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Himatangi
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Himatangi is a small settlement in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located at the junction of State Highways 1 and 56, 25 kilometres west of Palmerston North, and seven kilometres east of the coastal settlement of Himatangi Beach.
Key Information
The area has two marae:
- Motuiti Marae and its Rakau or Paewai meeting house is affiliated with the Rangitāne hapū of Ngāti Mairehau and the Ngāti Raukawa hapū of Ngāti Rākau.
- Paranui Marae and its Turanga meeting house is affiliated with the Ngāti Raukawa hapū of Ngāti Te Au and Ngāti Tūranga.[6][7]
About 50 Māori land blocks are located between Himatangi and Foxton to the south.[8]
History
[edit]The area was largely undeveloped with rough terrain in 1942, according to a photograph held in the National Library of New Zealand.[9]
Himatangi was once the location of the junction between the New Zealand Railways Department's Foxton Branch railway and the Manawatu County Council's Sanson Tramway. Both lines are now closed; use of the Tramway ceased in 1945, followed by the Branch in 1959.
In 2005, a study found agricultural pesticides were being rapidly leached into the sandy soil at Himatangi.[10]
In 2009, planning approval was granted for the building of a piggery after the landowner agreed to reduce from what he originally proposed.[11]
In 2014, the community was used as a trial community for the Horizons Regional Council's emergency readiness plan. The landowner and New Zealand Pork Board had been considering legal action through the Environment Court.[12]
In 2019 a regional bus service between Levin and Palmerston North was introduced, providing a weekly return service between Himatangi and Foxton.[13]
Demographics
[edit]Himatangi locality covers 41.51 km2 (16.03 sq mi).[5] It is part of the larger Oroua Downs statistical area.[14]
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 219 | — |
| 2013 | 186 | −2.31% |
| 2018 | 228 | +4.16% |
| 2023 | 222 | −0.53% |
| Source: [4][15] | ||
Himatangi had a population of 222 in the 2023 New Zealand census, a decrease of 6 people (−2.6%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 36 people (19.4%) since the 2013 census. There were 117 males and 105 females in 81 dwellings.[16] 2.7% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. There were 57 people (25.7%) aged under 15 years, 30 (13.5%) aged 15 to 29, 117 (52.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 18 (8.1%) aged 65 or older.[4]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 82.4% European (Pākehā), 14.9% Māori, 1.4% Pasifika, and 8.1% Asian. English was spoken by 97.3%, Māori by 2.7%, and other languages by 6.8%. No language could be spoken by 1.4% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 1.4%. The percentage of people born overseas was 17.6, compared with 28.8% nationally.[4]
Religious affiliations were 20.3% Christian, and 1.4% New Age. People who answered that they had no religion were 64.9%, and 10.8% of people did not answer the census question.[4]
Of those at least 15 years old, 21 (12.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 96 (58.2%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 45 (27.3%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. 15 people (9.1%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 96 (58.2%) full-time, 24 (14.5%) part-time, and 3 (1.8%) unemployed.[4]
Oroua Downs statistical area
[edit]Oroua Downs statistical area, which also includes Himatangi Beach and Tangimoana, covers 124.62 km2 (48.12 sq mi)[17] and had an estimated population of 1,480 as of June 2025,[18] with a population density of 12 people per km2.
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 1,167 | — |
| 2013 | 1,044 | −1.58% |
| 2018 | 1,254 | +3.73% |
| 2023 | 1,371 | +1.80% |
| Source: [19][20] | ||
Oroua Downs had a population of 1,371 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 117 people (9.3%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 327 people (31.3%) since the 2013 census. There were 702 males, 657 females, and 9 people of other genders in 582 dwellings.[21] 3.3% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 48.8 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 213 people (15.5%) aged under 15 years, 189 (13.8%) aged 15 to 29, 711 (51.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 258 (18.8%) aged 65 or older.[19]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 86.9% European (Pākehā), 17.7% Māori, 3.3% Pasifika, 3.5% Asian, and 4.4% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 98.2%, Māori by 3.5%, Samoan by 0.9%, and other languages by 4.8%. No language could be spoken by 1.5% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.7%. The percentage of people born overseas was 12.9, compared with 28.8% nationally.[19]
Religious affiliations were 23.9% Christian, 0.4% Hindu, 0.7% Māori religious beliefs, 0.4% Buddhist, 0.9% New Age, and 1.3% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 62.6%, and 10.3% of people did not answer the census question.[19]
Of those at least 15 years old, 150 (13.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 666 (57.5%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 342 (29.5%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $40,600, compared with $41,500 nationally. 93 people (8.0%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 612 (52.8%) full-time, 150 (13.0%) part-time, and 18 (1.6%) unemployed.[19]
Education
[edit]Oroua Downs School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,[22] with a roll of 90 as of October 2025.[23][24] It opened in 1903.[25]
References
[edit]- ^ "2025 Triennial Elections Declaration of Result" (PDF). Electionz. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
- ^ "Rangitīkei - Official Result". electionresults. Electoral Commission. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
- ^ "Te Tai Hauāuru - Official Result". Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. 7018192 and 7018193. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ a b "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 1 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 8 December 2025.
- ^ "Te Kāhui Māngai directory". tkm.govt.nz. Te Puni Kōkiri.
- ^ "Māori Maps". maorimaps.com. Te Potiki National Trust.
- ^ "Visualising Māori Land – Himatangi". whenuaviz.landcareresearch.co.nz. Landcare New Zealand.
- ^ NZ Aerial Mapping Ltd. "Himitangi". natlib.govt.nz. National Library of New Zealand.
- ^ Close, Murray (January 2005). "Field study of pesticide leaching in a Himatangi sand (Manawatu) and in a Kiripaka bouldery clay loam (Northland)". Australian Journal of Soil Research. 43 (4).
- ^ "Green light for Himatangi piggery". Stuff. Manawatu Standard. 31 January 2009.
- ^ "Himatangi first up for community readiness". Horizons Regional Council. 24 February 2014.
- ^ "New off-peak bus services from Levin to Palmerston North". Horizons Regional Council.
- ^ "Geographic Boundary Viewer". Stats NZ. Statistical Area 1 – 2023 and Statistical Area 2 – 2023.
- ^ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7018192 and 7018193.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 2 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 8 December 2025.
- ^ "Subnational population estimates - Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
- ^ a b c d e "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Oroua Downs (227400). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Oroua Downs (227400). 2018 Census place summary: Oroua Downs
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Oroua Downs School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
- ^ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
- ^ "Oroua Downs School Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
- ^ "About Our School". Oroua Downs School. Retrieved 8 December 2025.