Arapuni
{{short description|Settlement in Waikato, New Zealand}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name = Arapuni
|settlement_type = Rural settlement
|image_skyline = Arapuni Swing Bridge - 4590638905.jpg
|image_caption = Arapuni Suspension Bridge
|image_map = {{infobox mapframe|coord={{coord|38|04|S|175|39|E}}|zoom=9}}
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = New Zealand
|subdivision_type1 = Region
|subdivision_name1 = Waikato Region
|subdivision_type2 = District
|subdivision_name2 = South Waikato District
|subdivision_type3 = Ward
|subdivision_name3 = Putāruru Ward
|leader_title = Territorial Authority
|leader_name = South Waikato District Council
|leader_title1 = Regional council
|leader_name1 = Waikato Regional Council
|leader_title2 = Mayor of South Waikato
|leader_name2 = {{NZ officeholder data|South Waikato District Mayor|y}}
|leader_title3 = Taupō MP
|leader_name3 = {{NZ officeholder data|Taupō MP|y}}
|leader_title4 = Te Tai Hauāuru MP
|leader_name4 = {{NZ officeholder data|Te Tai Hauāuru MP|y}}
|seat_type = Electorates
|seat = {{ubl|Taupō|Te Tai Hauāuru (Māori)}}
|area_total_km2 = 1.83
|population_footnotes = {{NZ population data 2018||||y}}
|population_as_of = {{NZ population data 2018|||y}}
|population_total = {{NZ population data 2018|Arapuni|y}}
|population_density_km2 = auto
|coordinates = {{coord|38|04|S|175|39|E|region:NZ_type:city|display=it}}
}}
Arapuni is a rural town centre on the Waikato river in the South Waikato District of New Zealand.
The town sits next to the Arapuni Dam, a hydroelectric dam at Lake Arapuni commissioned in 1929. The Arapuni Power Station consists of eight turbines which give a total output of 196 MW, the largest of the power stations on the Waikato river. The Arapuni hydro station is owned and operated by Mercury Energy.{{cite web|url=http://www.mightyriverpower.co.nz/Generation/AboutUs/HydroStations/Arapuni/Technical.aspx |publisher=Mighty River Power |title=Arapuni |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516023906/http://www.mightyriverpower.co.nz/Generation/AboutUs/HydroStations/Arapuni/Technical.aspx |archivedate=2008-05-16 }}
The name Arapuni derives from Ara, meaning path, and puni, meaning blocked or covered, and translates as blocked or covered path. The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "blocked path" for Arapuni.{{Cite web|url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/maori-language-week/1000-maori-place-names|title=1000 Māori place names|publisher=New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage|date=6 August 2019}}
The Arapuni Suspension Bridge below the dam is freely open to public.
Marae
The local Pōhara Marae is a meeting ground of the Ngāti Raukawa hapū of Ngāti Korokī and Ngāti Mahuta, the Ngāti Korokī Kahukura hapū of Ngāti Hourua, and the Waikato Tainui hapū of Ngāti Korokī and Ngāti Raukawa ki Panehākua.{{cite web|title=Te Kāhui Māngai directory|url= http://www.tkm.govt.nz/ |website=tkm.govt.nz|publisher=Te Puni Kōkiri}}
It features the Rangiātea meeting house.{{cite web |title=Māori Maps |url=https://maorimaps.com/map |website=maorimaps.com |publisher=Te Potiki National Trust}}
In October 2020, the Government committed $2,584,751 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade the marae and 5 other Waikato Tainui marae, creating 69 jobs.{{cite web |title=Marae Announcements |url=https://www.growregions.govt.nz/assets/funding-announcements/marae-announcements.xlsx |website=growregions.govt.nz |publisher=Provincial Growth Fund |format=Excel |date=9 October 2020}}
Demographics
Statistics New Zealand describes Arapuni as a rural settlement, which covers {{Convert|1.83|km2||abbr=on}}.{{Cite web|title=Stats NZ Geographic Data Service|url=https://datafinder.stats.govt.nz/data/|at=Urban Rural 2023 (generalised)|access-date=2 May 2025}} It had an estimated population of {{NZ population data 2018|Arapuni|y}} as of {{NZ population data 2018|||y|y||,}} with a population density of {{Decimals|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Arapuni|y}}|R}}/1.83|0}} people per km2. The settlement is part of the larger Putāruru Rural statistical area.{{cite web|url=https://statsnz.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/sidebar/index.html?appid=3a406ce8fbb14367ab5caae21c07ab8b|title=Geographic Boundary Viewer|publisher=Stats NZ|at=Urban Rural – 2023 and Statistical Area 2 – 2023}}
{{Historical populations|2006|234|2013|237|2018|291|2023|324|percentages=pagr|align=left|source={{NZ census 2018|7013058 and 7013059}}}}
File:State houses at Arapuni Hydro Works.jpg
Arapuni had a population of 324 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 33 people (11.3%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 87 people (36.7%) since the 2013 census. There were 150 males and 177 females in 141 dwellings.{{cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_005&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=doTotal%2Bdo1.1196.2023&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_DWD_003|publisher=Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses}} 0.9% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 47.2 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 63 people (19.4%) aged under 15 years, 39 (12.0%) aged 15 to 29, 159 (49.1%) aged 30 to 64, and 63 (19.4%) aged 65 or older.
