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Onekaka (Māori: Onekakā) is a rural district on the coast of Golden Bay, New Zealand.[6]

The name Onekaka derives from the Māori language Onekakā, meaning red-hot or burning sand.[7]

State Highway 60 runs through the district. Dairy farming is a major activity, occupying a large proportion of the land area. A significant number of artists and craftspeople live in the area. The Onekaka Hall Recreation Reserve is on the state highway opposite the Onekaka Iron Works Road and contains a community hall, stage and tennis court.[8] The Mussel Inn, a popular Golden Bay pub and live music venue, is a short distance north from the main settlement along the highway.[9][10]

A large ironworks was in operation in Onekaka by 1924, with a tramline that connected it to a wharf. It produced pig iron and pipes from limonite, which was mined there, and the operation employed up to 150 men. A small hydroelectric plant was built in 1929 to provide electricity for the pipe manufacturing. The works could not compete with iron produced overseas and closed in 1935. From 1937 to 1944, the hydroelectric plant produced power for Golden Bay. The plant was restarted by hydro enthusiasts in 2003 and produces 3.5 gigawatt-hours (13 TJ) annually for the national grid.[11]

Onekaka School opened in a building moved from Rockville in 1924. Puramahoi School (extant 1905)[12] merged with it in 1944.[13] It closed in 1947. The building became a community hall.[14]

A remnant of Onekaka Wharf and tramline remains on Washbourn Road and is a listed historic place.[15] The wharf was a recurring theme in the art of prominent New Zealand painter Doris Lusk and one of these paintings has inspired Charles Brasch to write a poem.[16] The wharf also features in a 1965 painting of Onekaka by Leo Bensemann.[17]

Demographics

Onekaka locality covers 12.61 km2 (4.87 sq mi)[2] and includes the area between Ōtere River mouth and Pariwhakaoho River mouth. It is part of the larger Golden Bay / Mohua statistical area.[18]

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
2006132—    
2013150+1.84%
2018144−0.81%
2023186+5.25%
Source: [1][19]

Onekaka had a population of 186 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 42 people (29.2%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 36 people (24.0%) since the 2013 census. There were 81 males, 99 females, and 3 people of other genders in 75 dwellings.[20] 11.3% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 49.6 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 21 people (11.3%) aged under 15 years, 18 (9.7%) aged 15 to 29, 105 (56.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 42 (22.6%) aged 65 or older.[1]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 95.2% European (Pākehā), 3.2% Māori, and 8.1% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as “New Zealander”. English was spoken by 98.4%, Māori by 3.2%, and other languages by 21.0%. No language could be spoken by 1.6% (e.g. too young to talk). The percentage of people born overseas was 32.3, compared with 28.8% nationally.[1]

Religious affiliations were 6.5% Christian, 1.6% Buddhist, and 1.6% New Age. People who answered that they had no religion were 75.8%, and 12.9% of people did not answer the census question.[1]

Of those at least 15 years old, 57 (34.5%) people had a bachelor’s or higher degree, 84 (50.9%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 24 (14.5%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $25,200, compared with $41,500 nationally. 12 people (7.3%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 57 (34.5%) full-time, 48 (29.1%) part-time, and 3 (1.8%) unemployed.[1]

Notable people

References

  1. ^ 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. 7022520. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  2. ^ a b “Stats NZ Geographic Data Service”. Statistical Area 1 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  3. ^ “Election results”. Tasman District Council. 17 October 2025.
  4. ^ “West Coast-Tasman – Official Result”. Electoral Commission. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  5. ^ “Te Tai Tonga – Official Result”. Electoral Commission. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  6. ^ “Onekaka”. Tasman District Council. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  7. ^ Mullan, Brett; Tait, Andrew; Thompson, Craig (12 June 2006). “Climate – Regional climates”. Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Archived from the original on 14 January 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  8. ^ “Onekaka Hall Recreation Reserve”. Places New Zealand. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  9. ^ Hindmarsh, Nina (27 November 2020). “The Mussel Inn achieves ‘climate positive’ status by offsetting emissions”. Stuff. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  10. ^ Ridout, Amy (3 December 2021). “Golden Bay businesses’ ‘nervous anticipation’ as orange summer starts”. Stuff. Archived from the original on 13 January 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  11. ^ “Onekakā Ironworks”. Engineering New Zealand. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  12. ^ “Takaka”. New Zealand Mail. 31 May 1905 – via Papers Past.
  13. ^ “School Committees”. Nelson Evening Mail. 3 May 1944 – via Papers Past.
  14. ^ Hindmarsh, Gerald (7 April 2023). “Out West: Reflecting on an Onekaka life”. Nelson Mail.
  15. ^ “Onekaka Wharf and remnant of tramline”. Heritage New Zealand. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  16. ^ “Wharf at Onekaka by Charles Brasch”. Christchurch Art Gallery. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  17. ^ Vangioni, Peter (4 August 2011). “Burning sands of Onekaka”. Christchurch Art Gallery. Archived from the original on 14 January 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  18. ^ “Geographic Boundary Viewer”. Stats NZ. Statistical Area 1 – 2023 and Statistical Area 2 – 2023.
  19. ^ “Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census”. Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7022520.
  20. ^ “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.
  21. ^ “Obituary: Rear-Admiral R.E. Washbourn”. The Press. 10 August 1988. p. 45. Archived from the original on 23 March 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024 – via PapersPast.