Whatawhata
Township
from SH23 bridge
Coordinates:37°48′S175°09′E / 37.800°S 175.150°E /-37.800; 175.150
Country	New Zealand
Region	Waikato
District	Waikato District
Wards	Newcastle-Ngāruawāhia General Ward Tai Runga Takiwaa Maaori Ward
Electorates	Taranaki-King Country Hauraki-Waikato (Māori)
Government
• Territorial Authority	Waikato District Council
• Regional council	Waikato Regional Council
• Mayor of Waikato	Aksel Bech[1]
• Taranaki-King Country MP	Barbara Kuriger[2]
• Hauraki-Waikato MP	Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke[3]
Area [4]
• Territorial	0.93 km2 (0.36 sq mi)
Elevation	20 m (66 ft)
Population  (June 2025)[5]
• Territorial	300
• Density	320/km2 (840/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+12 (NZST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+13 (NZDT)

Whatawhata, previously also speltWhata Whata, is a small town in theWaikato region on the east bank of theWaipā River, at the junction ofState Highways 23 and39, 12 km (7.5 mi) fromHamilton.Te Araroa tramping route passes through Whatawhata.^[6]

Whatawhata was aNgāti Māhanga village^[7] and there are still Te Papa-o-Rotu and Ōmaero maraes on the west bank of the river.^[8] In early colonial times Whatawhata was one of manysites in Waikato with a flour mill.^[9] It was built in 1855^[10] and producing flour by the end of that year.^[11] The area must have been suited to wheat, for there was another mill about 4 km (2.5 mi) downstream, at Karakariki, by 1860.^[12]

British troops arrived at Whatawhata over land and by river, as part of theInvasion of the Waikato, on 28 December 1863.^[13] Whatawhata was described as having no end of peach trees, which the soldiers stripped of their fruit.^[14] Within a year a telegraph line had been built.^[15]

A 1915 guide described Whatawhata as, "six miles fromFrankton Junction, along a good metalled road. Coaches run to and from Frankton Junction daily, the fares being 2/- single and 3/6 return. The principal industries are farming and dairying. There is one hotel in the township, also school, and post and telegraph office. Small steamers ply up and down the river from Huntly, the waters being navigable as far up asPirongia. Whatawhata was in the early days an important Maori centre, having at one time a native population of over a thousand."^[16]

Since then the post office has been replaced by a petrol station anddairy, the coach has become 4 per day and the river is rarely disturbed by any craft. Also theAgResearch hill-country research station at Whatawhata was started in 1949.^[17]

Across the road from AgResearch, Campbell Coal Ltd developed a coal mine in 1920, was advertising for about 10 tons a day to be carried to Hamilton in 1921^[18][19][20] and had it fully open by 1923.^[21] It produced 9,272 tons in 1945 from a 10 ft (3.0 m) seam, employing 6 miners and 5 surface workers.^[22]Hallyburton Johnstone said there was never a strike at the mine.^[23] The coal was sub-bituminous with a fairly highcalorific value, but was largely worked out by the 1970s,^[24] whenHamilton gasworks closed.^[25] 2.9m tons is estimated to be still recoverable.^[26]

An 1880 guide said, "It is about ten miles distant from Hamilton, but a sum of money has been voted for making a direct road through a large swamp, which will bring the Hamilton station within six miles of the township. The road toRaglan crosses the, Waipā River here, anda bridge will shortly be built, when the ferry, which is now worked by natives, will be done away with. Heavy goods, such as timber, wire and manure, are brought up by the Waikato Steam Navigation Company's steamers. . . There is a convenient school in the township, where there is an average attendance of nearly forty children. The school-house and teacher's residence, erected a short time ago (1877) by the Board of Education, the settlers contributing largely towards them, are excellent buildings . . . two stores, a bakery, and comfortable hotel. Of this last Mr. G. T. M. Kellow is proprietor. He has good accommodation and stabling, and keeps excellent liquors . . . Mr,W. H. Bailey has a general store and bakery. . . convenient to the Raglan and Whatawhata bridge site. . . Mr. Day has a farm| of 1,000 acres . . . five acres in oats and the same in mangold . . . wheat thirty acres . . . a large dairy . . . pigs . . . trees arekahikatea andrimu, with a littlemataī . . . Whatawhata racecourse . . . runs right round the township"^[27]

