Orua Bay
{{Use New Zealand English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name = Orua Bay
|image_skyline = Orua Bay East end.jpg
|image_caption = East end of Orua Bay
|area_total_km2 = 0.85
|population_footnotes = {{NZ population data 2018||||y}}
|population_as_of = {{NZ population data 2018|||y}}
|population_total = {{NZ population data 2018|Orua Bay|y}}
|population_density_km2 = auto
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = New Zealand
|subdivision_type1= Region
|subdivision_name1= Auckland Region
|subdivision_type2= Ward
|subdivision_name2= Franklin ward
|subdivision_type3= Community board
|subdivision_name3= Franklin Local Board
|leader_title = Territorial Authority
|leader_name = Auckland Council
|leader_title2 = Mayor of Auckland
|leader_name2 = {{NZ officeholder data|Auckland Mayor|y}}
|leader_title3 = Port Waikato MP
|leader_name3 = {{NZ officeholder data|Port Waikato MP|y}}
|leader_title4 = Hauraki-Waikato MP
|leader_name4 = {{NZ officeholder data|Hauraki-Waikato MP|y}}
|seat_type = Electorates
|seat = {{ubl|Port Waikato|Hauraki-Waikato (Māori)}}
|image_map = {{infobox mapframe|coord={{coord|-37.050|174.610}}|zoom=11}}
|coordinates = {{coord|-37.050|174.610|region:NZ|display=inline,title}}
}}
Orua Bay is a rural settlement on the northern tip of the Āwhitu Peninsula and south coast of the Manukau Harbour in the Auckland Region of New Zealand.{{cite map|url=https://www.topomap.co.nz/NZTopoMap/nz5197/Orua-Bay/Auckland|title=Orua Bay, Auckland|publisher=NZ Topo Map|first=Gavin|last=Harriss|date=October 2024}}
The name could mean 'place of a pit' in the Māori language, but could be a contraction of 'Oruarua', 'place of two minds' or 'in doubt'.{{cite web|url=https://gazetteer.linz.govt.nz/place/34172|title=Ōrua Bay|publisher=Toitū te Whenua Land Information New Zealand|access-date=27 January 2025}} The name became officially 'Ōrua Bay' in 2023.{{cite web|url=https://gazette.govt.nz/notice/id/2023-ln5040|title=Notice of Approved Official Geographic Names in Auckland|publisher=NZ Gazette|date=7 November 2023}}
History
A Wesleyan Mission was opened by Reverend William Woon at Orua Bay in 1836, and the Church Missionary Society kept a station there from 1837 to 1844.{{cite book|title=Discover New Zealand:A Wises Guide|edition=9th|year=1994|page=51}}
The area was called Coulthard's Bay after an early settler until the earlier name of Orua Bay was restored in 1886.
A primary school opened at Orua Bay in 1896{{cite news|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS18960227.2.17.2?query=Orua+Bay|newspaper=Auckland Star|date=27 February 1896|title=Awitu}} and closed in 1949 when rural schools in the area were consolidated to Awhitu District School.{{cite web|url=https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/manukau/id/5481/|title=12 September 1949|publisher=Auckland Libraries|access-date=26 July 2022}}
During the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Weekend floods, a landslide collapsed a bach and resulted in five other dwellings being evacuated. Three people were injured.{{cite news|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/483500/orua-bay-collapse-hillside-part-of-unstable-sand-dune-area-councillor-says|title=Orua Bay collapse: Hillside part of unstable sand dune area, councillor says|publisher=Radio New Zealand|date=2 February 2023}}
Demographics
Statistics New Zealand describes Orua Bay as a rural settlement, which covers {{Convert|0.85|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=26 January 2025}} and had an estimated population of {{NZ population data 2018|Orua Bay|y}} as of {{NZ population data 2018|||y|y||,}} with a population density of {{Decimals|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Orua Bay|y}}|R}}/4.28|0}} people per km2. Orua Bay is part of the larger Āwhitu statistical area.{{NZ census place summary 2018|awhitu|Āwhitu}}
{{Historical populations|2013|45|2018|36|2023|33|percentages=pagr|align=left|source=}}
Orua Bay had a population of 33 in the 2023 New Zealand census, a decrease of 3 people (−8.3%) since the 2018 census, and a decrease of 12 people (−26.7%) since the 2013 census. There were 15 males and 15 females in 15 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%2Bdo1.1428.2023&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}} The median age was 67.7 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 0 people (0.0%) aged under 15 years, 0 (0.0%) aged 15 to 29, 9 (27.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 21 (63.6%) aged 65 or older.
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 81.8% European (Pākehā), 9.1% Māori, and 18.2% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 100.0%. The percentage of people born overseas was 18.2, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 27.3% Christian, and 9.1% Buddhist. People who answered that they had no religion were 54.5%, and 9.1% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 12 (36.4%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 12 (36.4%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 12 (36.4%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $27,700, compared with $41,500 nationally. 3 people (9.1%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 6 (18.2%) people were employed full-time and 3 (9.1%) were part-time.{{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%2Bibmed%2BwsTotal.1428.2013%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=Orua Bay (1428)}}
Notes
{{Reflist}}
{{Franklin Local Board Area Waiuku Subdivision}}
Category:Franklin Local Board Area