Manawatu District | |
|---|---|
 Rongotea Community Centre and Library (2011) | |
 Coat of arms | |
 Manawatu District within theNorth Island | |
| Coordinates:40°05′35″S175°46′55″E / 40.093°S 175.782°E /-40.093; 175.782 | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Manawatū-Whanganui |
| Wards | Feilding Rural Ngā Tapuae o Matangi (Māori) |
| Seat | Feilding |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Michael Ford[1] |
| • Territorial authority | Manawatu District Council |
| Area | |
| • Land | 2,566.59 km2 (990.97 sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+12 (NZST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+13 (NZDT) |
| Postcode(s) | |
| Website | www |
Manawatū District (officiallyManawatu District) is aterritorial authority district in theManawatū-Whanganuilocal government region in theNorth Island ofNew Zealand, administered by Manawatu District Council. It includes most of the area between theManawatū River in the south and theRangitīkei River in the north, stretching from slightly south of the settlement ofHimatangi in the south, to just south ofMangaweka in the north, and from the Rangitīkei River to the top of theRuahine Range in the east. It does not include theFoxton area and the mouth of the Manawatū River, orPalmerston North City (which includesAshhurst). Its main town isFeilding. The district has an area of 2,624 km².
Manawatū is said to have been named by Hau, a great Māori explorer. As he pursued his wife, who had left him for another lover, along the south-west coast of the North Island, he came across and named river mouths, includingWhanganui,Whangaehu and Rangitīkei according to events that befell him at the time. He then came across the mouth of the large, wideManawatū River; awed by the sight and in fear he might not be able to cross it, he said, "Ka tū taku manawa" (My heart stands still).[4]
The nameManawatū (oftenthe Manawatu) also refers to the whole area centred on theManawatū Plains, the floodplain of the Manawatū River, withPalmerston North as its principal city. Like some other areas of New Zealand such asWairarapa and theKing Country, the Manawatū in this sense has never had precisely defined boundaries, its extents determined largely by custom and preference.[citation needed] Always included are Palmerston North and all of today's Manawatu District, and usually included is that part ofHorowhenua District lying north of Levin. Parts ofRangitikei and/orTararua districts might also be included.
Manawatu District covers 2,566.59 km2 (990.97 sq mi)[2] and had an estimated population of 34,000 as of June 2025,[3] with a density of 13.2 people per km2.Feilding, the council seat, has a population of 17,650, the only town with more than 1,000. Other towns and settlements includeHalcombe,Himatangi Beach,Kimbolton,Pohangina,Rongotea,Sanson, andTangimoana.
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 26,070 | — |
| 2013 | 27,459 | +0.74% |
| 2018 | 30,165 | +1.90% |
| 2023 | 32,415 | +1.45% |
| Source:[5][6] | ||
Manawatu District had a population of 32,415 in the2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 2,250 people (7.5%) since the2018 census, and an increase of 4,956 people (18.0%) since the2013 census. There were 16,020 males, 16,275 females and 117 people ofother genders in 12,183 dwellings.[7] 2.4% of people identified asLGBTIQ+. The median age was 41.0 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 6,480 people (20.0%) aged under 15 years, 5,217 (16.1%) aged 15 to 29, 14,406 (44.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 6,312 (19.5%) aged 65 or older.[6]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 88.0%European (Pākehā); 18.3%Māori; 2.8%Pasifika; 3.4%Asian; 0.4% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.1% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.5%, Māori language by 4.0%, Samoan by 0.4% and other languages by 4.8%. No language could be spoken by 1.9% (e.g. too young to talk).New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.9%. The percentage of people born overseas was 11.6, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 30.2%Christian, 0.5%Hindu, 0.3%Islam, 1.0%Māori religious beliefs, 0.3%Buddhist, 0.5%New Age, and 1.1% other religions. People who answered that they hadno religion were 58.1%, and 8.1% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 3,390 (13.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 15,042 (58.0%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 6,432 (24.8%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $41,700, compared with $41,500 nationally. 2,517 people (9.7%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 13,530 (52.2%) people were employed full-time, 3,657 (14.1%) were part-time, and 489 (1.9%) were unemployed.[6]
| Name | Area (km2) | Population | Density (per km2) | Dwellings | Median age | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manawatū Rural General Ward | 2,538.39 | 15,489 | 6.1 | 5,649 | 41.4 years | $46,300[8] |
| Feilding General Ward | 28.19 | 16,929 | 600.5 | 6,531 | 40.5 years | $37,500[9] |
| New Zealand | 38.1 years | $41,500 |
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Manawatu County Council was one of 63county councils that were formed in 1876 when theprovinces were abolished. It originally extended fromRangiwahia in the north toWaikanae in the south.
The county greatly reduced by various splits over the next 30 years. Three towns split off to form borough councils:Palmerston North (1877, raised to city status in 1930),Feilding (1881), andFoxton (1888). The northern half of (remaining) Manawatu County split off to formOroua County Council in 1883, initially unilaterally, as a protest against county authority. Parts of Oroua themselves split off to form separate counties (Kiwitea in 1894, Pohangina in 1895, and Kairanga in 1902). In 1903 Oroua County was officially established, covering the remaining parts after these splits, and also losingAshhurst (transferred to Palmerston North). The area south of the Manawatū River split off to form Horowhenua County Council in 1884.[10]
Manawatu District Council was formed in 1988 when Manawatu County Council amalgamated with Kairanga County Council, itself a splinter of Oroua County Council. The following year, Manawatu District amalgamated with Feilding Borough, Kiwitea County, Oroua County and Pohangina County[10] in the1989 local government reforms.
For the purposes of representation, Manawatu District is divided into two wards:
| Ward name | Number of councillors | Area included |
|---|---|---|
| Feilding | 5 | Feilding (urban) |
| Rural | 5 |
In 2021, the council decided to establish aMāori ward from the 2022 local election.[11]
The council is responsible for day-to-day administration and services:
Ian McKelvie was elected mayor in a by-election in November 2002 and remained in the position until he resigned on 15 December 2011, after being elected to Parliament in the2011 election.[12][13] Deputy Mayor Matt Bell was then acting mayor until a by-election held on 7 March 2012.[13] The by-election was narrowly won byMargaret Kouvelis from Feilding, who beat councillor Steven Gibson by just 14 votes (3293 votes to 3279).[14]Helen Worboys won the mayoralty from the incumbent Margaret Kouvelis in the 2016 Local Government elections.
Manawatu District is in the Manawatū-Whanganui Region, which is governed by the Horizons Regional Council. For electoral and representation purposes, the district is divided into:
The Manawatu district includes both plains and hills, and is visited by cyclists and others for the views of the Central North Island volcanoes on clear days.[citation needed] The western coast has swimming beaches and largedunes, while the Ruahine Ranges in the east has walking tracks and views over the district from the Wharite mountain or from the Saddle Road.[citation needed]
In the middle of the district is Feilding, with its saleyards, equestrian and motorsport venue (Manfeild), boutique shopping and historical landmarks and collections.
TheRoyal New Zealand Air Force's main base,RNZAF Base Ohakea, is in Manawatū.
Secondary:
Adjacent cities and districts | |
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