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Waiinu Beach is a settlement on the South Taranaki Bight in South Taranaki, New Zealand. Waverley is 18.5 km to the north-west by road, and Whanganui is 42 km to the south-east.

Road access to Waiinu Beach is by a single road to Waitōtara. The road has been closed four times in 26 years, due to flooding at the bridge over the Waitōtara River. To improve access, work began on an extension to Nukumaru Station Road in July 2021. The work uncovered several pre-colonial Māori storage pits.

The settlement contains a campground.

Demographics

Waiinu Beach is defined by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement. It covers 0.25 km (0.097 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 90 as of June 2024, with a population density of 360 people per km. It is part of the wider Manutahi-Waitotora statistical area.

Waiinu Beach had a population of 81 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 12 people (17.4%) since the 2013 census, and a decrease of 12 people (−12.9%) since the 2006 census. There were 39 households, comprising 42 males and 39 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.08 males per female. The median age was 61.3 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 9 people (11.1%) aged under 15 years, 6 (7.4%) aged 15 to 29, 33 (40.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 33 (40.7%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 81.5% European/Pākehā, 29.6% Māori, and 3.7% Pacific peoples. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 48.1% had no religion, and 40.7% were Christian.

Of those at least 15 years old, 3 (4.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 27 (37.5%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $22,000, compared with $31,800 nationally. 6 people (8.3%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 21 (29.2%) people were employed full-time, and 12 (16.7%) were part-time.

References

1. ^ "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
2. ^ "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
3. Harriss, Gavin (August 2022). Waiinu Beach, Taranaki (Map). NZ Topo Map.
4. "Last stage of $10m South Taranaki road extension set to start". Taranaki Daily News. 29 September 2022.
5. Williams, Finn (28 February 2023). "Centuries-old Māori food storage pits found in South Taranaki as part as Nukumaru Station Rd extension work". Whanganui Chronicle.
6. "Waiinu Beach Campground". South Taranaki District Council. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
7. 2018 Census place summary: Manutahi-Waitotora
8. ^ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7017546.

• South Taranaki District
• Populated places in Taranaki