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 88.9% European (Pākehā); 20.4% Māori; 5.6% Pasifika; 1.9% Asian; 1.9% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 5.6% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.2%, Māori by 4.6%, and other languages by 4.6%. No language could be spoken by 2.8% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.9%. The percentage of people born overseas was 19.4, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 21.3% Christian, 0.9% Hindu, 1.9% Buddhist, 0.9% New Age, 0.9% Jewish, and 1.9% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 58.3%, and 15.7% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 45 (17.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 156 (59.8%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 57 (21.8%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $40,800, compared with $41,500 nationally. 18 people (6.9%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 138 (52.9%) full-time, 27 (10.3%) part-time, and 6 (2.3%) unemployed.{{Cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_008&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=hq011%2Bhq010%2Bhq009%2Bhq008%2Bhq007%2Bhq006%2Bhq005%2Bhq004%2Bhq003%2Bhq002%2Bhq001%2Bhq000%2Bws1%2Bsp99%2Bra80%2Bra08%2Bra07%2Bra06%2Bra05%2Bra01%2Bra04%2Bra03%2Bra02%2Bra00%2Brb1%2Bls66%2Bls03%2Bls02%2Bls05%2Bls04%2Bls01%2Beg6%2Beg5%2Beg4%2Beg3%2Beg2%2Beg1%2BbiTotal%2Bbi0%2Bbi1%2BasTotalLG%2Bas4%2Bas3%2Bas2%2Bas1%2Bws4%2Bws3%2Bws2%2Bge3%2Bge2%2Bge1%2Brc%2BasMed%2BegTotal%2BlsTotal%2BgeTotal%2BrbTotal%2BraTotal%2BhqTotal%2BibTotal%2Bib7%2Bibmed%2BwsTotal.1196.2013%2B2018%2B2023&to[TIME]=false&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_IND_003&ly[cl]=CEN23_YEAR_001|publisher=Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses|at=Arapuni (1196)}}
Climate
{{Weather box|width=auto
|metric first=y
|single line=y
|collapsed = Y
|location = Arapuni (1981–2010)
|Jan high C = 24.7
|Feb high C = 24.6
|Mar high C = 22.6
|Apr high C = 19.5
|May high C = 16.2
|Jun high C = 13.6
|Jul high C = 13.0
|Aug high C = 14.1
|Sep high C = 16.1
|Oct high C = 18.1
|Nov high C = 20.6
|Dec high C = 23.1
| year high C =
|Jan mean C = 18.5
|Feb mean C = 18.7
|Mar mean C = 16.8
|Apr mean C = 14.0
|May mean C = 11.3
|Jun mean C = 9.1
|Jul mean C = 8.2
|Aug mean C = 9.2
|Sep mean C = 11.2
|Oct mean C = 12.9
|Nov mean C = 15.1
|Dec mean C = 17.3
| year mean C =
|Jan low C = 12.4
|Feb low C = 12.8
|Mar low C = 11.0
|Apr low C = 8.5
|May low C = 6.3
|Jun low C = 4.6
|Jul low C = 3.3
|Aug low C = 4.3
|Sep low C = 6.3
|Oct low C = 7.8
|Nov low C = 9.6
|Dec low C = 11.5
| year low C =
|rain colour = green
|Jan rain mm = 98.3
|Feb rain mm = 74.9
|Mar rain mm = 105.9
|Apr rain mm = 85.6
|May rain mm = 98.3
|Jun rain mm = 121.6
|Jul rain mm = 118.8
|Aug rain mm = 163.0
|Sep rain mm = 100.9
|Oct rain mm = 126.6
|Nov rain mm = 106.8
|Dec rain mm = 117.7
|year rain mm =
{{cite web
|url = http://cliflo.niwa.co.nz
|title = CliFlo – National Climate Database : Arapuni Power Stn
|publisher = NIWA
|access-date = 20 May 2024}}
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{South Waikato District}}
Category:South Waikato District