Settlement in Manawatū-Whanganui Region, New Zealand
Place in Manawatū-Whanganui, New Zealand
Himatangi is a small settlement in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located at the junction of State Highways 1 and 56, 25 kilometres west of Palmerston North, and seven kilometres east of the coastal settlement of Himatangi Beach.
The area has two marae:
About 50 Māori land blocks are located between Himatangi and Foxton to the south.[3]
History
The area was largely undeveloped with rough terrain in 1942, according to a photograph held in the National Library of New Zealand.[4]
Himatangi was once the location of the junction between the New Zealand Railways Department's Foxton Branch railway and the Manawatu County Council's Sanson Tramway. Both lines are now closed; use of the Tramway ceased in 1945, followed by the Branch in 1959.
In 2005, a study found agricultural pesticides were being rapidly leached into the sandy soil at Himatangi.[5]
In 2009, planning approval was granted for the building of a piggery after the landowner agreed to reduce from what he originally proposed.[6]
In 2014, the community was used as a trial community for the Horizons Regional Council's emergency readiness plan. The landowner and New Zealand Pork Board had been considering legal action through the Environment Court.[7]
In 2019 a regional bus service between Levin and Palmerston North was introduced, providing a weekly return service between Himatangi and Foxton.[8]
Demographics
Oroua Downs statistical area, which also includes Himatangi Beach and Tangimoana, covers 124.62 km2 (48.12 sq mi)[9] and had an estimated population of 1,470 as of June 2023,[10] with a population density of 12 people per km2.
Historical population for Oroua Downs| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|
| 2006 | 1,167 | — |
|---|
| 2013 | 1,044 | −1.58% |
|---|
| 2018 | 1,254 | +3.73% |
|---|
| Source: [11] |
Oroua Downs had a population of 1,254 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 210 people (20.1%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 87 people (7.5%) since the 2006 census. There were 540 households, comprising 642 males and 612 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.05 males per female. The median age was 48.0 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 207 people (16.5%) aged under 15 years, 192 (15.3%) aged 15 to 29, 606 (48.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 249 (19.9%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 88.8% European/Pākehā, 16.0% Māori, 1.9% Pacific peoples, 2.9% Asian, and 2.2% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 10.0, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 57.7% had no religion, 26.8% were Christian, 0.7% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.2% were Hindu and 2.9% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 120 (11.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 327 (31.2%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $26,700, compared with $31,800 nationally. 123 people (11.7%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 477 (45.6%) people were employed full-time, 147 (14.0%) were part-time, and 42 (4.0%) were unemployed.[11]
Education
Oroua Downs School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,[12][13] with a roll of 95 as of February 2024.[14]
