Waimate | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 Interactive map of Waimate | |
| Coordinates:44°44′02″S171°02′47″E / 44.7340°S 171.0465°E /-44.7340; 171.0465 | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Island | South Island |
| District | Waimate District |
| Ward | Waimate Ward |
| Electorates |
|
| Government | |
| • Territorial authority | Waimate District Council |
| • Regional council | Environment Canterbury |
| • Mayor of Waimate | Craig Rowley[1] |
| • Waitaki MP | Miles Anderson |
| • Te Tai Tonga MP | Tākuta Ferris |
| Area | |
• Urban area | 8.01 km2 (3.09 sq mi) |
| Population (June 2025)[2] | |
• Urban area | 3,610 |
| • Density | 451/km2 (1,170/sq mi) |
| Postcode(s) | 7924 |
| Area code | 03 |
| Website | www |
Waimate is a town inCanterbury, New Zealand, and the seat of Waimate District. It is situated just inland from the eastern coast of theSouth Island. The town is reached via a short detour west when travelling on State Highway One, the main north/south road. Waimate is 45.7 km south ofTimaru, Canterbury's second city, 20 km north of theWaitaki River, which forms the border between Canterbury and the Otago province to the south, and 47.5 km north of Oamaru, the main town of theWaitaki District.
Waimate is well known for its population ofBennett's wallabies. These marsupials were introduced from Australia and now live wild in the countryside surrounding the town. It is also recognised for the White Horse Monument, which is a silhouette of a white horse that can be seen on the hills behind the town. It commemorates the Clydesdale horses that helped breaking in the land in earlier days. Visitors to the monument's lookout are rewarded with panoramic views of the town and the district's green plains out towards the Pacific Ocean.
From 1877 until 1966, Waimate was served by theWaimate Branch, abranch linerailway that connected with theMain South Line some seven kilometres east inStudholme. For roughly seventy years ending in 1953, the line ran beyond Waimate to Waihao Downs. When the branch line was closed on 31 March 1966, Waimate became the first major town in New Zealand to lose its railway connection.
The Waimate District is bounded by the Waitaki River in the south, the Pareora River in the north and the Hakataramea Valley to the west. The district is a very productive agricultural area with a mix of pastoral, cropping, dairy farming, fruit and vegetable growing.
TheWaihao River, which starts in the Hunter Hills catchment area runs eastwards on the southern side of the Waimate township joining with theWaimate Creek. They both eventually end up discharging very close to the sea into the Wainono Dead Arm, which then flows into theWainono Lagoon nearStudholme.
Risingnitrate levels in the source water for the Lower Waihao rural water supply were observed by Waimate District Council in October 2024, and in December 2024 a do-not-drink notice was issued for the area.[4][5]
| Climate data for Waimate (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1908–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 36.1 (97.0) | 39.0 (102.2) | 32.5 (90.5) | 30.4 (86.7) | 27.5 (81.5) | 23.4 (74.1) | 21.3 (70.3) | 23.4 (74.1) | 30.0 (86.0) | 32.2 (90.0) | 31.9 (89.4) | 34.8 (94.6) | 39.0 (102.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 20.4 (68.7) | 20.3 (68.5) | 18.8 (65.8) | 16.4 (61.5) | 14.1 (57.4) | 11.6 (52.9) | 11.0 (51.8) | 11.8 (53.2) | 14.0 (57.2) | 15.6 (60.1) | 17.1 (62.8) | 19.0 (66.2) | 15.8 (60.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 15.7 (60.3) | 15.5 (59.9) | 14.0 (57.2) | 11.4 (52.5) | 8.9 (48.0) | 6.4 (43.5) | 5.8 (42.4) | 6.8 (44.2) | 9.0 (48.2) | 10.6 (51.1) | 12.3 (54.1) | 14.4 (57.9) | 10.9 (51.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 11.0 (51.8) | 10.8 (51.4) | 9.2 (48.6) | 6.4 (43.5) | 3.8 (38.8) | 1.2 (34.2) | 0.5 (32.9) | 1.9 (35.4) | 4.0 (39.2) | 5.7 (42.3) | 7.5 (45.5) | 9.8 (49.6) | 6.0 (42.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 1.4 (34.5) | 1.0 (33.8) | −3.0 (26.6) | −3.2 (26.2) | −6.2 (20.8) | −7.5 (18.5) | −8.5 (16.7) | −10.0 (14.0) | −6.5 (20.3) | −3.3 (26.1) | −1.7 (28.9) | 0.6 (33.1) | −10.0 (14.0) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 52.2 (2.06) | 43.5 (1.71) | 35.4 (1.39) | 51.1 (2.01) | 41.8 (1.65) | 37.6 (1.48) | 43.4 (1.71) | 38.7 (1.52) | 35.6 (1.40) | 38.3 (1.51) | 43.2 (1.70) | 43.6 (1.72) | 504.4 (19.86) |
| Source: NIWA[6][7][8][9] | |||||||||||||
Waimate is described as a small urban area by Statistics New Zealand and covers 8.01 km2 (3.09 sq mi).[3] It had an estimated population of 3,610 as of June 2025,[2] with a population density of 451 people per km2.
