Pōkeno
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Pōkeno is a small town in the
Waikato District Waikato District is a Territorial authorities of New Zealand, territorial authority of New Zealand, in the northern part of Waikato region, North Island. Waikato District is administered by the Waikato District Council, with headquarters in Ngā ...
of the
Waikato The Waikato () is a region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato District, Waipā District, Matamata-Piako District, South Waikato District and Hamilton City, as well as Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsula, the nort ...
region in New Zealand, southeast of
Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...
, from
Tuakau Tuakau () is a town in the Waikato region at the foot of the Bombay Hills, formerly part of the Franklin District until 2010, when it became part of Waikato District in the North Island of New Zealand. The town serves to support local farming, ...
and from
Mercer Mercer may refer to: Business * Mercer (automobile), a defunct American automobile manufacturer (1909–1925) * Mercer (consulting firm), a human resources consulting firm headquartered in New York City, US * Mercer (occupation), a merchant or tra ...
.
State Highway 1 The following highways are numbered 1. For roads numbered A1, see list of A1 roads. For roads numbered B1, see list of B1 roads. For roads numbered M1, see List of M1 roads. For roads numbered N1, see list of N1 roads. For roads numbered S ...
originally ran through the town, but the upgrading of the highway in 1992 to expressway standards mean that the town has been bypassed.


History

The town is named for the
Ngāti Tamaoho Ngāti Tamaoho is a Māori iwi (tribe) of Auckland and the Waikato District of New Zealand. It is part of the Waiohua confederation of tribes. They have three marae, which are at Karaka, Mangatangi and Pukekohe. The tribe is a strong support ...
settlement in the area called Pokino, located to the northwest of the current town centre. A military installation, Pokino Camp, was set up in the area in December 1861 after Governor
George Edward Grey Sir George Grey, KCB (14 April 1812 – 19 September 1898) was a British soldier, explorer, colonial administrator and writer. He served in a succession of governing positions: Governor of South Australia, twice Governor of New Zealand, Gov ...
called for a road to be completed from
Drury Drury may refer to: Places * Drury, New Zealand, a town * Drury, a village near Buckley, Flintshire, Wales * Drury, Kansas, United States, an unincorporated community * Drury, a village in Florida, Massachusetts, United States * Drury, Missouri, ...
to the
Waikato River The Waikato River is the longest river in New Zealand, running for through the North Island. It rises on the eastern slopes of Mount Ruapehu, joining the Tongariro River system and flowing through Lake Taupō, New Zealand's largest lake. It th ...
, Great South Road. In mid-1862, work began on
Queen's Redoubt Queen's Redoubt is a fortification of the New Zealand Wars, located at Pōkeno, New Zealand. It was built to protect the southern end of a major supply route to Auckland. It subsequently served as the main British base during the early stages of ...
, a military base which would become General Cameron's base of operations for the
Invasion of the Waikato The invasion of the Waikato became the largest and most important campaign of the 19th-century New Zealand Wars. Hostilities took place in the North Island of New Zealand between the military forces of the colonial government and a federation ...
, housing 450 soldiers. The Māori village of Pokino to the north of Queen's Redoubt was deserted in July 1863 just prior to the start of the invasion (officially the village was listed as abandoned, though likely it had been ransacked by unauthorised soldiers). Queen's Redoubt was abandoned for military use in March 1867, with the buildings of the redoubt sold off by auction soon after. The Pokeno Railway Station on the Waikato section of the
North Island Main Trunk The North Island Main Trunk (NIMT) is the main railway line in the North Island of New Zealand, connecting the capital city Wellington with the country's largest city, Auckland. The line is long, built to the New Zealand rail gauge of and ser ...
line was opened in 1875, but was closed in 1973 to passengers and in 1980 to goods. Work on the proposed Paeroa–Pokeno Line commenced in 1938 and whilst approximately 13 km of earthworks were completed at each end, the proposal was halted due to World War 2 and was not resumed following the war and was abandoned.


