Waitohi

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Waitohi
Rural area
Richard Pearse monument
Richard Pearse monument
Interactive map of Waitohi
Coordinates: 44°13′S 171°11′E / 44.217°S 171.183°E / -44.217; 171.183
CountryNew Zealand
RegionCanterbury
Territorial authorityTimaru District
WardPleasant Point-Temuka
CommunityTemuka
Electorates
Government
 • Territorial authorityTimaru District Council
 • Regional councilEnvironment Canterbury
 • Mayor of TimaruNigel Bowen[1]
 • Waitaki MPMiles Anderson[2]
 • Te Tai Tonga MPTākuta Ferris[3]
Area
[4]
 • Total
103.38 km2 (39.92 sq mi)
Population
 (2023 census)[5]
 • Total
222
 • Density2.15/km2 (5.56/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+12 (NZST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+13 (NZDT)
Postcode
7985
Area code03
Local iwiNgāi Tahu

Waitohi, Waitohi Flat and Upper Waitohi are small farming centres from 5 to 16 km west of Temuka and north of the Opihi river, South Canterbury in New Zealand. They are about 20 km north of Timaru.

It is the area where Richard Pearse, a pioneer aviator, lived and farmed. From 1902 to 1904, Richard Pearce built and flew experimental aircraft on his Waitohi farm and managed to achieve powered flight.

Demographics

Waitohi locality covers 103.38 km2 (39.92 sq mi).[4] It is part of the Waitohi statistical area.[6]

Historical population for Waitoki locality
YearPop.±% p.a.
2006222—    
2013210−0.79%
2018219+0.84%
2023222+0.27%
Source: [5][7]

Waitohi had a population of 222 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 3 people (1.4%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 12 people (5.7%) since the 2013 census. There were 123 males and 102 females in 81 dwellings.[8] There were 48 people (21.6%) aged under 15 years, 30 (13.5%) aged 15 to 29, 126 (56.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 24 (10.8%) aged 65 or older.[5]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 89.2% European (Pākehā), 5.4% Māori, 1.4% Pasifika, 6.8% Asian, and 5.4% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 95.9%, and other languages by 8.1%. No language could be spoken by 2.7% (e.g. too young to talk). The percentage of people born overseas was 17.6, compared with 28.8% nationally.[5]

Religious affiliations were 35.1% Christian, 1.4% Hindu, and 1.4% Islam. People who answered that they had no religion were 55.4%, and 8.1% of people did not answer the census question.[5]

Of those at least 15 years old, 33 (19.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 96 (55.2%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 33 (19.0%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. 27 people (15.5%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 111 (63.8%) full-time, 30 (17.2%) part-time, and 3 (1.7%) unemployed.[5]

Waitohi statistical area

The Waitohi statistical area includes Winchester and Milford Huts, and surrounds but does not include Temuka. It covers 371.78 km2 (143.55 sq mi)[9] and had an estimated population of 1,820 as of June 2025,[10] with a population density of 4.9 people per km2.

Historical population for the statistical area
YearPop.±% p.a.
20061,602—    
20131,737+1.16%
20181,761+0.27%
20231,758−0.03%
Source: [11][12]

Waitohi statistical area had a population of 1,758 in the 2023 New Zealand census, a decrease of 3 people (−0.2%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 21 people (1.2%) since the 2013 census. There were 930 males and 828 females in 714 dwellings.[13] 2.4% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 41.7 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 312 people (17.7%) aged under 15 years, 273 (15.5%) aged 15 to 29, 873 (49.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 297 (16.9%) aged 65 or older.[11]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 85.0% European (Pākehā); 12.1% Māori; 2.0% Pasifika; 5.8% Asian; 1.5% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 4.8% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.9%, Māori by 1.9%, Samoan by 0.2%, and other languages by 9.0%. No language could be spoken by 1.7% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.7%. The percentage of people born overseas was 17.2, compared with 28.8% nationally.[11]

Religious affiliations were 32.9% Christian, 0.7% Hindu, 0.9% Māori religious beliefs, 0.3% Buddhist, 0.2% New Age, and 0.9% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 56.0%, and 8.4% of people did not answer the census question.[11]

Of those at least 15 years old, 180 (12.4%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 858 (59.3%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 408 (28.2%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $41,300, compared with $41,500 nationally. 111 people (7.7%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 771 (53.3%) full-time, 234 (16.2%) part-time, and 36 (2.5%) unemployed.[11]

References

  1. "2025 Triennial Elections Declaration of Result" (PDF). Electionz. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
  2. "Waitaki - Official Result". www.electionresults.govt.nz. Electoral Commission. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  3. "Te Tai Tonga – Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  4. "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 1 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 22 October 2026.
  5. "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. 7036471, 7036472 and 7036473. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  6. "Geographic Boundary Viewer". Stats NZ. Statistical Area 1 – 2023 and Statistical Area 2 – 2023.
  7. "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7027256.
  8. "Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  9. "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 1 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 22 October 2026.
  10. "Subnational population estimates - Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  11. "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Waitohi (Timaru District) (339100). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  12. "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Waitohi (Timaru District) (339100). 2018 Census place summary: Waitohi (Timaru District)
  13. "Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Retrieved 3 October 2024.