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Okoroire

Coordinates: 37°57′07″S 175°48′18″E / 37.952°S 175.805°E / -37.952; 175.805
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Okoroire
Map
Coordinates: 37°57′07″S 175°48′18″E / 37.952°S 175.805°E / -37.952; 175.805
CountryNew Zealand
RegionWaikato
DistrictSouth Waikato District
WardTīrau Ward
Electorates
Government
 • Territorial AuthoritySouth Waikato District Council
 • Regional councilWaikato Regional Council
 • Mayor of South WaikatoGary Petley[1]
 • Waikato MPTim van de Molen[2]
 • Te Tai Hauāuru MPDebbie Ngarewa-Packer[3]
Area
[4]
 • Total
77.51 km2 (29.93 sq mi)
Population
 (2023 census)[5]
 • Total
384
 • Density5.0/km2 (13/sq mi)

Okoroire (Māori: Ōkoroire) is a small settlement in the South Waikato District and Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island,[6] centred around the Okoroire Hot Springs.[7] The place name means 'place of the koroire / toroire, an extinct species of ring-necked duck.[8]

The hot springs consist of three naturally heated geothermal pools dug in 1880, which were extensively redeveloped in 2017 and 2018.[9] The pools are surrounded by bush and ferns.[10] During the late 19th century the pools were used by the sick for treatment and by Māori women to cleanse after giving birth.[11]

Local attractions include whitewater rafting, bird-watching and fishing. Local walks include the Three Kauri Track, the Wairere Falls walk and Te Waihou walkway.[7]

Okoroire Hotel, a historic country pub built in 1889 from ancient-timber, is located nearby near the banks of the Waihou River.[11] It has been owned by the same family for three generations.[7] The hotel was sold to a Chinese business in 2014.[12] It made staff cutbacks in 2018, and the next year was forced to sell by the Overseas Investment Office after promised redevelopment had not occurred . [13][14]

In 2016, members of the Chiefs rugby team were accused of exposing themselves to a stripper during an end-of-season event at the hot springs.[15]

Demographics

[edit]

Okoroire locality covers 77.51 km2 (29.93 sq mi)[4] It is part of the larger Tīrau statistical area.[16]

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
2006375—    
2013288−3.70%
2018372+5.25%
2023384+0.64%
Source: [5][17]

Okoroire had a population of 384 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 12 people (3.2%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 96 people (33.3%) since the 2013 census. There were 192 males and 189 females in 141 dwellings.[18] 3.9% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. There were 87 people (22.7%) aged under 15 years, 57 (14.8%) aged 15 to 29, 183 (47.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 63 (16.4%) aged 65 or older.[5]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 92.2% European (Pākehā); 16.4% Māori; 0.8% Asian; and 0.8% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA). English was spoken by 97.7%, Māori by 3.1%, and other languages by 4.7%. No language could be spoken by 1.6% (e.g. too young to talk). The percentage of people born overseas was 13.3, compared with 28.8% nationally.[5]

Religious affiliations were 25.0% Christian, 0.8% Buddhist, 0.8% New Age, and 0.8% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 64.8%, and 8.6% of people did not answer the census question.[5]

Of those at least 15 years old, 45 (15.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 186 (62.6%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 75 (25.3%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. 42 people (14.1%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 186 (62.6%) full-time, 45 (15.2%) part-time, and 3 (1.0%) unemployed.[5]

Education

[edit]

Kuranui Primary School is a co-educational state primary school,[19][20] with a roll of 50 as of March 2025.[21][22] It opened in 1914 as Waiomou School, and changed its name to Okoroire School in 1922. A merger with Tapapa School in 2003 saw the combined school called Kuranui.[23]

Railway station

[edit]

Okoroire was a flag station[24] near Rangipai School,[25] about 3 mi (4.8 km) west of the hotel,[26] on the Kinleith Branch, from 8 March 1886. It was 94 m (308 ft) above sea level.[27] In 1890 it had no shelter shed, or siding, but by 1896 the station had a shelter shed, platform, cart approach and urinals. By 1911 it also had a 30 ft (9.1 m) by 20 ft (6.1 m) goods shed, sheep yards and a passing loop for 19 wagons. A caretaker was appointed in 1913 and a longer platform and an addition to the shelter shed were made in 1917.[28] The station closed to passengers on 31 July 1962,[29] to all traffic except stock from 18 August 1968 and to stock on Monday 1 June 1970.[28] Only a single track and a plantation remains.[30]

  Former adjoining stations  
Hinuera
Line open, station closed
7.32 km (4.55 mi) 		  Kinleith Branch   Tirau
Line open, station closed
3.7 km (2.3 mi)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Contact Mayor and Councillors". South Waikato District Council. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  2. ^ "Waikato - Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  3. ^ "Te Tai Hauāuru - Official Result". Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  4. ^ a b ."Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 1 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. 7013054 and 7013056. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  6. ^ Hariss, Gavin. "Okoroire, Waikato". topomap.co.nz. NZ Topo Map.
  7. ^ a b c "Okoroire". southwaikato.govt.nz. South Waikato District Council.
  8. ^ "1000 Māori place names". New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 6 August 2019.
  9. ^ Kirkeby, Luke (29 August 2018). "Redevelopment proves right for historic Waikato springs". Stuff. Waikato Times.
  10. ^ "Three of the best... natural hot pools". New Zealand Media and Entertainment. The New Zealand Herald. 5 August 2012.
  11. ^ a b Kirkeby, Luke (13 December 2017). "Historic South Waikato hot springs given spruce up". Stuff. Waikato Times.
  12. ^ Tarrant, Petrice (13 August 2014). "Okoroire hotel sells to Chinese company". Stuff. Waikato Times.
  13. ^ Kirkeby, Luke. "South Waikato rife with job redundancies". Stuff. Waikato Times.
  14. ^ Williams, David. "Overseas Investment Offices forces foreign owners to sell New Zealand hotel". Stuff. Newsroom.co.nz.
  15. ^ Malone, Audrey (5 August 2016). "Chiefs allegedly exposed themselves to stripper". Stuff. Waikato Times.
  16. ^ "Geographic Boundary Viewer". Stats NZ. Statistical Area 1 – 2023 and Statistical Area 2 – 2023.
  17. ^ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7013054 and 7013056.
  18. ^ "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.
  19. ^ "Kuranui Primary School Official School Website". kuranuischoolnz.org. Archived from the original on 29 August 2006. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  20. ^ "Kuranui Primary School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
  21. ^ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
  22. ^ "Kuranui Primary School Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
  23. ^ "History". Kuranui School. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  24. ^ "Page 6 Advertisements Column 2". New Zealand Herald. 21 August 1886. p. 6. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  25. ^ "Sheet N66 Matamata". www.mapspast.org.nz. 1978. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  26. ^ "Okoroire". nzetc.victoria.ac.nz. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  27. ^ New Zealand Railway and Tramway Atlas (First ed.). Quail Map Co. 1965. pp. 3 & 4.
  28. ^ a b "Stations" (PDF). NZR Rolling Stock Lists. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  29. ^ Scoble, Juliet (2010). "Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations" (PDF). Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand.
  30. ^ "State Hwy 29". Google Maps. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
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