual rainfall for the region is 1500 – 2000 mm. Winds year-round are predominantly from the southwest. Ruakākā has a warm version of the oceanic climate^[9] closely bordering on humid subtropical, a typical feature of Northland's climate.

Climate data for Ruakākā
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	24.9 (76.8)	24.8 (76.6)	23.7 (74.7)	21.1 (70.0)	18.9 (66.0)	16.6 (61.9)	15.6 (60.1)	16.2 (61.2)	17.6 (63.7)	19.5 (67.1)	21.0 (69.8)	23.4 (74.1)	20.3 (68.5)
Daily mean °C (°F)	20.1 (68.2)	20.4 (68.7)	19.2 (66.6)	17.2 (63.0)	14.9 (58.8)	12.4 (54.3)	11.8 (53.2)	12.3 (54.1)	13.6 (56.5)	15.2 (59.4)	16.5 (61.7)	18.7 (65.7)	16.0 (60.8)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	15.3 (59.5)	15.9 (60.6)	14.7 (58.5)	13.3 (55.9)	10.8 (51.4)	8.2 (46.8)	7.9 (46.2)	8.4 (47.1)	9.5 (49.1)	10.9 (51.6)	11.9 (53.4)	14.0 (57.2)	11.7 (53.1)
Source: ^[10]

History

The area of Ruakākā is located in Bream Bay which was named by Captain Cook during his first voyage to New Zealand when he visited the region on 25 November 1769. It was named due to the ease of capture of 90–100 fish (likely snapper), that he identified as bream, soon after anchoring. The area was a location for the late 19th/early 20th century kauri gum digging trade.^[11]

Education

Bream Bay College is a secondary (years 7–13) school with a roll of 605 students.^[12]

Ruakākā School is a contributing primary (years 1–6) school. It has a roll of 336.^[13]

Both schools are coeducational. Rolls are as of November 2024.^[14]

Ruakākā School opened in 1898 in North Ruakākā. Until 1916 it was a half-time school sharing a teacher with Mata School. The school moved to its present site in 1912. Bream Bay College started in 1972 as a Forms 3–7 (years 9–13) school on the site of Waipu District High School. It moved to Ruakākā in February 1974 and expanded to include Forms 1 and 2 (years 7–8).^[15]^[16]

Attractions and landmarks

Ruakaka Race Course

Railway proposal

A branch line railway to Marsden Point from Oakleigh on the North Auckland Line has recently been proposed. This Marsden Point Branch will primarily serve freight interests, but the Northland Regional Land Transport Committee has suggested that passenger trains for commuters between Ruakākā and Whangārei are a long-term option.^[17]

References

^ ^a ^b "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
^ ^a ^b "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
^ "Forestry and Wood Processing". Enterprise Northland.
^ Best, Elsdon (1908). "Maori forest lore: Being some account of native forest lore and woodcraft, as also of many myths, rites, customs, and superstitions connected with the flora and fauna of the Tuhoe or Ure-wera district. — Part II". Transactions of the New Zealand Institute. 41: 236. Retrieved 25 April 2021 – via Papers Past. rua kaka – holes in trees wherein the kaka parrot nested
^ "Ruakākā". New Zealand Gazetteer. Land Information New Zealand. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
^ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Ruakaka (108800). 2018 Census place summary: Ruakākā
^ ^a ^b ^c "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Ruakākā (1050). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
^ "Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
^ "Ruakaka, New Zealand Climate Summary". Weatherbase. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
^ "Ruakaka, New Zealand Temperature Averages". Weatherbase. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
^ Hayward, Bruce W. (1989). Kauri Gum and the Gumdiggers. The Bush Press. p. 4. ISBN 0-908608-39-X.
^ Education Counts: Bream Bay College
^ Education Counts: Ruakākā School
^ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
^ Richards, Judy (1984). Ruakaka (A Brief History). pp. 77–80, 84.
^ Gordon, Charles MacNeill (Mac) (2002). "Education Always a Priority". Pride of the Lion: Waipu – the People and the Place. pp. 209–221. ISBN 0-473-08890-8.
^ "All aboard for Ruakaka", Whangarei Leader, 21 February 2006.

External links

Ruakaka – The heart of the Whangarei South Coast

[Area-1] "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 28 April 2022.

[NZ_population_data_2018-2] "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.

[3] "Forestry and Wood Processing". Enterprise Northland.

[4] Best, Elsdon (1908). "Maori forest lore: Being some account of native forest lore and woodcraft, as also of many myths, rites, customs, and superstitions connected with the flora and fauna of the Tuhoe or Ure-wera district. — Part II". Transactions of the New Zealand Institute. 41: 236. Retrieved 25 April 2021 – via Papers Past. rua kaka – holes in trees wherein the kaka parrot nested

[5] "Ruakākā". New Zealand Gazetteer. Land Information New Zealand. Retrieved 25 April 2021.

[Census_2018-6] "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Ruakaka (108800). 2018 Census place summary: Ruakākā

[Census_2023-7] "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Ruakākā (1050). Retrieved 3 October 2024.

[8] "Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Retrieved 3 October 2024.

[9] "Ruakaka, New Zealand Climate Summary". Weatherbase. Retrieved 6 February 2015.

[10] "Ruakaka, New Zealand Temperature Averages". Weatherbase. Retrieved 6 February 2015.

[HaywardGum-11] Hayward, Bruce W. (1989). Kauri Gum and the Gumdiggers. The Bush Press. p. 4. ISBN 0-908608-39-X.

[12] Education Counts: Bream Bay College

[13] Education Counts: Ruakākā School

[NZ_school_roll_data-14] "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 1 January 2025.

[15] Richards, Judy (1984). Ruakaka (A Brief History). pp. 77–80, 84.

[16] Gordon, Charles MacNeill (Mac) (2002). "Education Always a Priority". Pride of the Lion: Waipu – the People and the Place. pp. 209–221. ISBN 0-473-08890-8.

[17] "All aboard for Ruakaka", Whangarei Leader, 21 February 2006.

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Ruakākā

Geography

Naming

Districts

Beaches

Demographics

Climate

History

Education

Attractions and landmarks

Railway proposal

References

External links

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