The district is administered by the Waimate District Council and regionally by the Canterbury Regional Council. John Coles, who was first elected as a councillor in 1994, was mayor from 2004 to his retirement at the 2013 local elections.[2]
The district is the only part of New Zealand where Bennett's wallabies are prolific, after their introduction from Australia in the 19th century. The animals are a mixed blessing locally, attracting tourists but being a farm pest, and culling measures have been taken in their slowly expanding territory.[3]
Demographics
Waimate District covers 3,554.45 km2 (1,372.38 sq mi)[4] and had an estimated population of 8,400 as of June 2023,[1] with a population density of 2.4 people per km2.
Waimate District had a population of 7,815 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 279 people (3.7%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 606 people (8.4%) since the 2006 census. There were 3,291 households. There were 3,963 males and 3,852 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.03 males per female. The median age was 46.4 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 1,359 people (17.4%) aged under 15 years, 1,152 (14.7%) aged 15 to 29, 3,540 (45.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,770 (22.6%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 90.8% European/Pākehā, 7.3% Māori, 1.0% Pacific peoples, 5.0% Asian, and 1.9% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 14.9, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people objected to giving their religion, 49.6% had no religion, 38.2% were Christian, 0.8% were Hindu, 0.1% were Muslim, 0.6% were Buddhist and 1.7% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 729 (11.3%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 1,749 (27.1%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $26,900, compared with $31,800 nationally. 726 people (11.2%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 3,081 (47.7%) people were employed full-time, 966 (15.0%) were part-time, and 177 (2.7%) were unemployed.[5]
Individual wards
Name
Area (km2)
Population
Density (per km2)
Households
Median age
Median income
Hakataramea-Waihaorunga Ward
2,172.40
930
0.43
351
37.6 years
$36,600
Pareora-Otaio-Makikihi Ward
1,002.84
1,881
1.88
684
41.3 years
$35,200
Lower Waihao Ward
281.57
963
3.42
405
37.9 years
$35,800
Waimate Ward
97.63
4,038
41.36
1,848
53.6 years
$23,200
New Zealand
37.4 years
$31,800
Urban areas and settlements
Waimate, the district seat, is the only town in the district with a population over 1,000. It is home to 3,590 people, 42.7% of the district's population.[1]
Other settlements and localities in the district include the following:
Notes:bold - main town; bold & italics - minor town; normal text - locality; italics - minor locality; DC - former populated place of defunct Deep Creek Ward; WH - former populated place of defunct Waihao Ward
