# Waitaki District

Waitaki District is a territorial authority district that is located in the Canterbury and Otago regions of the South Island of New Zealand. It straddles the traditional border between the two regions, the Waitaki River, and its seat is Oamaru.

## History

Waitaki District is made up of the former Waitaki County, Waihemo County and Oamaru Borough, which were amalgamated in 1989. It is governed by the Waitaki District Council.

## Name

During the colonial period, the area was also known as Molesworth. However, the Māori name Waitaki eventually prevailed.

## Geography

It has a land area of 7,107.73 km$^2$ (2,744.31 sq mi), of which 4,195.17 km$^2$ (1,619.76 sq mi) or 59.02% is in the Canterbury Region and 2,912.56 km$^2$ (1,124.55 sq mi) or 40.98% in the Otago Region. It is the only district in the South Island that lies in two regions.
A major reason for this split was the governance of the Waitaki River, which forms a political boundary between Canterbury and Otago. With major hydro schemes on this river, it was decided to place the entire catchment in one administrative region, thus forming the split. Some people who fall into the Canterbury Region of Waitaki District still regard themselves as part of Otago, and attempts have been made in the past to change the boundary. The district, which is agricultural by nature, comprises the wide alluvial fan of the river, and runs inland along the banks of the river, forming a roughly triangular region.

### Urban areas and settlements

Oamaru, the district seat, is the only town in the Waitaki district with a population over 1,000. It is home to 14,350 people, 57.2% of the district's population.
Other settlements and localities in the district include:
Ahuriri Ward:
* Aviemore
* Benmore
* Black Point
* Bortons
* Clearburn
* Danseys Pass
* Duntroon
* Earthquakes
* Kokoamo
* Kurow
* Ōhau
* Lake Waitaki
* Lindis Pass
* Livingstone
* Maerewhenua
* Omarama
* Otekaieke
* Otematata
* Otiake
* Pukeraro
* Strachans
* Waikaura
* Wharekuri
Waihemo Ward:
* Billys Flat
* Dunback
* Flag Swamp
* Glenpark
* Goodwood
* Green Valley
* Hampden
* Hillgrove
* Inch Valley
* Kaika
* Kātiki
* Macraes
* Makareao
* Meadowbank
* Moeraki
* Moonlight Flat
* Morrisons
* Nenthorn
* Palmerston
* Pleasant Valley
* Shag Point
* Shag Valley
* Stoneburn
* Trotters Gorge
* Waianakarua
* Waihemo
* Wairunga
* Waynes
* Puketapu
Corriedale Ward:
* Airedale
* All Day Bay
* Awamoko
* Cormacks
* Corriedale
* Elderslie
* Enfield
* Five Forks
* Fuchsia Creek
* Georgetown
* Herbert
* Hilderthorpe
* Incholme
* Island Cliff
* Island Stream
* Kakanui
* Kauru Hill
* Kia Ora
* Kuriheka
* Maheno
* Maraeweka
* Marakerake
* Maruakoa
* Ngapara
* Otepopo
* Papakaio
* Peebles
* Pukeuri
* Queens Flat
* Reidston
* Richmond
* Rosebery
* Tapui
* Taranui
* Teschemakers
* Tokarahi
* Totara
* Waimotu
* Waitaki Bridge
* Whitecraig
* Whitstone
* Windsor Park
* Windsor
Oamaru Ward:
* Ardgowan
* Oamaru
* Weston

## Demographics

Waitaki District covers 7,107.94 km$^2$ (2,744.39 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 25,100 as of June 2024, with a population density of 3.5 people per km$^2$.
Waitaki District had a population of 23,472 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 1,164 people (5.2%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 2,643 people (12.7%) since the 2013 census. There were 11,658 males, 11,745 females and 69 people of other genders in 9,975 dwellings. 2.4% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 46.1 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 4,035 people (17.2%) aged under 15 years, 3,507 (14.9%) aged 15 to 29, 10,317 (44.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 5,610 (23.9%) aged 65 or older.
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 85.0% European (Pākehā); 9.5% Māori; 5.5% Pasifika; 6.9% Asian; 0.7% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.1% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.6%, Māori language by 1.4%, Samoan by 0.3% and other languages by 9.4%. No language could be spoken by 1.5% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.4%. The percentage of people born overseas was 18.6, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 36.4% Christian, 0.9% Hindu, 0.5% Islam, 0.2% Māori religious beliefs, 0.5% Buddhist, 0.6% New Age, 0.1% Jewish, and 1.1% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 51.8%, and 8.1% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 2,262 (11.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 10,641 (54.7%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 5,844 (30.1%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $34,900, compared with $41,500 nationally. 1,311 people (6.7%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 9,210 (47.4%) people were employed full-time, 2,748 (14.1%) were part-time, and 333 (1.7%) were unemployed.
Individual wards (2018 boundaries) :
| Name | Area (km$^2$) | Population | Density (per km$^2$) | Dwellings | Median age | Median income |
| Ahuriri Ward | 4,195.39 | 1,899 | 0.45 | 900 | 46.6 years | $39,100 |
| Oamaru Ward | 38.55 | 14,499 | 376.11 | 6,069 | 46.3 years | $33,200 |
| Waihemo Ward | 1,321.15 | 2,511 | 1.90 | 1,137 | 50.2 years | $32,400 |
| Corriedale Ward | 1,552.85 | 4,560 | 2.94 | 1,869 | 43.2 years | $41,300 |
| New Zealand | | | | | 38.1 years | $41,500 |

## Economy

A relatively sparsely settled area, the District has a large number of farms. However, in recent times (late 2000s), numerous proposals for new farming operations have locals fearing that the agriculture will be transformed from often family-held farms to large agribusiness operations, causing local ecological damage and siphoning off capital overseas.