A post office opened in 1868, burnt down in 1913 and was rebuilt in 1915.^[28] Electricity came to Whatawhata in 1922.^[29]

Whatawhata has twomarae, affiliated with theWaikato Tainuihapū ofNgāti Māhanga andNgāti Hourua:^[30] Ōmaero Marae and itsTe Awaitaia meeting house, andTe Papa o Rotu Marae / Te Oneparepare Marae and itsPapa o Rotu meeting house.^[31]

Statistics New Zealand describes Whatawhata as a rural settlement, which covers 0.93 km² (0.36 sq mi)^[4] and had an estimated population of 300 as of June 2025,^[5] with a population density of 323 people per km². Whatawhata settlement is part of the larger Whatawhata East statistical area.

Whatawhata settlement had a population of 294 in the2023 New Zealand census, a decrease of 9 people (−3.0%) since the2018 census, and an increase of 21 people (7.7%) since the2013 census. There were 147 males, 144 females and 3 people ofother genders in 96 dwellings.^[34] 3.1% of people identified asLGBTIQ+. The median age was 35.5 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 69 people (23.5%) aged under 15 years, 54 (18.4%) aged 15 to 29, 138 (46.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 33 (11.2%) aged 65 or older.^[32]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 75.5%European (Pākehā), 36.7%Māori, 3.1%Pasifika, and 4.1%Asian. English was spoken by 95.9%, Māori language by 6.1%, and other languages by 4.1%. No language could be spoken by 2.0% (e.g. too young to talk). The percentage of people born overseas was 9.2, compared with 28.8% nationally.^[32]

Religious affiliations were 21.4%Christian, and 1.0%Hindu. People who answered that they hadno religion were 70.4%, and 6.1% of people did not answer the census question.^[32]

Of those at least 15 years old, 24 (10.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 123 (54.7%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 75 (33.3%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $38,600, compared with $41,500 nationally. 21 people (9.3%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 111 (49.3%) people were employed full-time, 51 (22.7%) were part-time, and 9 (4.0%) were unemployed.^[32]

Two statistical areas make up the larger Whatawhata area, covering 98.14 km² (37.89 sq mi)^[35] with an estimated population of 3,660 as of June 2025,^[36] with a population density of 37 people per km².

Whatawhata statistical areas had a population of 3,537 in the2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 264 people (8.1%) since the2018 census, and an increase of 909 people (34.6%) since the2013 census. There were 1,818 males, 1,716 females and 6 people ofother genders in 1,131 dwellings.^[39] 2.4% of people identified asLGBTIQ+. There were 786 people (22.2%) aged under 15 years, 576 (16.3%) aged 15 to 29, 1,665 (47.1%) aged 30 to 64, and 510 (14.4%) aged 65 or older.^[37]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 83.9%European (Pākehā); 20.9%Māori; 3.4%Pasifika; 3.0%Asian; 1.0% 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 97.7%, Māori language by 6.2%, Samoan by 0.2%, and other languages by 6.4%. No language could be spoken by 1.7% (e.g. too young to talk).New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.3%. The percentage of people born overseas was 13.1, compared with 28.8% nationally.^[37]

Religious affiliations were 30.4%Christian, 0.6%Hindu, 0.1%Islam, 1.1%Māori religious beliefs, 0.3%Buddhist, 0.3%New Age, 0.1%Jewish, and 1.0% other religions. People who answered that they hadno religion were 57.8%, and 8.7% of people did not answer the census question.^[37]

Of those at least 15 years old, 603 (21.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 1,602 (58.2%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 537 (19.5%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. 468 people (17.0%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,581 (57.5%) people were employed full-time, 450 (16.4%) were part-time, and 51 (1.9%) were unemployed.^[37]

Whatawhata School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students^[42][43] with a roll of 275 as of July 2025.^[44] The school opened in 1887.^[45]

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