Thames
View from end of Monument Road to the south
Coordinates:37°8′18.2″S175°32′25.8″E / 37.138389°S 175.540500°E /-37.138389; 175.540500
Country	New Zealand
Region	Waikato Region
District	Thames-Coromandel District
Ward	Thames ward
Community Board	Thames Community
Electorates	Coromandel Hauraki-Waikato (Māori)
Government
• Council	Thames-Coromandel District Council
• Regional council	Waikato Regional Council
• Mayor of Thames-Coromandel	Peter Revell[1]
• Coromandel MP	Scott Simpson[2]
• Hauraki-Waikato MP	Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke[3]
Area [4]
• Total	16.99 km2 (6.56 sq mi)
Population  (June 2025)[5]
• Total	7,230
• Density	426/km2 (1,100/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	3500, 3540

Thames (/tɛmz/ ^ⓘ) is a town at the southwestern end of theCoromandel Peninsula inNew Zealand'sNorth Island. It is located on theFirth of Thames close to the mouth of theWaihou River. The town is the seat of theThames-Coromandel District Council. TheMāoriiwi areNgāti Maru, who are descendants of Marutuahu's son Te Ngako. Ngāti Maru is part of the Ngati Marutuahu confederation of tribes or better known as Hauraki Iwi.

Thames had an estimated population of 15,000 in 1870, but this declined to 4,500 in 1881, and it has increased modestly since. It is still the biggest town on the Coromandel Peninsula. Until 2016, a historicaloak tree that was planted by GovernorGeorge Grey stood on the corner of Grey and Rolleston streets.^[6]

Thames covers 16.99 km² (6.56 sq mi)^[4] and had an estimated population of 7,230 as of June 2025,^[5] with a population density of 426 people per km².

Thames had a population of 7,212 in the2023 New Zealand census, a decrease of 132 people (−1.8%) since the2018 census, and an increase of 225 people (3.2%) since the2013 census. There were 3,405 males, 3,786 females and 21 people ofother genders in 3,132 dwellings.^[9] 3.3% of people identified asLGBTIQ+. The median age was 54.9 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 993 people (13.8%) aged under 15 years, 879 (12.2%) aged 15 to 29, 2,787 (38.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 2,553 (35.4%) aged 65 or older.^[8]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 82.8%European (Pākehā); 23.1%Māori; 3.2%Pasifika; 6.9%Asian; 0.7% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.3% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.7%, Māori language by 4.8%, Samoan by 0.3%, and other languages by 7.9%. No language could be spoken by 1.2% (e.g. too young to talk).New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.5%. The percentage of people born overseas was 17.0, compared with 28.8% nationally.^[8]

Religious affiliations were 33.2%Christian, 1.3%Hindu, 0.2%Islam, 1.4%Māori religious beliefs, 1.4%Buddhist, 0.7%New Age, and 1.8% other religions. People who answered that they hadno religion were 50.8%, and 9.5% of people did not answer the census question.^[8]

Of those at least 15 years old, 978 (15.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 3,189 (51.3%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 2,061 (33.1%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $28,700, compared with $41,500 nationally. 345 people (5.5%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 2,136 (34.3%) people were employed full-time, 822 (13.2%) were part-time, and 168 (2.7%) were unemployed.^[8]

In the early 19th century the area was populated byNgāti Maru and other members of theMarutūāhu collective. Ngāti Maru built a large fortifiedpā between theKauaeranga River andWaihou River, known as Te Tōtara.^[14] In December 1821, this pā was attacked by aTe Tai Tokerau Māoritaua (war party) during theMusket Wars. After a frontal assault was unsuccessful, the taua took the pā by stealth.^[14]

Thames was formed from two historic towns, Grahamstown and Shortland, of which many original buildings still stand. Shortland was to the south of Thames and was founded on 27 July 1867 whenJames Mackay, civil commissioner for theHauraki District, concluded an agreement with local Māori. The land was rented for mining purposes for the sum of £5,000 per year, a colossal sum in the mid 19th century. This agreement secured the rights to local mineral deposits leading to the proclamation of the Thames Goldfield on 1 August. The leasing of the land for such a huge income was a source of great envy by other Maori iwi and hapu.^[15]

Grahamstown was founded the following year at the northern end of present Thames, approximately one mile from Shortland. The two towns merged in 1874 after it emerged the heart of the Goldfield was in Grahamstown. Shortland waned in importance until the turn of the century when theHauraki Plains were developed for farming and the Shortland railway station was opened.

