Waverley, Taranaki


Waverley is a town located in the South Taranaki District in New Zealand. It is 44 km northwest of Wanganui. Patea is 17 km to the west, and Waitotara is 10 km to the southeast. State Highway 3 and the Marton - New Plymouth Line railway run through the town.
The population was 798 in the 2013 Census, a decrease of 63 from 2006.

History and culture

Waverley was an important colonial stronghold during the New Zealand Wars of the 1860s, during which time the town was called Wairoa. The town is well known for its farming and thoroughbred stables. The race horse Kiwi was trained in the paddocks of a Waverley sheep farm by owner Snow Lupton and went on to go from last on the final bend to win the 1983 Melbourne Cup.

Marae

The local Te Wairoa-iti Marae and Maruata meeting house are a meeting place for Ngāti Tai, a hapū of Ngā Rauru Kītahi.

Ironsand mining and renewable energy

The Waipipi onshore ironsand mine operated near Waverley from 1971 to 1987, producing a total of 15.7 million tonnes of concentrate for export. The Waipipi site is now being developed for the Waipipi Wind Farm, with 31 turbines generating up to 133 MW.

Features

Waverley has a large sawmill which employs around 48 staff. The mill is the only major sawmill as far as New Plymouth in the north and Levin in the south.
Waverley has a black sand beach, the colour is due to iron sand deposits. The campground at the beach is well used in the summer months, as the beach provides safe surfing. Waverley has a number of cafes and coffee shops and is a popular place for tourists to stop for a break before entering the Taranaki region.
Waverley and surrounding community has a South Taranaki District Council LibraryPlus, which provides a full library service and Council related services. These services include being able to register your dog, pay your rates or inquire about obtaining a building permit. Other services include a Tot Time for the under 5s and bookclub catering to intermediate and high school age children. The LibraryPlus also has three APN computers, offering free internet and Skype to the public.
Waverley has a small skatepark as well as a playground in the town park that can be seen off the main road that runs through Waverley. Also there are well kept tennis courts and on Brassey St there is a small dirt jump track for push bikes. The locals call it the BMX track. The cave at Waverley's cave beach has collapsed due to erosion.

Education

is a co-educational contributing primary school with a decile rating of 3 and a roll of 136. Public education started in the area in 1873. Waverley High School closed on 20 April 2007, after its NCEA assessments were found to be unreliable.