Taniwha is about 6 km (3.7 mi) south east of Waerenga. It is in meshblock 0937700, which had 63 people in 2018.[6] About 1900 the Taniwha estate was divided into smaller farms, with a creamery opened in 1902 and Taniwha School in 1905.[7] The school closed in 1962,[8] but the listed building remains.[9]
Waerenga
The hamlet has a garage,[10] a few kilometres to the south on Taniwha Rd is a school and, further along, a 1928 war memorial church and 1962 hall.[11] Meshblocks 0937800, 0936900, 0937200 and 0937300 meet at the hamlet, with total 2018 populations of 177.[12]
Waerenga School started in 1881, was moved to a schoolhouse in 1882, moved 400 m (440 yd) in 1928 and used as the school library from 1980.[7] The years 1-6 school had 92 pupils in 2018[13] and 97 in 2015.[14]
The original access was a bridle track from Rangiriri and a track to Lake Waikare, which was crossed by boat. The road from Te Kauwhata opened in 1880.[7]
The Waerenga Stream is too polluted for swimming, having high levels of E coli and nitrogen, less than 10 km (6.2 mi) from its source.[15]
Other localities
Other places in the area have had schools, or halls, but are even smaller. They include -
Matahuru is about 3 km (1.9 mi) south of Taniwha.[16] Its school, built in 1901, has closed. Matahuru and Waiterimu Hall was built in 1919[7] and refurbished recently.[17]
Okaeria is about 6 km (3.7 mi) north east of Waerenga.[18] Its school, built in 1918,[7] closed in 1968.[8]
Waiterimu is about 6 km (3.7 mi) south west of Matahuru[19] and 19 km (12 mi) north east of Huntly.[20] Its school, built in 1903 on Waiu Road, was first known as Matahuru No. 2 School. A new open-air block was built in 1937.[7] It closed in 2014,[21] but became Huntly College Primary Industry Academy in 2016.[22]
Demographics
Waerenga statistical area covers 261.74 km2 (101.06 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 970 as of June 2023,[2] with a population density of 3.7 people per km2.
Waerenga had a population of 915 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 60 people (7.0%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 36 people (4.1%) since the 2006 census. There were 324 households, comprising 468 males and 447 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.05 males per female. The median age was 42.0 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 195 people (21.3%) aged under 15 years, 150 (16.4%) aged 15 to 29, 453 (49.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 117 (12.8%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 90.5% European/Pākehā, 15.1% Māori, 1.6% Pacific peoples, 2.6% Asian, and 1.0% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 12.1, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 52.5% had no religion, 37.7% were Christian, 0.3% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.7% were Buddhist and 2.0% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 102 (14.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 156 (21.7%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $36,700, compared with $31,800 nationally. 135 people (18.8%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 402 (55.8%) people were employed full-time, 129 (17.9%) were part-time, and 24 (3.3%) were unemployed.[23]
In October 2020, the Government committed $2,584,751 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade Taniwha Marae and 7 other Waikato Tainui marae, creating 40 jobs.[31]
Education
Waerenga School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 6 students,[32][33] with a roll of 88 as of August 2024.[34]