The town was initially built during agold rush, with the first major discovery of gold being made on 10 August 1867 by William Hunt, in the Kuranui Stream at the north end of Thames.^[16] The subsequent mine produced more than 102,353oz bullion and was known as the Shotover. The era from 1868 to 1871 were the bonanza years for the town with gold production topping one million pounds sterling at its peak. Official figures for production of the Thames Mines recorded a yield of 2,327,619oz bullion with the value at $845 million. The three richest fields were the Manukau / Golden Crown / Caledonian mines but many others yielded near equivalent amounts. Thames had an estimated population of 15,000 in 1870^[17] which would make it one of the largest cities in New Zealand at the time, but the population had declined to 11,950 (not including Māori) in the 1871 census.^[18] The Māori population was 1,428 in 1859.^[19] After the gold began to diminish, so did Thames' population, dropping to 5,420 in 1878 and 4,563 in 1881.^[20] Thames also benefited from a period of extensive Kauri logging in the surrounding ranges around the same time.

The land involved in goldmining in Thames was Māori-owned; important parts of the goldfield were owned by the Ngāti Marurangatira (chief) Rapana Maunganoa and the Taipari family. In 1878, when Wiremu Hōterene Taipari married a woman of theNgāti Awa tribe ofWhakatāne, Ngāti Awa carvers arrived at Thames and built a meeting house at Pārāwai. It is incorrectly said to have been a wedding gift for the couple when actually Wiremu's father had paid money for another whare (meeting house), which was sold to the governor general at the time. When Wiremu's father returned to collect the whare the Ngati Awa chief apologised and said he would have another one built which would signify the marriage between Wiremu Taipari and his daughter. The house, named Hotunui^[21] in honour of an important Ngāti Maru ancestor, now stands in theAuckland War Memorial Museum.

The Carters - Kopu sawmill, 9 km south of Thames, closed in 2008 with the loss of 145 jobs.^[22][23] In 2012, mayor of Thames-Coromandel calledNZTA safety procedures into question when asink hole on State Highway 25 north of Thames, opened above an oldmine shaft.^[24]

The Mātai Whetū Marae is located in Kopu. It is a meeting ground forNgāti Maru and featuresTe Rama o Hauraki meeting house.^[25][26]

Operating since 2009, The Treasury is an archive and research centre located in the town.^[27] The bookTrue Tales of Thames was launched at The Treasury by The Coromandel Heritage Trust.^[28]

Steampunk has been a community-supported festival in Thames since 2015.^[29]

The area was initially controlled by theAuckland Provincial Council. In late 1871, a public meeting in Grahamstown resolved:^[30]

That in the opinion of the meeting it is desirable that a Municipal Corporation should be established for the Thames.

This resulted in the forming of a Thames Municipality Committee in early 1872. The Borough of Thames was gazetted in November 1873. The first Borough Council was elected in March 1874. As was practice at the time, the councillors voted one from their midst to be the mayor. William Davies was the only person proposed and voted into the role unanimously in April 1874.^[30]

During the 1870s, Governor George Grey represented Thames in theNew Zealand Parliament.^[6]

In total, there were 24 Mayors of Thames Borough.^[31] In 1975, Thames Borough amalgamated with Coromandel County, out of whichThames-Coromandel District arose.^[30] Hence, the role was succeeded by that of theMayor of Thames-Coromandel.

