Whakatu, Hawke's Bay

Whakatu
Whakatu
Rural community
	Coordinates: 39°36′22″S 176°53′31″E / 39.606°S 176.892°E
Country	New Zealand
Region	Hawke's Bay
Territorial authority	Hastings District
Ward	Heretaunga General Ward; Takitimu Māori Ward;
Electorates	Tukituki; Ikaroa-Rāwhiti (Māori);
Government
• Territorial Authority	Hastings District Council
• Regional council	Hawke's Bay Regional Council
Area
• Total	2.71 km2 (1.05 sq mi)
Population (June 2024)
• Total	680
• Density	250/km2 (650/sq mi)

Whakatu is a rural community in the Hastings District and Hawke's Bay Region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) north-east of the centre of Hastings.^[3] A large industrial area is enclosed by a bend in the Clive River, and the closure of the freezing works in Whakatu in 1986 cost the region 2000 full-time and seasonal jobs.^[4] State Highway 2 and the Palmerston North–Gisborne Line pass through Whakatu.

Richard Tucker (1856–1922) was a notable resident of Whakatu; he owned the largest wool-scouring plant in the Hawke's Bay Region.^[5]

Demographics

Statistics New Zealand describes Whakatu as a rural settlement, which covers 2.71 km² (1.05 sq mi)^[1] and had an estimated population of 680 as of June 2024,^[2] with a population density of 251 people per km². It is part of the larger Karamu statistical area.^[6]

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	591	—
2013	606	+0.36%
2018	645	+1.26%
Source: ^[7]

Before the 2023 census, the settlement had a larger boundary, covering 3.73 km² (1.44 sq mi).^[1] Using that boundary, Whakatu had a population of 645 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 39 people (6.4%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 54 people (9.1%) since the 2006 census. There were 183 households, comprising 333 males and 312 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.07 males per female, with 156 people (24.2%) aged under 15 years, 129 (20.0%) aged 15 to 29, 291 (45.1%) aged 30 to 64, and 66 (10.2%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 59.1% European/Pākehā, 58.1% Māori, 4.2% Pacific peoples, 2.3% Asian, and 1.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 45.6% had no religion, 35.3% were Christian, and 11.2% had Māori religious beliefs.

Of those at least 15 years old, 33 (6.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 129 (26.4%) people had no formal qualifications. 42 people (8.6%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 270 (55.2%) people were employed full-time, 72 (14.7%) were part-time, and 21 (4.3%) were unemployed.^[7]

Climate

Climate data for Whakatu (1991–2020)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	23.5 (74.3)	23.4 (74.1)	21.9 (71.4)	19.5 (67.1)	17.3 (63.1)	14.8 (58.6)	13.8 (56.8)	14.7 (58.5)	16.5 (61.7)	18.5 (65.3)	20.0 (68.0)	22.0 (71.6)	18.8 (65.9)
Daily mean °C (°F)	17.9 (64.2)	18.0 (64.4)	16.2 (61.2)	13.8 (56.8)	11.3 (52.3)	9.0 (48.2)	8.4 (47.1)	9.1 (48.4)	11.0 (51.8)	12.7 (54.9)	14.4 (57.9)	16.7 (62.1)	13.2 (55.8)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	12.3 (54.1)	12.7 (54.9)	10.6 (51.1)	8.1 (46.6)	5.3 (41.5)	3.1 (37.6)	3.0 (37.4)	3.6 (38.5)	5.4 (41.7)	7.0 (44.6)	8.8 (47.8)	11.4 (52.5)	7.6 (45.7)
Average rainfall mm (inches)	45.9 (1.81)	48.2 (1.90)	54.0 (2.13)	79.1 (3.11)	56.8 (2.24)	76.8 (3.02)	98.6 (3.88)	56.9 (2.24)	50.2 (1.98)	54.3 (2.14)	45.3 (1.78)	49.9 (1.96)	716 (28.19)
Source: NIWA^[8]