Wakari is a residential suburb of the New Zealandcity ofDunedin. It is located to the northwest of the city centre, immediately to the west of the ridge which runs to the west of the city's centre. Wakari lies to the north of the upper reaches of the Kaikorai Valley, and is also north of the suburb of Kaikorai. The suburbs of Roslyn and Maori Hill are situated on the ridge immediately to the southeast and east of Wakari. The suburb of Halfway Bush lies to the northwest, and the smaller suburb of Helensburgh lies to the north. According to the 2013 New Zealand census, Wakari has a population of 3,123, an increase of 54 people since the 2006 census. There were 1,497 males and 1,623 females. Figures have been rounded and may not add up to totals. Wakari is an anglicisation of the Māori Whakaari, "exposed to view". This is the Māori name for the hill, Flagstaff, which lies to the northwest. A shibboleth is that many local residents pronounce the name as "wy-kar-ree". The suburb is bounded in the south by Taieri Road, a main suburban arterial route which links central Dunedin with the Taieri Plains. West of Halfway Bush, the road becomes Three Mile Hill Road, crossing the eponymous hill to reach the Taieri Plain northeast of Mosgiel. To the southeast of Wakari, Taieri Road runs under the Roslyn Overbridge and becomes Stuart Street, one of central Dunedin's main streets. Other main roads in and around Wakari include Balmacewen Road in the northern part of the suburb, Helensburgh Road in the northeast, Nairn Street, and Shetland Street. Wakari's most prominent structure is the Wakari Hospital, one of Dunedin's main health care centres, which specialises in psychiatric services. This hospital is located in the west of the suburb, close to its boundary with Halfway Bush. Arai te Uru Marae is also located in Wakari. It is a marae of Ngāi Tahu and includes Arai te Uru wharenui.
Helensburgh
The small suburb of Helensburgh is located immediately to the north of Wakari and east of Halfway Bush. It is located on a series of small crescents which branch off the northern side of Helensburgh Road and off Wakari Road, which runs roughly parallel with Helensburgh Road some to the northwest. Wakari Road, a long, straight semi-rural road, links Taieri Road with Glenleith, to the northeast, by way of the forest plantations surrounding Ross Creek Reservoir. Helensburgh is bounded in the northeast by the Balmacewen Golf Course.