Havelock

In 1859 over 60 sections were put up for sale under the Auckland Waste Land Act 1858. After the sale it was reported "Thirty one lots in the village of Havelock, which has recently been laid out on the banks of the Waikato river, were in much request, the lots averaged from half an acre to an acre and 38 perches, and the whole fetched £339." Havelock and nearby Bluff Stockade were shown on an 1864 map. The planned roads and subdivisions are still shown on modern cadastral maps, though the plans for the township to become the capital of the Waikato came to nothing when the Great South Road was diverted to the east. In 2019 permission was sought to revive the subdivision in TaTa Valley, with 1,025 houses, a conference hotel, farm park and a ferry to Mercer.


Bluff Stockade

At the end of Bluff Road, where the original Great South Road reached the Waikato River, a x
stockade A stockade is an enclosure of palisades and tall walls, made of logs placed side by side vertically, with the tops sharpened as a defensive wall. Etymology ''Stockade'' is derived from the French word ''estocade''. The French word was derived f ...
was built in 1862 on an older
The word pā (; often spelled pa in English) can refer to any Māori people, Māori village or defensive settlement, but often refers to hillforts – fortified settlements with palisades and defensive :wikt:terrace, terraces – and also to fo ...
, which probably had five terraces below the stockade. It secured the Te Ia landing place, which was used for supplies throughout the subsequent war. The site is now covered by trees.


Government

Pōkeno was originally governed by the Pokeno Road District Board, which was established in 23 December 1869, before amalgamating with Franklin County in 1916.


Demographics

Stats NZ describes Pōkeno as a small urban area. It covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2. Pōkeno had a population of 6,081 in the
2023 New Zealand census The 2023 New Zealand census, which took place on 7 March 2023, was the thirty-fifth national census in New Zealand. It implemented measures that aimed to increase the Census' effectiveness in response to the issues faced with the 2018 census, i ...
, an increase of 3,462 people (132.2%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 5,388 people (777.5%) since the 2013 census. There were 3,042 males, 3,036 females and 6 people of other genders in 1,812 dwellings. 2.1% of people identified as
LGBTIQ+ LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, asexual, aromantic, agender, and other individuals. The group is ...
. The median age was 33.9 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 1,488 people (24.5%) aged under 15 years, 1,035 (17.0%) aged 15 to 29, 3,087 (50.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 471 (7.7%) aged 65 or older. People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 52.5%
European European, or Europeans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe and other West ...
(
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 ...
); 15.0%
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 ...
; 9.1% Pasifika; 34.0% Asian; 3.3% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.7% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 92.2%, Māori language by 2.9%, Samoan by 1.4%, and other languages by 30.4%. No language could be spoken by 3.8% (e.g. too young to talk).
New Zealand Sign Language New Zealand Sign Language or NZSL () is the main language of the deaf community in New Zealand. It became an official language of New Zealand in April 2006 under the New Zealand Sign Language Act 2006. The purpose of the act was to create rights ...
was known by 0.4%. The percentage of people born overseas was 43.6, compared with 28.8% nationally. Religious affiliations were 31.7%
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 ...
, 9.4%
Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
, 1.9%
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
, 0.6%
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 ...
, 1.3%
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 9.5% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 39.6%, and 6.2% of people did not answer the census question. Of those at least 15 years old, 1,323 (28.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 2,199 (47.9%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 1,065 (23.2%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $57,800, compared with $41,500 nationally. 741 people (16.1%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 2,973 (64.7%) people were employed full-time, 468 (10.2%) were part-time, and 132 (2.9%) were unemployed.


