Central Hawke's Bay District


Central Hawke's Bay District is part of the Hawke's Bay Region in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an area of 3,327.92 square kilometres with a population of It had a population of 12,717 people as of the 2013 census. This is a decrease of 237 people, or 1.8 percent, since the 2006 Census. It covers the area from Pukehou in the north to Takapau in the south, and from the western Ruahine Range to the Pacific coast in the east.

Access

runs through the centre of Central Hawke's Bay leading south to Palmerston North and the Wairarapa and north to Hastings and Napier. It is 70 kilometres to Napier Port and 75 kilometres to Napier Airport. The Palmerston North – Gisborne railway line runs through the district with one station at Waipukurau. This line connects to the Wairarapa Line at Woodville, and continues through the Manawatu Gorge to Palmerston North.
Each of the four corners of the district has a marae. These are at Pukehou, Kairakau, Pōrangahau and Takapau.

Demographics

Central Hawke's Bay District had a population of 14,142 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 1,425 people since the 2013 census, and an increase of 1,185 people since the 2006 census. There were 5,418 households. There were 7,014 males and 7,125 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.98 males per female. Of the total population, 2,943 people were aged up to 15 years, 1,974 were 15 to 29, 6,426 were 30 to 64, and 2,796 were 65 or older. Figures may not add up to the total due to rounding.
Ethnicities were 83.1% European/Pākehā, 23.7% Māori, 2.9% Pacific peoples, 2.5% Asian, and 1.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 12.1, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people objected to giving their religion, 50.8% had no religion, 37.2% were Christian, and 4.3% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 1,482 people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 2,631 people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $29,000. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 5,640 people were employed full-time, 1,746 were part-time, and 330 were unemployed.

Towns and local government

The district is administered by the Central Hawke's Bay District Council with the seat in the town of Waipawa. The two main towns are Waipukurau and Waipawa and smaller townships include Otane, Takapau, Tikokino and Ongaonga. There are also several small beach communities including Kairakau, Pourerere, Aramoana, Blackhead and Pōrangahau.
Central Hawke's Bay District is divided into 2 wards: