Ōtorohanga

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Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use New Zealand English Template:Infobox settlement

Ōtorohanga is a north King Country town in the Waikato region in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located Template:Convert south of Hamilton and Template:Convert north of Te Kūiti, on the Waipā River. It is a service town for the surrounding dairy-farming district. It is recognised as the "gateway" to the Waitomo Caves and as the "Kiwiana Town" of New Zealand. Until 2007, Ōtorohanga held a yearly 'Kiwiana Festival.'<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

History

War memorials in Ōtorohanga

Early history

Until the 1860s Ōtorohanga was a Ngāti Maniapoto village, with several whare (houses), peach trees and a flour mill.<ref name=":1" /> Huipūtea is a 300-year-old kahikatea tree, just to the south east of Ōtorohanga,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> which was the site of a skirmish in 1822 between Ngāti Maniapoto and Ngāpuhi.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The village was abandoned after the invasion of the Waikato, except for Lewis Hettit's (or Hetet)<ref name=":1">Template:Cite news</ref> farm.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The area remained insecure, with Hettit's store being robbed by Te Kooti<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> in 1869,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> but a meeting with Donald McLean later that year signalled moves towards peace.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

John William Ellis became postmaster and opened a store in 1885<ref name=":6">Template:Cite web</ref> with Henry Valder<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and John Taonui Hetet.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 1886 Ngāti Maniopoto built a court room for the Native Land Court<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and from that year mail was delivered 3 times a month<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and disputes which had delayed development<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> were settled.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On 9 March 1887 the railway was extended Template:Convert from Te Awamutu<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and a 14-room<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> hotel was built, primarily for those attending the Court.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The sawmill, later run by Ellis and Burnand, started in 1890<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and closed in 1912.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Modern history

In the early 1900s many businesses were established by Māori, in particular John Ormsby (Hōne Ōmipi).<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> The Otorohanga Times was formed in 1912; it merged with the King Country Chronicle to form the Waitomo News in 1980.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> McDonald’s began a limestone quarry south of Otorohanga in 1968,<ref name=":62">Template:Cite web</ref> which was bought by Graymont in 2015.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Otorohanga’s population grew from 367 in 1916 to 1,569 in 1951, after which growth slowed. Although population dropped from 2,652 in 1991 and to 2,514 in 2013, the fall was much less than in the rest of King Country.<ref name=":0" />

Harrodsville

In 1986, the town briefly changed its name to "Harrodsville". This was a protest in support of a restaurateur, Henry Harrod of Palmerston North, who was being forced to change the name of his restaurant following the threat of lawsuits from Mohamed Al-Fayed, the then owner of Harrods department store in London.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

As a show of solidarity for Henry Harrod, and in anticipation of actions against other similar-sounding businesses, it was proposed that every business in Otorohanga change its name to "Harrods". With the support of the District Council, Otorohanga temporarily changed the town's name to Harrodsville.

After being lampooned in the British tabloids, Al Fayed dropped the legal action and Harrodsville and its shops reverted to their former names. The town's response raised widespread media interest around the world, with the BBC World Service and newspapers in Greece, Saudi Arabia, Australia and Canada covering the story.

Floods

1934 and 2014 Ōtorohanga maps, showing the diversions of the Waipā. In 2004 the river flooded its old course.

Ōtorohanga is built on the Waipā's flood plain,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> but is largely protected by stop banks built between 1961 and 1966,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> following a major flood in 1958.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, in 2004 Ōtorohanga Primary was flooded by about Template:Convert of water<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and children were temporarily transferred to the then recently closed Tihiroa Primary School,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> about Template:Convert north of Ōtorohanga on SH31.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1907 the whole town was flooded.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Houses were also flooded in 1893<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and 1926.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Local government

Ōtorohanga is part of the Ōtorohanga District, which stretches from Kawhia Harbour on the west coast inland to the Pureora Forest Park. The town is the largest in the District and the seat of the District Council.

Demographics

Stats NZ describes Ōtorohanga as a small urban area, which covers Template:Convert.<ref name="Area">Template:Cite web</ref> It had an estimated population of Template:NZ population data 2018 as of Template:NZ population data 2018 with a population density of Template:Decimals people per km2.

Template:Historical populations Ōtorohanga had a population of 3,180 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 153 people (5.1%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 555 people (21.1%) since the 2013 census. There were 1,560 males, 1,617 females, and 6 people of other genders in 1,179 dwellings.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 2.2% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 36.8 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 681 people (21.4%) aged under 15 years, 636 (20.0%) aged 15 to 29, 1,233 (38.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 630 (19.8%) aged 65 or older.<ref name="Census 2023"/>

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 64.4% European (Pākehā); 45.5% Māori; 3.9% Pasifika; 5.9% Asian; 0.6% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 1.6% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.2%, Māori by 12.0%, Samoan by 0.1%, and other languages by 5.7%. No language could be spoken by 2.7% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 11.2, compared with 28.8% nationally.<ref name="Census 2023"/>

Religious affiliations were 26.8% Christian, 1.4% Hindu, 0.1% Islam, 3.9% Māori religious beliefs, 0.5% Buddhist, 0.3% New Age, and 1.5% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 58.2%, and 7.5% of people did not answer the census question.<ref name="Census 2023"/>

Of those at least 15 years old, 258 (10.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 1,440 (57.6%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 804 (32.2%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $34,900, compared with $41,500 nationally. 129 people (5.2%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 1,200 (48.0%) full-time, 336 (13.4%) part-time, and 102 (4.1%) unemployed.<ref name="Census 2023">Template:Cite web</ref>

Marae

Ōtorohanga district library

Six marae are located in and around Ōtorohanga:

Attractions

Front of Otorohanga Kiwi House
Front of Otorohanga Kiwi House

Ōtorohanga is internationally renowned for its Kiwi House,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> which was the first place in the world where the general public could view kiwi in captivity,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and recorded an average of 5,000 visitors per month Template:As of.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The town has a public library, a swimming complex, a supermarket and a 24-hour McDonald's restaurant.

Transport

Ōtorohanga is on the North Island Main Trunk railway line. Otorohanga railway station opened in 1887. The Northern Explorer passenger train stops in Ōtorohanga on its service between Auckland and Wellington.

Education

Ōtorohanga School is a Year 1–8 state primary school.<ref name="moe">Template:Cite web</ref> It is a decile 2 school with a roll of Template:NZ school roll data.<ref name="ero">Template:Cite web</ref> The first school in Ōtorohanga opened in 1893.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Ōtorohanga South School is a Year 1–8 state primary school.<ref name="moe2">Template:Cite web</ref> It is a decile 4 school with a roll of Template:NZ school roll data.<ref name="ero2">Template:Cite web</ref>

St Mary's Catholic School is a Year 1–8 state integrated Catholic primary school.<ref name="moe3">Template:Cite web</ref> It is a decile 5 school with a roll of Template:NZ school roll data.<ref name="ero3">Template:Cite web</ref> It opened in 1955 and moved to its current site in 1985.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Ōtorohanga College is a Year 9–13 state secondary school and community education centre.<ref name="official4">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="moe4">Template:Cite web</ref> It is a decile 4 school with a roll of Template:NZ school roll data.<ref name="ero4">Template:Cite web</ref>

All these schools are co-educational. Rolls are as of Template:NZ school roll data

References

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Template:Ōtorohanga District Template:Northern Explorer train stops Template:The Overlander train stops Template:Authority control

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