# Whangateau

Whangateau is a small town on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is situated in Rodney District, part of the Auckland Region, and is on a peninsula stretching out into the Hauraki Gulf, north of Auckland. Whangateau is on the northern shore of Whangateau Harbour which is fed by the Ōmaha River and separated from Ōmaha Bay by the Maungatawhiri sandspit. The settlement is in two parts of 20 to 30 houses each. The main settlement includes a large public reserve with sports fields and a campground. There is also a public hall which hosts music events and a flax weaving group. The smaller settlement is Tram Car Bay, named for two tram cars which were used as holiday homes. Whangateau is situated between the rural settlement of Matakana and the fishing village of Leigh. A tsunami siren is located in the town.

## History

The wider Ōmaha area around Whangateau Harbour was a favourite source of fish and birds for Māori tribes for centuries before the arrival of Europeans. (Ōmaha means 'Place of Plenty'). There were many disputes over control and the only tribe in residence at the time of the first European settlement was Ngāti Wai, whose chief Te Kiri gave the Leigh marae its name.
In 1858 the Pakiri block was purchased from Māori by the Crown and in 1892 the area around Whangateau was surveyed into 30 or 40-acre (160,000 m$^2$) blocks for settlement by immigrants from England and Scotland. The public reserve, which is on the waterfront, was surveyed and plans for a school and hall were formulated. Smaller house sites were established close to the reserve. The school was later closed but a hall was built around 1898, and remains today as the focal point of the settlement. Until the 1980s there was a store located on the main road, which was featured in a 1985 Tip Top Trumpet television commercial starring Kiwi model Rachel Hunter.
A cemetery established on a high promontory overlooking the harbour has the remains of many early settlers and is still used for burials. A camp ground was established on the reserve and was run by the local community until 1997 when control was taken over by the Rodney District Council. Horse races used to be held on the mudflats of the harbour at low-tide. The community also developed sports fields on the reserve and it remains a popular site for various sports fostered by the Rodney Rams Sports Club. The clubhouse itself was destroyed by fire in 2014. Whangateau was a centre for trade during the 1800s as there were no roads and all traffic was by sea. The recently restored Big Omaha wharf was used to berth coastal shipping taking apples and kauri gum (resin) to the Auckland markets. It was adjacent to two important ship building facilities owned by the Darrochs and Meiklejohns where many of the early coastal vessels were built.

## Demographics

Statistics New Zealand describes Whangateau as a rural settlement, which covers 1.16 km$^2$ (0.45 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 130 as of June 2024, with a population density of 112 people per km$^2$. Whangateau is part of the larger Cape Rodney statistical area.
Whangateau had a population of 141 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 15 people (11.9%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 12 people (9.3%) since the 2013 census. There were 69 males and 69 females in 51 dwellings. 4.3% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 54.9 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 15 people (10.6%) aged under 15 years, 12 (8.5%) aged 15 to 29, 72 (51.1%) aged 30 to 64, and 45 (31.9%) aged 65 or older.
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 87.2% European (Pākehā), 19.1% Māori, 2.1% Pasifika, 2.1% Asian, and 4.3% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.9%, Māori language by 6.4%, and other languages by 4.3%. New Zealand Sign Language was known by 2.1%. The percentage of people born overseas was 19.1, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 25.5% Christian, and 2.1% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 66.0%, and 6.4% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 21 (16.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 69 (54.8%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 27 (21.4%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $29,300, compared with $41,500 nationally. 21 people (16.7%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 54 (42.9%) people were employed full-time, 24 (19.0%) were part-time, and 3 (2.4%) were unemployed.