Omakere

Omakere
Town
Interactive map of Omakere
Coordinates: 40°03′03″S 176°45′16″E / 40.050849°S 176.754430°E / -40.050849; 176.754430
CountryNew Zealand
RegionHawke's Bay
Territorial authorityCentral Hawke's Bay District
WardAramoana-Ruahine
Electorates
Government
 • Territorial AuthorityCentral Hawke's Bay District Council
 • Regional councilHawke's Bay Regional Council
 • Mayor of Central Hawke's BayWill Foley[3]
 • Wairarapa MPMike Butterick[4]
 • Ikaroa-Rāwhiti MPCushla Tangaere-Manuel[5]
Area
 • Total
448.82 km2 (173.29 sq mi)
Population
 (2023 Census)[2]
 • Total
561
 • Density1.25/km2 (3.24/sq mi)

Omakere (Māori: Ōmakere) is a farming locality in the Central Hawke's Bay District and Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand's North Island.[6] It is located east of Waipawa.[7]

Ōmakere translates as place (Ō) someone was lost or died (makere).[8]

The Omakere Church includes a stained glass memorial wall, depicting Jesus Christ's crucifixion, in memory of three local men who died in war.[9]

The Omakere and neighbouring Elsthorpe rugby union teams were featured in a New Zealand television advertisement for coverage of the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Demographics

Omakere locality covers 448.82 km2 (173.29 sq mi).[1] The locality is part of the Mangarara statistical area.[10]

Historical population for Omakere locality
YearPop.±% p.a.
2006552—    
2013468−2.33%
2018543+3.02%
2023561+0.65%
The 2006 population is for a larger area of 464.71 km2.
Source: [2][11]

Omakere had a population of 561 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 18 people (3.3%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 93 people (19.9%) since the 2013 census. There were 282 males and 273 females in 225 dwellings.[12] 2.1% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. There were 114 people (20.3%) aged under 15 years, 87 (15.5%) aged 15 to 29, 255 (45.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 105 (18.7%) aged 65 or older.[2]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 89.3% European (Pākehā), 18.7% Māori, 1.6% Pasifika, 1.6% Asian, and 7.5% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 99.5%, Māori by 1.6%, and other languages by 2.7%. No language could be spoken by 0.5% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.5%. The percentage of people born overseas was 11.2, compared with 28.8% nationally.[2]

Religious affiliations were 33.7% Christian, 1.6% Māori religious beliefs, and 0.5% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 56.1%, and 8.0% of people did not answer the census question.[2]

Of those at least 15 years old, 105 (23.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 264 (59.1%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 84 (18.8%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. 45 people (10.1%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 252 (56.4%) full-time, 75 (16.8%) part-time, and 6 (1.3%) unemployed.[2]

Mangarara statistical area

Mangarara statistical area, which also includes Ōtāne, covers 838.07 km2 (323.58 sq mi)[13] and had an estimated population of 2,940 as of June 2025,[14] with a population density of 3.5 people per km2.

Historical population for Mangarara
YearPop.±% p.a.
20062,001—    
20132,076+0.53%
20182,400+2.94%
20232,802+3.15%
Source: [15][16]

Mangarara statistical area had a population of 2,802 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 402 people (16.8%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 726 people (35.0%) since the 2013 census. There were 1,371 males, 1,428 females, and 6 people of other genders in 1,065 dwellings.[17] 1.7% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 43.2 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 582 people (20.8%) aged under 15 years, 339 (12.1%) aged 15 to 29, 1,335 (47.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 549 (19.6%) aged 65 or older.[15]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 86.8% European (Pākehā); 21.9% Māori; 2.1% Pasifika; 2.2% Asian; 0.5% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.2% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 98.2%, Māori by 4.5%, Samoan by 0.3%, and other languages by 4.9%. No language could be spoken by 1.7% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.5%. The percentage of people born overseas was 14.8, compared with 28.8% nationally.[15]

Religious affiliations were 33.1% Christian, 0.1% Hindu, 0.1% Islam, 1.4% Māori religious beliefs, 0.5% New Age, and 0.6% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 55.7%, and 8.2% of people did not answer the census question.[15]

Of those at least 15 years old, 441 (19.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 1,284 (57.8%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 495 (22.3%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $42,400, compared with $41,500 nationally. 204 people (9.2%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 1,203 (54.2%) full-time, 318 (14.3%) part-time, and 36 (1.6%) unemployed.[15]

Education

Omakere School is a Year 1-8 co-educational state primary school.[18] It is a decile 8 school with a roll of 77 as of July 2025.[19][20] The school opened in 1912.[21]

References

  1. ^ a b "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 1 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  2. ^ 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. 7016725, 7016727, 7016729 and 7033926. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  3. ^ "2025 Triennial Elections Declaration of Result" (PDF). Electionz. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  4. ^ "Wairarapa - Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
  5. ^ "Ikaroa-Rāwhiti – Official Result". New Zealand Electoral Commission. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  6. ^ Pollock, Kerryn (30 November 2015). "Hawke's Bay places – Southern coast". Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
  7. ^ Hariss, Gavin. "Omakere, Hawke's Bay". topomap.co.nz. NZ Topo Map.
  8. ^ "Omakere". nzhistory.govt.nz. Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
  9. ^ Phillips, Jock (1986). "Omakere church window war memorial". nzhistory.govt.nz. Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
  10. ^ "Geographic Boundary Viewer". Stats NZ. Statistical Area 1 – 2023 and Statistical Area 2 – 2023.
  11. ^ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7016725, 7016727, 7016729 and 7016726.
  12. ^ "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.
  13. ^ "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 2 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  14. ^ "Subnational population estimates - Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  15. ^ a b c d e "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Mangarara (215900). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  16. ^ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Mangarara (215900). 2018 Census place summary: Mangarara
  17. ^ "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.
  18. ^ "Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
  19. ^ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  20. ^ "Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
  21. ^ "The History of Omakere School". Omakere School. Retrieved 2 March 2023.