Waimate District is a territorial authority district located in the

Canterbury Region Canterbury () is a region of New Zealand, located in the central-eastern South Island. The region covers an area of , making it the largest region in the country by area. It is home to a population of The region in its current form was estab ...

of the

South Island The South Island ( , 'the waters of Pounamu, Greenstone') is the largest of the three major islands of New Zealand by surface area, the others being the smaller but more populous North Island and Stewart Island. It is bordered to the north by ...

of New Zealand. The main town is Waimate, while there are many smaller rural communities dispersed throughout the area. Its boundary to the south is the

Waitaki River The Waitaki River is a large braided river in the South Island of New Zealand. It drains the Mackenzie Basin and runs south-east to enter the Pacific Ocean between Timaru and Oamaru on the east coast. It starts at the confluence of the Ōhau Ri ...

, to the west

Lake Benmore Lake Benmore is New Zealand's largest artificial lake. Located in the South Island of New Zealand and part of the Waitaki River, it was created in the 1960s by construction of Benmore Dam. Characteristics The lake has an area of about 75&nbs ...

and to the north-east the Pareora River. The district is administered by the Waimate District Council and regionally by the

Canterbury Regional Council Environment Canterbury, frequently abbreviated to ECan, is the promotional name for the Canterbury Regional Council. It is the Regions of New Zealand, regional council for Canterbury, New Zealand, Canterbury, the largest region in the South Is ...

. John Coles, who was first elected as a councillor in 1994, was mayor from

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...

to his retirement at the 2013 local elections. The district is the only part of New Zealand where Bennett's wallabies are prolific, after their introduction from Australia in the 19th century. The animals are a mixed blessing locally, attracting tourists but being a farm pest, and culling measures have been taken in their slowly expanding territory.

Demographics

Waimate District covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km². Waimate District had a population of 8,121 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 306 people (3.9%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 585 people (7.8%) since the 2013 census. There were 4,107 males, 3,990 females and 21 people of other genders in 3,483 dwellings. 2.0% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 47.1 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 1,374 people (16.9%) aged under 15 years, 1,131 (13.9%) aged 15 to 29, 3,663 (45.1%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,953 (24.0%) aged 65 or older. People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 88.4% 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 ...

); 8.7%

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 ...

; 1.5% Pasifika; 6.5% Asian; 0.9% 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 97.8%, Māori language by 1.6%, Samoan by 0.1% and other languages by 6.9%. No language could be spoken by 1.5% (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 17.1, compared with 28.8% nationally. Religious affiliations were 33.5%

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 ...

, 0.8%

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 ...

, 0.3%

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 ...

, 0.2%

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 ...

, 0.4%

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 ...

, 0.5%

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 0.8% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 54.1%, and 9.3% of people did not answer the census question. Of those at least 15 years old, 714 (10.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 3,780 (56.0%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 2,064 (30.6%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $34,200, compared with $41,500 nationally. 426 people (6.3%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 3,273 (48.5%) people were employed full-time, 891 (13.2%) were part-time, and 111 (1.6%) were unemployed. 2023 NZ Census Population Density - Waimate District

2023 NZ Census Population Density - Waimate District

Administrative divisions

Waimate, the district seat, is the only town in the district with a population over 1,000. It is home to people, % of the district's population. Other settlements and localities in the district include the following: Willowbridge from the West - panoramio

* Hakataramea-Waihaorunga Ward: ** ''Hakataramea Sub-Division:'' *** Cattle Creek *** Hakataramea *** Hakataramea Downs ***

Hakataramea Valley Hakataramea, spelt Hakateramea in some older sources, is a rural village located in the southern Canterbury, New Zealand, Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. It is in the Waimate District and sits on the north bank of the Waitaki ...

*** '' Kinbrace'' *** '' Maungatiro'' *** '' Struan'' *** '' Te Akatarawa'' *** '' Waitangi'' ** ''Waihaorunga Sub-Division:'' *** Douglas *** Elephant Hill *** Ikawai *** '' Kelceys Bush'' *** Pentland Hills *** Waihao Downs *** Waihao Forks *** '' Waihaorunga'' ***

Arno The Arno is a river in the Tuscany region of Italy. It is the most important river of central Italy after the Tiber. Source and route The river originates on Monte Falterona in the Casentino area of the Apennines, and initially takes a sou ...

*** '' Kapua'' *** '' Kowhatu'' * Lower Waihao Ward: ** Broad Gully ** Dog Kennel **

Glenavy Glenavy () is a village and civil parish in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is approximately 11 miles west of Belfast and eight miles north-west of Lisburn, and sits on the banks of the Glenavy river. In the 2011 census it had a population ...

** Grays Corner ** Green Hills ** Gum Tree Flat ** Morven ** Nukuroa ** '' Pikes Point'' ** '' Studholme'' ** '' Tawai'' ** Waikakahi ** Willowbridge * Pareora-Otaio-Makikihi Ward: ** Blue Cliffs ** Esk Valley ** Gordons Valley ** '' Gunns Bush'' **

Hook A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved/bent back or has a deeply grooved indentation, which serves to grab, latch or in any way attach itself onto another object. The hook's d ...

** '' Hook Bush'' **

Hunter Hunting is the human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, and killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to obtain the animal's body for meat and useful animal products ( fur/ hide, bone/tusks, ...

** Kohika ** Lyalldale ** Makikihi ** Maungati ** Otaio Gorge ** Otaio ** Saint Andrews ** Southburn ** Springbrook ** Waiariari ** '' Cup and Saucer Junction'' ** '' Riverview'' * Waimate Ward: ** Deep Creek ** Maytown ** Norton Reserve ** Uretane ** Waimate ** Waituna ** '' Te Waimate'' ;Notes: ;Legend: * bold - main town * ''bold & italics'' - minor town * normal text - locality * ''italics'' - minor locality

References

External links

Explore Waimate DistrictWaimate District Council
{{Cities and districts of New Zealand Districts of New Zealand