Kāpiti Coast District | |
|---|---|
 Looking acrossWaikanae Beach toKapiti Island | |
 Kāpiti Coast district within theNorth Island | |
| Coordinates:40°50′38″S175°11′10″E / 40.844°S 175.186°E /-40.844; 175.186 | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Wellington |
| Wards | Ōtaki Waikanae Paraparaumu Paekākāriki-Raumati |
| Community Boards | Paekākāriki Community Board Paraparaumu Community Board Raumati Community Board Waikanae Community Board Ōtaki Community Board[1] |
| Established | 1989 |
| Electorates | Mana (general) Ōtaki (general) Te Tai Hauāuru (Māori) |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Janet Holborow[2] |
| • Territorial authority | Kāpiti Coast District Council |
| • MPs | |
| Area | |
• Territorial | 731.52 km2 (282.44 sq mi) |
| • Urban | 76.69 km2 (29.61 sq mi) |
| • Rural | 654.83 km2 (252.83 sq mi) |
| Population (June 2025)[7] | |
• Territorial | 58,000 |
| • Density | 79/km2 (210/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+12 (NZST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+13 (NZDT) |
| Postcode(s) | 5032, 5034, 5036, 5381, 5391, 5512, 5573, 5581, 5582, 5583[8] |
| Website | www |
TheKāpiti Coast District (officially theKapiti Coast District) is alocal government district of theWellington Region in the lowerNorth Island of New Zealand, 50 km (31 mi) north ofWellington City. The district is named afterKapiti Island, a prominent island 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) offshore.
The population of the district is concentrated in a chain of coastal settlements alongState Highway One:Ōtaki,Te Horo,Waikanae,Paraparaumu,Raumati Beach,Raumati South, andPaekākāriki. Paraparaumu is the most populous of these towns and the commercial and administrative centre. Much of the rural land is given over to horticulture; market gardens are common along the highway between the settlements. The area available for agriculture and settlement is narrow and coastal. Much of the eastern part of the district is within the Tararua Forest Park, which covers the ruggedTararua Range, with peaks rising to over 1,500 m (4,900 ft).
The Kāpiti Coast District stretches fromŌtaki in the north toPaekākāriki in the south. It includes the towns ofTe Horo,Waikanae,Paraparaumu,Raumati Beach,Raumati South, and smaller localities such asMaungakotukutuku,Otaihanga, andPeka Peka.[9] It extends from theTasman Sea coast to the top of the Tararua Range.Kapiti Island, a prominent offshore feature, is part of the district.
The district is not generally considered part of theWellington metropolitan area, being distant from Wellington City,Porirua and theHutt Valley, which make up the nucleus of the area. Still, Waikanae is considered by many to be the absolute northernmost point Wellington can be considered to reach as a city.[citation needed] Many residents travel into Wellington each day for work, and the district is a popular weekend destination for the people of the Wellington Region. The town of Paraparaumu, considered the pivot of the district, is located about 55 km north of Wellington.
The area has anoceanic climate with moderate temperature swings between seasons, resulting in warm summers and mild winters without any severe heat waves or cold spells.[citation needed]
The district was occupied by theMuaūpoko Māori tribe up to the 19th century.Ngāti Toa, led by chiefTe Rauparaha, migrated to the district in the 1820s.[10] Te Rauparaha established a base on Kapiti Island, from where he was able to launch attacks on other tribes during theMusket Wars of the early 19th century. Around this time, Europeans began whaling in the area, and on 16 October 1839,William Wakefield of theNew Zealand Company arrived in the Kapiti region to purchase land for permanent European settlement. Te Rauparaha sold him land in theNelson andGolden Bay area.[citation needed]
European settlement of the Kāpiti Coast only took place on a significant scale after theWellington and Manawatu Railway Company (WMR) opened its railway line fromWellington toLongburn, just south ofPalmerston North. The line was opened in 1886, with the final spike driven in on the Kāpiti Coast at Otaihanga. Paekākāriki was quickly established as a significantsteam locomotive depot due to the need to swap locomotives at the location; powerful, heavy locomotives were required to handle trains over the rugged section from Wellington to Paekākāriki, while lighter, faster locomotives were more suited to the relatively flat terrain north of Paekākāriki. In 1908, the WMR was purchased by theNew Zealand Railways Department, who incorporated the line into theNorth Island Main Trunk railway.[11]
In June 1940, the Wellington-Paekākāriki section waselectrified aselectric locomotives provided better motive power. This meant trains would swap from steam (and laterdiesel-electric) to electric traction in Paekākāriki, and it retained its status as a significant locomotive depot. It also became the northern terminus of the Wellington commuter railway network until 8 May 1983, when it was extended to Paraparaumu. In February 2011, electrification reached Waikanae, which became the new terminus.
During World War II,Queen Elizabeth Park – a large tract of parkland between Raumati South and Paekākāriki – was the location of twoUnited States Army andMarines camps, McKay and Russell. US troops were stationed at the camps in 1942–44 prior to being sent into combat in thePacific Ocean theatre.
After World War II, Wellington's Rongotai Airport was closed due to safety reasons in 1947 andKapiti Coast Airport became the main airport for theWellington Region. In 1949, it was New Zealand's busiest airport and helped to stimulate growth on the Kāpiti Coast. TheWellington International Airport was opened in 1959 and Paraparaumu Airport never regained its status, with some of its land sold for residential development in the 1990s and 2000s.[citation needed]
Although "Kapiti Coast District" is the official name of the district,[12][13] the council uses the spelling "Kāpiti" for its name. Despite sharing the same spelling, the name is unrelated to theMāori word for "cabbage" (Māori:kāpiti).[14]
In April 2010 the council starting using macrons in the spelling of Kāpiti, Ōtaki and Paekākāriki in council papers, publications, maps and signage. Despite this, the council did not make an application to theNew Zealand Geographic Board to add a macron to the name of the district as the macron is used to aid pronunciation rather than spelling.[13]
In a back and forth manner, vandals have repeatedly added and removed macrons from signage in the district.[15][16]
The parts of the district south of theWaikanae River were originally part of the now defunctHutt County.[18] The Kapiti Borough Council was carved from it in 1973.
InNew Zealand's local government reforms of 1989, the borough council was replaced by theKapiti Coast District Council, and the area under its jurisdiction expanded northwards to include Waikanae and Ōtaki, which had been part of theHorowhenua County.[10][19][20] The council, now styledKāpiti Coast District Council,[21] is aterritorial authority elected by residentsevery three years. It consists of a mayor and 10 councillors.[22] Two councillors are elected for the Paraparaumu ward, one each for the Ōtaki, Paekākāriki-Raumati and Waikanae wards, and five are elected at-large.[23] Kapiti Island is part of the Paraparaumu ward.[24]
| Position | Name | Ward | Affiliation (if any) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mayor | Janet Holborow | At-large | Independent | |
| Councillor | Rob McCann | Districtwide | Independent | |
| Councillor | Liz Koh | Districtwide | Independent | |
| Councillor | Himiona Grace | Kāpiti CoastMāori | Te Pāti Māori | |
| Councillor | Heniti Buick | Ōtaki | Independent | |
| Councillor | Bede John Laracy | Paekākāriki-Raumati | Independent | |
| Councillor | Martin Halliday | Paraparaumu | Independent | |
| Councillor | Glen Cooper | Paraparaumu | Independent | |
| Councillor | Glen Olsen | Paraparaumu | Independent | |
| Councillor | Steve Botica | Waikanae | Independent | |
| Councillor | Jocelyn Prvanov | Waikanae | Independent | |
The Kāpiti Coast District Council has created five localcommunity boards, under the provisions of Part 4 of theLocal Government Act 2002,[27] covering the district:
Community boards are primarily advocates for their local area, and they also administer community grant funding.[1]
Greater Wellington Regional Council is responsible for regional governance of the district and the wider region, including public transport, water and environmental management.
Kāpiti Coast District covers 731.52 km2 (282.44 sq mi)[6] and had an estimated population of 58,000 as of June 2025,[7] with a population density of 79 people per km2.
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 46,197 | — |
| 2013 | 49,104 | +0.88% |
| 2018 | 53,673 | +1.80% |
| 2023 | 55,914 | +0.82% |
| Source:[28][29] | ||
Kāpiti Coast District had a population of 55,914 in the2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 2,241 people (4.2%) since the2018 census, and an increase of 6,810 people (13.9%) since the2013 census. There were 26,523 males, 29,139 females and 252 people ofother genders in 23,097 dwellings.[30] 3.7% of people identified asLGBTIQ+. The median age was 48.8 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 9,057 people (16.2%) aged under 15 years, 7,659 (13.7%) aged 15 to 29, 24,282 (43.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 14,916 (26.7%) aged 65 or older.[29]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 86.6%European (Pākehā); 15.8%Māori; 3.8%Pasifika; 6.2%Asian; 1.0% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.7% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.6%, Māori language by 4.7%, Samoan by 0.5% and other languages by 10.0%. No language could be spoken by 1.6% (e.g. too young to talk).New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 23.5, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 31.3%Christian, 0.8%Hindu, 0.3%Islam, 0.6%Māori religious beliefs, 0.6%Buddhist, 0.6%New Age, 0.1%Jewish, and 1.3% other religions. People who answered that they hadno religion were 57.5%, and 7.1% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 9,516 (20.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 24,621 (52.5%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 9,537 (20.4%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $39,100, compared with $41,500 nationally. 6,636 people (14.2%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 20,856 (44.5%) people were employed full-time, 6,711 (14.3%) were part-time, and 1,080 (2.3%) were unemployed.[29]
| Name | Area (km2) | Population | Density (per km2) | Dwellings | Median age | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ōtaki Ward | 433.31 | 9,066 | 21 | 3,720 | 45.7 years | $35,900[31] |
| Paraparaumu Ward | 110.40 | 23,298 | 211 | 9,465 | 47.3 years | $39,000[32] |
| Waikanae Ward | 169.81 | 15,405 | 91 | 6,696 | 54.3 years | $38,600[33] |
| Paekākāriki-Raumati Ward | 18.00 | 8,142 | 452 | 3,213 | 45.2 years | $45,600[34] |
| New Zealand | 38.1 years | $41,500 |
Many of the residents work in Wellington.[35]
The population of the district has grown rapidly since the 1980s, fuelled in large part by Wellingtonians moving there to retire.[35]
Kāpiti Coast District consists of the following towns, localities, settlements and communities:
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The Kāpiti Coast District had a modelled gross domestic product (GDP) of $1,985 million in the year to March 2024, 0.5% of New Zealand's national GDP. The GDP per capita was $33,832, the lowest of all territorial authorities.[36]
The Kāpiti Coast is well known for its cheeses and other products fromLindale. Light industry is focused in Paraparaumu and Ōtaki, with small clusters in Waikanae and Raumati.