Rural surrounds

Pōkeno Rural statistical area, which includes
Mercer Mercer may refer to: Business * Mercer (automobile), a defunct American automobile manufacturer (1909–1925) * Mercer (consulting firm), a human resources consulting firm headquartered in New York City, US * Mercer (occupation), a merchant or tra ...
, covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2. Pōkeno Rural had a population of 1,728 in the
2023 New Zealand census The 2023 New Zealand census, which took place on 7 March 2023, was the thirty-fifth national census in New Zealand. It implemented measures that aimed to increase the Census' effectiveness in response to the issues faced with the 2018 census, i ...
, an increase of 165 people (10.6%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 444 people (34.6%) since the 2013 census. There were 864 males, 861 females and 3 people of other genders in 567 dwellings. 2.4% of people identified as
LGBTIQ+ LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, asexual, aromantic, agender, and other individuals. The group is ...
. The median age was 40.6 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 369 people (21.4%) aged under 15 years, 237 (13.7%) aged 15 to 29, 870 (50.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 252 (14.6%) aged 65 or older. People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 81.6%
European European, or Europeans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe and other West ...
(
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 ...
); 18.1%
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 ...
; 4.2% Pasifika; 8.9% Asian; 0.3% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.5% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.5%, Māori language by 2.6%, and other languages by 10.2%. No language could be spoken by 2.1% (e.g. too young to talk).
New Zealand Sign Language New Zealand Sign Language or NZSL () is the main language of the deaf community in New Zealand. It became an official language of New Zealand in April 2006 under the New Zealand Sign Language Act 2006. The purpose of the act was to create rights ...
was known by 0.3%. The percentage of people born overseas was 21.2, compared with 28.8% nationally. Religious affiliations were 30.4%
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 ...
, 0.9%
Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
, 0.7%
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
, 0.7%
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 ...
, 0.7%
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 ...
, 0.7%
New Age New Age is a range of Spirituality, spiritual or Religion, religious practices and beliefs that rapidly grew in Western world, Western society during the early 1970s. Its highly eclecticism, eclectic and unsystematic structure makes a precise d ...
, and 1.4% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 56.9%, and 8.0% of people did not answer the census question. Of those at least 15 years old, 240 (17.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 792 (58.3%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 339 (24.9%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $52,900, compared with $41,500 nationally. 273 people (20.1%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 765 (56.3%) people were employed full-time, 186 (13.7%) were part-time, and 24 (1.8%) were unemployed.


Education

Pokeno School is a co-educational state full primary school (years 1–8) with a roll of as of . Three schools were established in the area in the 19th century: Pokeno Hill School in 1866, a school at Pokeno Redoubt in 1870, and Pokeno Valley School in 1878. The first two schools closed in 1888–89. In 1961, the Pokeno Valley School was replaced by the current school.


In popular culture

* In the New Zealand film ''
Goodbye Pork Pie ''Goodbye Pork Pie'' is a 1981 New Zealand comedy film directed by Geoff Murphy, co-produced by Murphy and Nigel Hutchinson, and written by Geoff Murphy and Ian Mune. The film was New Zealand's first large-scale local hit. One book described it ...
'', the fugitives steal fuel from the Pōkeno service station, now operating as a mobile home sales yard. * Pōkeno is well known for its two competing
ice cream Ice cream is a frozen dessert typically made from milk or cream that has been flavoured with a sweetener, either sugar or an alternative, and a spice, such as Chocolate, cocoa or vanilla, or with fruit, such as strawberries or peaches. Food ...
shops, situated on the main road, where pricing and generous scoops have created almost a cult following. * The former
Thompson Twins Thompson Twins were an English Pop music, pop band, formed in 1977 in Sheffield. Initially a New wave music, new wave group, they switched to a more mainstream pop sound and achieved considerable popularity during the early and mid-1980s, scori ...
member
Alannah Currie Alannah Joy Currie (born 20 September 1957) is a New Zealand artist based in London. She is a musician and activist, best known as a former member of the pop band Thompson Twins. Career Born in New Zealand and trained as a journalist, Currie ...
, who was born in
Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...
, now works as an artist under the name Miss Pokeno.


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Pōkeno Populated places in Waikato Waikato District New Zealand Wars museums