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Castlecliff
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Key Information
| Kai Iwi | Westmere | Tawhero |
  Castlecliff  |
Gonville | |
| (South Taranaki Bight) | (Whanganui River mouth) |
Castlecliff is a suburb of Whanganui, in the Whanganui District and Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand's North Island. The name was given by the Harbour Board, on the suggestion of the future Prime Minister, John Ballance,[3] when it established the township on what were described as "barren sandhills" in 1882. Many of the streets were named after Harbour Board members.[4] The northern harbour breakwater extended 900 ft (270 m) by 1885.[5] The freezing works was built in 1891.[6]
Demographics
[edit]Castlecliff covers 8.65 km2 (3.34 sq mi)[2] and had an estimated population of 4,260 as of June 2025,[1] with a population density of 492 people per km2.
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 3,420 | — |
| 2013 | 3,186 | −1.01% |
| 2018 | 3,630 | +2.64% |
| Source: [7] | ||
Castlecliff had a population of 3,630 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 444 people (13.9%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 210 people (6.1%) since the 2006 census. There were 1,341 households, comprising 1,830 males and 1,797 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.02 males per female, with 861 people (23.7%) aged under 15 years, 678 (18.7%) aged 15 to 29, 1,584 (43.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 510 (14.0%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 70.0% European/Pākehā, 42.4% Māori, 4.7% Pacific peoples, 2.6% Asian, and 1.8% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 7.9, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 54.1% had no religion, 28.1% were Christian, 6.4% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.4% were Hindu, 0.5% were Buddhist and 2.4% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 234 (8.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 792 (28.6%) people had no formal qualifications. 123 people (4.4%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,119 (40.4%) people were employed full-time, 369 (13.3%) were part-time, and 189 (6.8%) were unemployed.[7]
| Name | Area (km2) |
Population | Density (per km2) |
Households | Median age | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castlecliff West | 3.02 | 1,593 | 527 | 636 | 40.8 years | $22,400[8] |
| Castlecliff East | 2.63 | 1,917 | 729 | 651 | 33.1 years | $21,800[9] |
| Balgownie | 2.81 | 120 | 43 | 54 | 47.5 years | $23,100[10] |
| New Zealand | 37.4 years | $31,800 |
Education
[edit]Castlecliff School is a state primary school for Year 1 to 6 students,[11][12] with a roll of 165 as of July 2025.[13]
Aranui School is another state primary school for Year 1 to 6 students,[14] with a roll of 67.[15]
Kokohuia School is a Year 1 to 8 state primary school,[16] with a roll of 206.[17]
Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Tupoho is a Māori language immersion primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,[18] with a roll of 149.[19]
See also
[edit]Castlecliff Branch railway opened 1885
Castlecliff tramway opened 1912
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Subnational population estimates - Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
- ^ a b "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
- ^ "HARBOUR BOARD Wanganui Herald". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 8 November 1882. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ "LOCAL AND GENERAL. Wanganui Chronicle". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 8 November 1882. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ "A TRIP TO THE HEADS BY RAIL. Wanganui Herald". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 27 April 1885. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ "THE WANGANUI FREEZING WORKS Wanganui Chronicle". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 10 June 1891. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ a b "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Castlecliff West (223600), Castlecliff East (223800) and Balgownie (224700).
- ^ 2018 Census place summary: Castlecliff West
- ^ 2018 Census place summary: Castlecliff East
- ^ 2018 Census place summary: Balgownie
- ^ "Castlecliff School Official School Website". castlecliff.school.nz.
- ^ "Castlecliff School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
- ^ "Castlecliff School Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
- ^ "Aranui School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
- ^ "Aranui School Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
- ^ "Kokohuia School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
- ^ "Kokohuia School Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office. Archived from the original on 24 May 2019. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
- ^ "Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o TupohoMinistry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
- ^ "Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o TupohoEducation Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.