Many of the Kāpiti Coast's residents are not employed in the area. Instead, they commute to jobs in Wellington.Transdev operates electric commuter trains along a portion of the North Island Main Trunk Railway referred to as theKāpiti Line on behalf ofMetlink (the Greater Wellington public transport brand), and theKiwiRailCapital Connection commuter train fromPalmerston North to Wellington provides a service for commuters north of the electric terminus in Waikanae. The district is on theNorth Island Main Trunk railway line (NIMT) and served as far north as Waikanae by suburban passenger trains on theKāpiti Line, one of Wellington's threeMetlink commuter rail links. Metlink also provides regular local bus services throughout the Kāpiti Coast, operated byUzabus.
In February 2017, an 18 km (11 mi) longexpressway diversion fromMackays Crossing north ofPaekākāriki to just north ofPeka Peka, was opened[37] to enable State Highway 1 to bypass developed urban areas. An extension to just north of Ōtaki opened in December 2022.[38]State Highway One connects the Kāpiti Coast to Wellington. Before the long-mootedTransmission Gully Motorway opened in March 2022, the road (now re-designatedState Highway 59) was a narrow, highly congested coastal highway and has been subject to occasional closure due to landslides.[39]
The smallKapiti Coast Airport is sandwiched between Paraparaumu (to the north) and Raumati (to the south). With three runways (one of which is now closed), it once served as the main airport of the Wellington region, but was until recently used mainly by aeroclubs. In 2011 scheduled commercial flights from Kapiti to Auckland resumed. It also has daily scheduled flights acrossCook Strait toNelson andBlenheim. AfterAir New Zealand withdrew air services in April 2018,Air Chathams announced that they would be launching flights to Auckland from August 2018.[40][41]Sounds Air also operates from the airport, and it is used for flight training and for private and hobby flights.[42]
Attractions in the Kāpiti Coast region include:
Film directorPeter Jackson is fromPukerua Bay and went to high school atKāpiti College in Raumati Beach. Scenes from his moviesLord of the Rings andKing Kong were filmed on the Kāpiti Coast. Some of the seminal battle scenes in the fields in front of Minas Tirith inThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King were shot in part at Queen Elizabeth Park. Kapiti Island figured inKing Kong, with the scenes approaching the lost island of King Kong shot in the waters between Raumati Beach and the island.[citation needed]
Rugby union clubs based in the area include Paraparaumu RFC, Waikanae RFC, Rahui RFC, and Toa RFC.Horowhenua Kapiti represent the district in theHeartland Championship.
Kapiti has been represented inrugby league by the Kapiti Bears – Kapiti Coast Rugby League Club Inc., which was founded in the 1970s and was the home ofKiwi andMelbourne Storm playerStephen Kearney. The Kapiti Bears operate out of Matthews Park, Menin Road, and are affiliated with the Wellington Rugby League Association.
In association football, Kapiti is represented byKapiti Coast United, who play atWeka Park inRaumati Beach. The club was formed by the merger of Raumati Hearts and Paraparaumu United in 2003.
Paraparaumu Track and Field Club is the athletics club based in Paraparaumu, with facilities at the Paraparaumu Domain.
Three news media are based in the district.
A Board's role is mainly advocacy but it also has powers to make some decisions about issues within its boundaries. Boards make submissions to Council and other statutory agencies. They control local funds for making grants to individuals and groups for community purposes.
Adjacent cities and districts | |
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