Te Puru is a locality on the western side of the

Coromandel Peninsula The Coromandel Peninsula () on the North Island of New Zealand extends north from the western end of the Bay of Plenty, forming a natural barrier protecting the Hauraki Gulf and the Firth of Thames in the west from the Pacific Ocean ...

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

. State Highway 25 runs through it. Tapu lies about 7 km to the north, and

Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after th ...

is about 12 km to the south. The Te Puru Stream and about 18 tributaries drain a steep hilly 23 km² area of the

Coromandel Range The Coromandel Range is a volcanic mountain range in the Coromandel Volcanic Zone running the length of the Coromandel Peninsula in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located east of the city of Auckland, and runs north–south for approx ...

, almost entirely covered by native forest. It runs through the settlement and into the

Firth of Thames The Firth of Thames () is a large bay located in the north of the North Island of New Zealand. It is the firth of the rivers Waihou and Piako, the former of which was formerly named the Thames River, and the town of Thames lies on its south ...

to the west. Flooding has been a problem. Te Puru track runs between Te Puru and Tapu-Coroglen road, intersecting with Waiomu Valley and Crosbies Main Range tramping tracks on the way.

Demographics

Te Puru is described by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement. It covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km². Te Puru is part of the larger Thames Coast statistical area. Entry to Te Puru Track

Te Puru had a population of 510 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 ...

, a decrease of 27 people (−5.0%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 9 people (1.8%) since the 2013 census. There were 252 males, 255 females and 3 people of other genders in 213 dwellings. 3.5% 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 57.9 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 60 people (11.8%) aged under 15 years, 66 (12.9%) aged 15 to 29, 198 (38.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 189 (37.1%) aged 65 or older. People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 86.5%

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 ...

), 25.9%

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 ...

, 1.8%

Pasifika Pasifika may refer to: *Pacific Islander people, indigenous peoples of the Pacific Islands **Pasifika New Zealanders, Pacific peoples living in New Zealand *Pacific Islands, including Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia *The Pasifika Festival, an a ...

, 3.5% Asian, and 2.9% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 98.8%, Māori language by 3.5%, and other languages by 4.1%. No language could be spoken by 0.6% (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 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 14.1, compared with 28.8% nationally. Religious affiliations were 24.7%

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 ...

, 2.4%

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 ...

, 0.6%

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 ...

, 0.6%

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 1.8% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 57.1%, and 13.5% of people did not answer the census question. Of those at least 15 years old, 72 (16.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 249 (55.3%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 129 (28.7%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $28,200, compared with $41,500 nationally. 24 people (5.3%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 147 (32.7%) people were employed full-time, 63 (14.0%) were part-time, and 15 (3.3%) were unemployed.

Thames Coast statistical area

Thames Coast statistical area, which also includes Tapu, Waiomu, Thornton Bay and Ngarimu Bay, covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km². Thames Coast had a population of 1,734 in the

, an increase of 30 people (1.8%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 201 people (13.1%) since the 2013 census. There were 861 males, 867 females and 6 people of other genders in 666 dwellings. 2.6% of people identified as

. The median age was 60.2 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 165 people (9.5%) aged under 15 years, 177 (10.2%) aged 15 to 29, 732 (42.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 663 (38.2%) aged 65 or older. People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 87.5%

(

); 22.1%

; 1.7%

; 1.6% Asian; 0.5% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 4.2% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 98.8%, Māori language by 4.2%, Samoan by 0.2%, and other languages by 4.5%. No language could be spoken by 0.5% (e.g. too young to talk).

was known by 0.3%. The percentage of people born overseas was 13.8, compared with 28.8% nationally. Religious affiliations were 27.5%

, 0.2%

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 ...

, 1.9%

, 0.5%

, 0.9%

, and 1.9% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 57.4%, and 10.4% of people did not answer the census question. Of those at least 15 years old, 273 (17.4%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 864 (55.1%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 438 (27.9%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $28,700, compared with $41,500 nationally. 93 people (5.9%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 525 (33.5%) people were employed full-time, 246 (15.7%) were part-time, and 36 (2.3%) were unemployed.

Education

Te Puru School is a coeducational full primary (years 1–8) school with a roll of students as of

History

Te Puru suffered severe flooding in 2002, when a low-pressure system led to extensive flooding on the Coromandel Peninsula and the south-west Waikato region.NIWA - June 2002 Upper North Island Weather Bomb
Te Puru and Waiomu were included in the ‘high impact’ area of the storm.
Private and public property was damaged during the flood.

References

External links

Te Puru School website
{{Thames-Coromandel District Thames-Coromandel District Populated places in Waikato Populated places around the Firth of Thames