Papakōwhai

{{Short description|Suburb of Porirua}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=May 2021}}

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{{Infobox New Zealand suburbs

| name = Papakōwhai

| image = Papakowhai suburb of Porirua, North Island, New Zealand.JPG

| caption1 = A view from the north-east: Porirua Harbour to the right, Porirua city centre and Rangituhi/Colonial Knob ridge in the background

| map = {{Infobox mapframe|coord={{coord|-41.113|174.868}}|zoom=11}}

| caption2 =

| location_map =

| city1 = Porirua City

| council = Porirua City Council

| ward = {{ubl|Pāuatahanui General Ward|Porirua Māori Ward}}

| established =

| area = 143

| population = {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Papakowhai|y}}

| popdate = {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|||y}}

| popsource = {{NZ population data 2023 SA2||||y}}

| postcode = 5024

| railwaystations =

| ferryterminals =

| airports =

| hospitals =

}}

{{Adjacent place

| centre = Papakōwhai

| north =

| northeast = ParemataPorirua City Council, Porirua City Boundary and Suburban Areas Map

| east = Ascot Park

| southeast =

| south = Aotea

| southwest =

| west =

| northwest = (Porirua Harbour)

}}

Image:Kowhai in full bloom at Papakowhai School.jpg tree in bloom at Papakowhai School]]

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Papakōwhai is a suburb of Porirua City. It lies approximately {{convert|22|km}} north of Wellington in New Zealand.

The name "Papakōwhai" ({{IPA|mi|papaˈkɔfai}}) in the Māori language means "yellow earth". As well as being the name of the suburb it is the name of the main road connecting the suburb to the south. Most of the other streets in Papakōwhai take their names from Scottish rivers.{{cite web | last = Porirua City Council | authorlink = | title = Porirua City Boundary and Suburban Areas Map | publisher = Porirua City Council | date = | url = http://www.pcc.govt.nz/About-Porirua/Our-City/City-Maps/Suburbs | doi = | accessdate = 2013-05-14 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130529002106/http://www.pcc.govt.nz/About-Porirua/Our-City/City-Maps/Suburbs | archive-date = 29 May 2013 | url-status = dead }}{{cite web | last = Statistics New Zealand | authorlink = | title = QuickStats About Papakowhai | publisher = Statistics New Zealand | date = 2006 | url = http://www.stats.govt.nz/Census/2006CensusHomePage/QuickStats/AboutAPlace/SnapShot.aspx?type=au&ParentID=1000009&ss=y&tab=PopulationDwellings&id=3571500 | doi = | accessdate = 2013-05-14 }}{{cite web | last = Porirua City Council | authorlink = | title = Porirua City Boundary, Suburban Areas and Wards Map | publisher = Porirua City Council | date = | url = http://www.pcc.govt.nz/About-Porirua/Our-City/City-Maps/Wards }}

The first European known to have settled in the area was William Bowler in the early 19th century.

{{As of | 2016}} Papakōwhai includes the Royal New Zealand Police College and Aotea Lagoon public park.