Omata is a locality in

Taranaki Taranaki is a regions of New Zealand, region in the west of New Zealand's North Island. It is named after its main geographical feature, the stratovolcano Mount Taranaki, Taranaki Maunga, formerly known as Mount Egmont. The main centre is the ...

, in the western

North Island The North Island ( , 'the fish of Māui', historically New Ulster) is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but less populous South Island by Cook Strait. With an area of , it is the List ...

of New Zealand. It is located on State Highway 45 just southwest of

New Plymouth New Plymouth () is the major city of the Taranaki region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after the English city of Plymouth, in Devon, from where the first English settlers to New Plymouth migrated. The New Pl ...

. Omata and Western New Plymouth are adjacent to the Tapuae Marine Reserve. The area was the site of the Omata Stockade, built to house soldiers during tensions at the time of the

First Taranaki War The First Taranaki War (also known as the North Taranaki War) was an armed conflict over land ownership and sovereignty that took place between Māori people, Māori and the Colony of New Zealand in the Taranaki region of New Zealand's North Is ...

in 1860–61, and is near the site of the Battle of Waireka on 28 March 1860. The stockade, designed and constructed by local settlers, was built on the site of Ngāturi Pā. In August 1860, most of Omata village was burnt down during the war. Troops were stationed at the stockade until 1866, and it was demolished by farmers and the remains auctioned off in late 1867.

Demographics

Omata statistical area covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km². Before the 2023 census, the statistical area had a larger boundary, covering . Using that boundary, Omata had a population of 939 at the

2018 New Zealand census The 2018 New Zealand census, which took place on Tuesday 6 March 2018, was the thirty-fourth national census in New Zealand. The population of New Zealand was counted as 4,699,755 – an increase of 457,707 (10.79%) over the 2013 census. Resu ...

, an increase of 102 people (12.2%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 168 people (21.8%) since the 2006 census. There were 330 households, comprising 468 males and 468 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.0 males per female. The median age was 46.3 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 180 people (19.2%) aged under 15 years, 126 (13.4%) aged 15 to 29, 498 (53.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 132 (14.1%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 94.9% European/

Pākehā ''Pākehā'' (or ''Pakeha''; ; ) is a Māori language, Māori-language word used in English, particularly in New Zealand. It generally means a non-Polynesians, Polynesian New Zealanders, New Zealander or more specifically a European New Zeala ...

, 7.7%

Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...

, 1.0% Pacific peoples, 1.9% Asian, and 1.3% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas was 13.7, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 55.0% had no religion, 37.7% were

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

, 0.6% had

Māori religious beliefs Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...

, 0.3% were

Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

and 0.6% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 159 (20.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 102 (13.4%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $39,400, compared with $31,800 nationally. 192 people (25.3%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 408 (53.8%) people were employed full-time, 144 (19.0%) were part-time, and 21 (2.8%) were unemployed.

Education

Omata School is a coeducational full primary (years 1–8) school with a roll of students as of In 2003, the school celebrated its 150th jubilee.

Omata electorate

Omata was an electorate for the

New Zealand House of Representatives The House of Representatives () is the Unicameral, sole chamber of the New Zealand Parliament. The House passes Law of New Zealand, laws, provides Ministers in the New Zealand Government, ministers to form the Cabinet of New Zealand, Cabinet, ...

from 1853 to 1870. Seven Members of Parliament represented the electorate in the

1st First most commonly refers to: * First, the ordinal form of the number 1 First or 1st may also refer to: Acronyms * Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters, an astronomical survey carried out by the Very Large Array * Far Infrared a ...

to 4th Parliament.

References

{{New Plymouth District Populated places in Taranaki New Plymouth District