Riwaka

Riwaka
The Riwaka Hotel
Coordinates: 41°5′S 173°0′E
Country	New Zealand
Territorial authority	Tasman
Ward	Motueka Ward
Area
• Total	5.49 km2 (2.12 sq mi)
Population  (2018)
• Total	765
• Density	140/km2 (360/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+12 (NZST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+13 (NZDT)
Area code	03

Riwaka Memorial Hall

Riwaka is a small settlement in the Tasman District of New Zealand's South Island. It lies beside Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere, five kilometres north of Motueka, and close to the mouth of the Riuwaka River.

Riwaka means the hull of the waka.

Demographics

Riwaka

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	630	—
2013	657	+0.60%
2018	765	+3.09%
Source:

Riwaka, comprising the SA1 statistical areas of 7022557, 7022560, 7022561, 7022562 and 7022566, covers 5.49 km² (2.12 sq mi). It had a population of 765 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 108 people (16.4%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 135 people (21.4%) since the 2006 census. There were 270 households. There were 396 males and 372 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.06 males per female, with 168 people (22.0%) aged under 15 years, 117 (15.3%) aged 15 to 29, 366 (47.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 111 (14.5%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 92.5% European/Pākehā, 14.1% Māori, 1.6% Pacific peoples, 2.0% Asian, and 2.7% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).

Although some people objected to giving their religion, 66.3% had no religion, 21.2% were Christian, 0.4% were Hindu, 0.4% were Buddhist and 3.5% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 96 (16.1%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 114 (19.1%) people had no formal qualifications. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 333 (55.8%) people were employed full-time, 96 (16.1%) were part-time, and 12 (2.0%) were unemployed.

Kaiteriteri-Riwaka statistical area

The larger Kaiteriteri-Riwaka SA2 statistical area includes Mārahau and Kaiteriteri and covers 28.57 km² (11.03 sq mi). It had an estimated population of 1,980 as of June 2022, with a population density of 69 people per km².

Historical populations for Kaiteriteri-Riwaka

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	1,464	—
2013	1,539	+0.72%
2018	1,761	+2.73%
Source:

Kaiteriteri-Riwaka had a population of 1,761 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 222 people (14.4%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 297 people (20.3%) since the 2006 census. There were 591 households. There were 915 males and 846 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.08 males per female. The median age was 44.5 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 297 people (16.9%) aged under 15 years, 273 (15.5%) aged 15 to 29, 888 (50.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 306 (17.4%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 90.5% European/Pākehā, 10.4% Māori, 4.9% Pacific peoples, 1.4% Asian, and 2.7% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).

The proportion of people born overseas was 23.7%, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people objected to giving their religion, 62.5% had no religion, 26.1% were Christian, 0.2% were Hindu, 0.5% were Buddhist and 3.4% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 240 (16.4%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 258 (17.6%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $29,000, compared with $31,800 nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 747 (51.0%) people were employed full-time, 279 (19.1%) were part-time, and 36 (2.5%) were unemployed.

Education

Riwaka School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students, with a roll of 178 as of August 2024. The school, opened in 1848, is one of the oldest schools in New Zealand.