Peka Peka
{{Short description|Rural locality in Wellington Region, New Zealand}}
{{for|the wetland in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand|Pekapeka Wetland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Peka Peka
| settlement_type =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = New Zealand
| subdivision_type1 = Region
| subdivision_name1 = Wellington Region
| subdivision_type2 = Territorial authority
| subdivision_name2 = Kāpiti Coast District
| subdivision_type3 = Ward
| subdivision_name3 = Waikanae Ward
| subdivision_type4 = Community
| subdivision_name4 = Waikanae Community
| seat_type = Electorates
| seat = {{ubl|Ōtaki|Te Tai Hauāuru (Māori)}}
| government_footnotes =
| leader_title = Territorial Authority
| leader_name = Kāpiti Coast District Council
| leader_title1 = Regional council
| leader_name1 = Greater Wellington Regional Council
| leader_title2 = Kāpiti Coast Mayor
| leader_name2 = {{NZ officeholder data|Kapiti Coast District Mayor|y}}
| leader_title3 = Ōtaki MP
| leader_name3 = {{NZ officeholder data|Ōtaki MP|y}}
| leader_title4 = Te Tai Hauāuru MP
| leader_name4 = {{NZ officeholder data|Te Tai Hauāuru MP|y}}
| coordinates = {{coord|-40.8327|175.0581|region:NZ_type:city|display=title,inline}}
| image_map = {{infobox mapframe|coord={{coord|-40.8327|175.0581}}|zoom=11}}
| image_skyline = PekaPekaBeach.jpg
| imagesize =
| image_caption = Peka Peka Beach, looking north
| area_total_km2 = 10.02
| population_footnotes = {{NZ population data 2023 SA2||||y}}
| population_total = {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Peka Peka|y}}
| population_as_of = {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|||y}}
| population_density_km2 = auto
}}
Peka Peka, sometimes spelled Pekapeka, is a seaside locality{{LINZ|35847|20 May 2021}} on the Kāpiti Coast of New Zealand's North Island. It is located just off State Highway 1 and the North Island Main Trunk railway between Waikanae and Te Horo.
Peka Peka was briefly internationally famous when a young emperor penguin, nicknamed Happy Feet,{{cite web|title=New Zealand penguin Happy Feet may have been eaten|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/newzealand/8756767/New-Zealand-penguin-Happy-Feet-may-have-been-eaten.html|publisher=The Telegraph|accessdate=25 January 2013}} appeared on Peka Peka beach on 21 June 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/5172245/Kapitis-rare-visit-from-emperor-penguin|title=Kapiti's rare visit from emperor penguin|work=The Dominion Post Wellington|access-date=15 December 2011}} Emperor penguins are usually only found in the Antarctic.{{cite web|title=Emperor penguin from Antarctic visits New Zealand beach|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13856024|work=BBC News Asia Pacific|access-date=15 December 2011}} It had been 44 years since the species was last spotted in the wild in New Zealand.{{cite web |author1=Associated Press |title=Happy Feet the penguin released into Southern Ocean after New Zealand trip |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/sep/04/happy-feet-penguin-released |website=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian Media Group |access-date=2 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131001015548/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/sep/04/happy-feet-penguin-released |archive-date=1 October 2013 |date=4 September 2011 |url-status=live}}
Peka Peka Beach is a clothing-optional beach by custom.{{cite web|url=https://www.freebeaches.org.nz/wellington.htm|title=Wellington Region|publisher=Free Beaches NZ Inc.|access-date=28 November 2019}} New Zealand has no official nude beaches, as public nudity is legal on any beach where it is "known to occur".{{cite court|litigants=Ceramalus v Police|reporter=AP No 76/91|court=High Court of New Zealand|date=5 July 1991}}
Demographics
Peka Peka statistical area covers {{Convert|10.02|km2||abbr=on}}.{{Cite web|title=ArcGIS Web Application|url=https://statsnz.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=6f49867abe464f86ac7526552fe19787|access-date=20 May 2021|website=statsnz.maps.arcgis.com}} It had an estimated population of {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Peka Peka|y}} as of {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|||y|||,}} with a population density of {{Decimals|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Peka Peka|y}}|R}}/10.02|2}} people per km2.
{{Historical populations|2006|357|2013|504|2018|612|percentages=pagr|align=left|source=}}
Peka Peka had a population of 612 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 108 people (21.4%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 255 people (71.4%) since the 2006 census. There were 246 households, comprising 303 males and 309 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.98 males per female. The median age was 52.1 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 99 people (16.2%) aged under 15 years, 66 (10.8%) aged 15 to 29, 300 (49.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 144 (23.5%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 93.1% European/Pākehā, 6.4% Māori, 2.0% Pasifika, 3.4% Asian, and 3.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 24.0, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 58.8% had no religion, 31.4% were Christian, 0.5% were Hindu, 1.0% were Muslim, 1.0% were Buddhist and 2.0% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 168 (32.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 54 (10.5%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $42,500, compared with $31,800 nationally. 159 people (31.0%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 219 (42.7%) people were employed full-time, 99 (19.3%) were part-time, and 15 (2.9%) were unemployed.{{NZ census 2018|Peka Peka (236900)|peka-peka|Peka Peka}}
The demographics for Peka Peka are also incorporated in Waikanae#Demographics.