Waikuku

Waikuku
Rural settlement
Waikuku Methodist Church
Waikuku Methodist Church
Map
Coordinates: 43°17′31″S 172°41′06″E / 43.292°S 172.685°E / -43.292; 172.685
CountryNew Zealand
RegionCanterbury
Territorial authorityWaimakariri District
WardKaiapoi-Woodend Ward
CommunityWoodend-Sefton Community
Electorates
Government
 • Territorial AuthorityWaimakariri District Council
 • Regional councilEnvironment Canterbury
 • Mayor of WaimakaririDan Gordon
 • Waimakariri MPMatthew Doocey
 • Te Tai Tonga MPTākuta Ferris
Area
 • Total1.60 km2 (0.62 sq mi)
Population
 (June 2024)[2]
 • Total180
 • Density110/km2 (290/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+12 (NZST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+13 (NZDT)
Postcode
7473
Area code03

Waikuku is a small town in the Canterbury region of New Zealand, which sits 28 km north of central Christchurch. Waikuku lies 11.8 km (7.3 mi) south of Leithfield on state highway 1 and 3 km (1.9 mi) north of Woodend. In 1901 there were 86 people resident in Waikuku according to that year's census.[3] Waikuku settlement had a population of 156 people at the time of the 2018 Census.[4] It is popular with both those that commute into work in Christchurch each day and with owners of holiday houses.[5][6] Waikuku was home to rope and twine works. This business started off using flax from local swamps. It closed in 1987.[3][5] The nearby sandy beach and pine forests are popular with surfers, swimmers, campers and horse-riders, and the large estuary of the Ashley River hosts many species of birds.[7]

Just south of Waikuku, on Preeces Road, are the remains of the Kaiapoi Pa, an important trading centre for Ngāi Tahu in the 18th century.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Area was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Waikuku | NZETC". nzetc.victoria.ac.nz. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Census 2018 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Taonga, New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu. "Kaiapoi district". teara.govt.nz. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  6. ^ Barclay, Chris (9 November 2020). "Buyers snap up quintessential Canterbury baches". Otago Daily Times Online News. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  7. ^ "Ashley-Rakahuri". Ashley-Rakahuri Rivercare Group. Archived from the original on 3 July 2013. Retrieved 12 April 2013.