Waerenga


Waerenga is the name of a hamlet, east of Te Kauwhata, which is part of a statistical area unit in the Waikato District. Waerenga-a-Hika, near Gisborne has a similar name.
The area is in the Hukanui Waerenga and Whangamarino wards of Waikato District Council.

Settlements in the area

The area unit stretches between the Waikato River and the summits of the Hapuakohe Range, at the boundary of Hauraki District. The area excludes Te Kauwhata, the largest settlement within it, but includes Hampton Downs, Ohinewai, Rangiriri, Spring Hill Prison, Taniwha, Lake Waikare, Whangamarino and Whangamarino River.
Centres not covered in other articles are -

Taniwha

Taniwha is about south east of Waerenga. It is in meshblock 0937700, which had 60 people in 18 households in 2013, with a median personal income of $28,800. About 1900 the Taniwha estate was divided into smaller farms, with a creamery opened in 1902 and Taniwha School in 1905. The school closed in 1962, but the listed building remains.

Waerenga

The hamlet has a garage, a few kilometres to the south on Taniwha Rd is a school and, further along, a 1928 war memorial church and 1962 hall. Meshblocks 0937800, 0936900, 0937200 and 0937300 meet at the hamlet, with total 2013 populations of 171 in 60 dwellings.
Waerenga School started in 1881, was moved to a schoolhouse in 1882, moved in 1928 and used as the school library from 1980. The years 1-6 school had 92 pupils in 2018 and 97 in 2015.
The original access was a bridle track from Rangiriri and a track to Lake Waikare, which was crossed by boat. The road from Te Kauwhata opened in 1880.
The Waerenga Stream is too polluted for swimming, having high levels of E coli and nitrogen, less than from its source.

Other localities

Other places in the area have had schools, or halls, but are even smaller. They include -
Matahuru is about south of Taniwha. Its school, built in 1901, has closed. Matahuru and Waiterimu Hall was built in 1919 and refurbished recently.
Okaeria is about north east of Waerenga. Its school, built in 1918, closed in 1968.
Waiterimu is about south west of Matahuru and north east of Huntly. Its school, built in 1903 on Waiu Road, was first known as Matahuru No. 2 School. A new open-air block was built in 1937. It closed in 2014, but became Huntly College Primary Industry Academy in 2016.

Demographics

The area had these census results -
YearPopulationHouseholdsMedian incomeNational median
20011,695579$21,500$18,500
20061,785609$28,400$24,100
20132,538666$25,400$27,900

In 2013 there were 129 unoccupied dwellings. Europeans formed 70.2% of the population, Māori 22.6%, Pacific people 10.3% and Asian 3.7%. 15% were born overseas.
Spring Hill Prison, which opened on 25 September 2007, had 817 prisoners in 2013. Presumably that is reflected by 410 being employed in public administration in 2013, 1,653 of the population being men, but only 882 women and the increased population and lower income from 2006.
The next highest employment category was agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 200 employees.

History and culture

Several pā sites exist and Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Naho and Ngāti Pou are associated with marae in the area. In 1863, at the Battle of Rangiriri, the area was lost and, after the invasion of the Waikato was completed, the land was confiscated. Parts were later returned, but most was sold to settlers, or granted to soldiers of the Third Waikato Regiment. The Great South Road came through the area in 1863 and the railway in 1877.
There are two marae in the area, affiliated with the Waikato Tainui hapū of Ngāti Tai, Ngāti Kuiaarangi, Ngāti Mahuta and Ngāti Whāwhākia: the Ōkarea Marae and Pokaiwhenua meeting house, and the Taniwha Marae and Me Whakatupu ki te Hua o te Rengarenga meeting house.

Education

Waerenga School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 6 students, with a roll of as of.

Notable people