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 3,288 | — |
| 2013 | 3,285 | −0.01% |
| 2018 | 3,456 | +1.02% |
| Source:[10] | ||
Waimate had a population of 3,456 at the2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 171 people (5.2%) since the2013 census, and an increase of 168 people (5.1%) since the2006 census. There were 1,602 households, comprising 1,638 males and 1,815 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.9 males per female, with 474 people (13.7%) aged under 15 years, 465 (13.5%) aged 15 to 29, 1,374 (39.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,143 (33.1%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 94.4% European/Pākehā, 7.6%Māori, 0.8%Pasifika, 1.7%Asian, and 1.5% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 12.0, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 49.0% had no religion, 37.8% wereChristian, 0.5% hadMāori religious beliefs, 0.3% wereBuddhist and 2.1% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 243 (8.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 1,005 (33.7%) people had no formal qualifications. 213 people (7.1%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,056 (35.4%) people were employed full-time, 405 (13.6%) were part-time, and 99 (3.3%) were unemployed.[10]
| Name | Area (km2) | Population | Density (per km2) | Households | Median age | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waimate North | 4.46 | 507 | 114 | 237 | 56.5 years | $22,900[11] |
| Waimate West | 0.93 | 1,335 | 1,435 | 600 | 51.5 years | $22,400[12] |
| Waimate East | 2.60 | 1,614 | 621 | 765 | 55.2 years | $22,500[13] |
| New Zealand | 37.4 years | $31,800 |
Like much of ruralNew Zealand, Waimate suffered from an economic downturn in the 1980s, with the closure of the dairy factory and a number of sawmills. For the last decade of the 20th century the biggest employers in the district were two furniture manufacturers, a vegetable processing plant and a factory making French fries and otherpotato products atMakikihi. All but the latter closed within the first few years of the 21st century. However, a newly developed large scale sawmill and the development of a large milk powder factory, coupled with the wealth of dairy farms and the nationwide real estate bubble of 2003–2007, saw a renewed confidence in Waimate.
Further Information:List of schools in Canterbury, New Zealand#Waimate District
Waimate Main School and Waimate Centennial School are contributing primary schools for students in years 1 to 6,[14][15] with rolls of 91 and 140 students, respectively. Waimate Main opened in 1867 as Waimate Primary.[16] Waimate Centennial opened in 1955 and catered for years 1 to 8 until 1982, when it reduced to years 1 to 6.[17]
Waituna Creek School is a rural full primary about 6 kilometres northwest of Waimate. It caters for students in years 1 to 8[18] and has a roll of 27. It was established in 1879.[16]
St Patrick's School is a Catholic state-integrated full primary for years 1 to 8[19] with a roll of 30 students. The school website says it was first opened in the late 1880s, and the school celebrated 125 years of Catholic education in Waimate in 2005.[20][21]The New Zealand Tablet reported that St Patrick's School opened during 1881.[22]
Waimate High School is a secondary school for years 7 to 13[23] with a roll of 286 students. Waimate District High School opened in 1883. It became Waimate High on a new site in 1929, and in 1982 it expanded to also take year 7 and 8 students.[24][16]
A statue ofZealandia, a female allegorical representation of New Zealand similar toGreat Britain'sBritannia, is located just off the main street. Only three Zealandia statues exist in the whole country: the one at Waimate, another atPalmerston in Otago, and a third inAuckland. The Waimate and Palmerston statues were erected asBoer War memorials, and the one in Auckland to commemorate troops who fought against Māori in theNew Zealand Wars.[28]
St Patrick's Basilica Catholic Church, located on Timaru Rd, was designed in 1908 byFrancis Petre and is considered his most original design.[29] St. Augustine's Anglican Church, located on John Street in Waimate, was designed in 1872 byBenjamin Mountfort.
Waihao marae, amarae (tribal meeting ground) ofNgāi Tahu and its Te Rūnanga o Waihao branch, is located in the Waimate district.[30] It includes Centennial Memorial Hall, awharenui (traditional meeting house).[31]
Waimate Museum, located in Shearman St, was designed in 1878 by P.M.F. Burrows. Arcadia Theatre was originally built as Quinn's Arcade in 1906.
The White Horse Monument, built in 1968, is located at Centrewood Park, on a hill overlooking the town. The monument was created by farmers Norman and Betty Hayman to commemorate the contribution ofClydesdale andShire horses to the district’s farming economy.[32][33]
Waimate Rugby Football Club has teams competing in the South Canterbury rugby competitions. The club is affiliated with theSouth Canterbury Rugby Football Union.[34]
Waimate Golf Club is on the outskirts of the town.[35]
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