Thames Hospital is the oldest still operating in New Zealand, having been built in the 1860s. The Māori owned land was donated by the Ngāti Maru rangatira Rapana Maunganoa. A new clinical centre and other improvements were completed in 2008, and a new maternity facility opened on 5 September 2011.^[32] The Thames Jockey Club was one of the earliest to be established in New Zealand.^[33]

TheThames Aerodrome is 3 km south of the town. Regular flights toAuckland are operated byGreat Barrier Airlines. A major employer is theToyota New Zealand plant, which assembledCKD cars until 1998, and now refurbishes imported used cars. Another is the precision engineering works and foundry ofA & G Price, established 1868, who built 123 steam locomotives forNew Zealand Railways Department. The Brian Boru Hotel, built in 1868, is the oldest Irish pub in New Zealand.^[34] Most shops are located on Pollen Street. Goldfields Shopping Centre is a major shopping mall in Thames.^[35] Many residents work in tourism and locally owned businesses servicing the local farming community. Thames has also been used as a filming location for movies includingFalling Inn Love andBridge to Terabithia.^[36]

Initially the main access to Thames was by sea, with goods and passengers landed on the beach. Shortland Wharf was built in 1868 and remains in use.^[37] Thames Harbour Board controlled the port from 1876^[38] until it was merged with the Town Council in 1936.^[39] By then competition, following the opening of the railway in 1898 and then the Hauraki (nowKopu) Bridge in 1928,^[40] had reduced the profitability of the wharves^[39] and a commissioner had been appointed, as the town couldn't meet its debts.^[41]

Ships which have served Thames have includedSS Go Ahead andNorthern Steamship Co'sTerranora (1898),Kapui (1911)^[42] andWaipu (1928).^[43]

TheThames branch railway connecting the town withHamilton was opened in 1898 and was closed in 1991 and the tracks were taken up, thoughThames railway station remains. The branch now provides part of the course for theHauraki Rail Trail.

Thames is on SH25.

Thames Connector buses run 5 times a day between Tararu and Parawai.^[44] Go Kiwi operate a shuttle bus from the east coast of Coromandel, via Thames, to Auckland.^[45]InterCity run twice a day between Auckland and Tauranga via Thames.^[46]

Thames High School is a secondary (years 9–13) school with adecile rating of 5 and a roll of 390.^[47] The school was established in 1880 and is the second oldest secondary school in the Auckland Province.^[48]

Moanataiari School, Parawai and Thames South are full primary (years 1–8) schools with decile ratings of 5, 6 and 3 and rolls of 141, 228 and 80, respectively.^[49][50][51]

St Francis School is a full primary (years 1–8) school with a decile rating of 7 and a roll of 82.^[52] It is a state integrated Catholic school.^[53]

All these schools are coeducational. Rolls are as of July 2025.^[54]

A former local institution of learning was theThames School of Mines.

Another former school, Thames North, was atTararu. It is now Thames Art Gallery.^[55]

• Kylie Bax – model and actress
• David Brokenshire – architect and potter
• Paul Dibble – sculptor
• Frances Haselden – headmistress of Kauaeranga Girls' School in Thames
• Charlotte Lawlor – poet, writer and advertising designer
• SirGraham Liggins - medical/obstetrical researcher
• Thomas Alexander O'Brien – cinema owner and entrepreneur
• Air Chief Marshal SirKeith Park – WWII Air Commander and AOC 11 Group duringBattle of Britain (July – October 1940)
• Rex Percy – NZ rugby league player
• Sonny Parker – Welsh international rugby union player
• Bruce Purchase – British actor
• Sydney Ross – criminal
• Lloyd Stephenson – hockey player
• Eruini Heina Taipari – tribal leader
• Puti Tipene Watene – NZ rugby league player and politician
• Hera Lindsay Bird - Poet

Wikimedia Commons has media related toThames, New Zealand.

• Thames travel guide from Wikivoyage
• Thames InformationArchived 8 February 2008 at theWayback Machine
• "Thames in Cyclopaedia of New Zealand (1902)". NZETC. 1 December 2015.
• 1871-74 tram routeArchived 2 February 2020 at theWayback Machine

• Populated places in Waikato
• Thames-Coromandel District
• Populated places around the Firth of Thames

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