Waikiwi
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=February 2022}}
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{{Infobox New Zealand suburbs
| name = Waikiwi
| image = Invercargill Church.jpg
| caption1 = St Stephen's Presbyterian Church
| city1 = Invercargill City
| city2 =
| ward =
| coordinates = {{coord|-46.376|168.350|display=inline,title|region:NZ_type:city}}
| map = {{infobox mapframe|coord={{coord|-46.376|168.350}}|zoom=11}}
| established =
| area = 530
| population = {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Waikiwi|y}}
| popdate = {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|||y}}
| popsource = {{NZ population data 2023 SA2||||y}}
| trainstations =
| ferryterminals =
| airports =
| hospitals =
}}
{{Adjacent place
| centre = Waikiwi
| north = Lorneville
| northeast = rural
| east = Myross Bush
| southeast = Rosedale
| south = Gladstone
| southwest = Grasmere
| west = West Plains
| northwest = rural
}}
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Waikiwi is a suburb of Invercargill, Southland, New Zealand. Invercargill is the southernmost city of New Zealand.
The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "kiwi waters" for {{lang|mi|Waikiwi}}.{{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}}
Waikiwi lies on the northern edge of Invercargill. It is bounded on the west by the Ohai Industrial Line and on the south by the Waihopai River. There is farmland to the north and east, although the suburb is expanding to the north.
Prestonville, a commercial and industrial area, is located south-west of Waikiwi.
Thomsons Bush, a reserve, is located south-east of the settlement.
St John's Cemetery is located in Waikiwi. It is the resting place of many notable Invercargill residents.
History
In 1984, there was a major flood in Grasmere and neighbouring suburbs. It caused extensive property damage, and some people lost their jobs or became homeless.{{cite news |title=Some people 'never' recovered |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/southland/some-people-never-recovered |agency=Otago Daily Times |publisher=Allied Press |date=26 January 2009}} Flood banks were installed to prevent further floods.{{cite news |last1=Mack |first1=Ben |title=Rising seas threaten Southland, experts say |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/73872628/rising-seas-threaten-southland-experts-say |agency=Southland Times |publisher=stuff.co.nz |date=10 November 2015}}
Demographics
Waikiwi covers {{Convert|5.30|km2||abbr=on}}{{Cite web|title=ArcGIS Web Application|url=https://statsnz.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=6f49867abe464f86ac7526552fe19787| access-date=7 March 2024|website=statsnz.maps.arcgis.com}} and had an estimated population of {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Waikiwi|y}} as of {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|||y|y||,}} with a population density of {{Decimals|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Waikiwi|y}}|R}}/5.30|0}} people per km2.
{{Historical populations|2006|2,058|2013|2,355|2018|2,484|percentages=pagr|align=left|title=Historical population for Donovan Park|source=}}
Before the 2023 census, Waikiwi was mostly part of the Donovan Park statistical area, which covered {{Convert|2.93|km2||abbr=on}}. Donovan Park had a population of 2,484 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 129 people (5.5%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 426 people (20.7%) since the 2006 census. There were 987 households, comprising 1,128 males and 1,356 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.83 males per female. The median age was 51.8 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 375 people (15.1%) aged under 15 years, 330 (13.3%) aged 15 to 29, 906 (36.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 870 (35.0%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 90.6% European/Pākehā, 9.7% Māori, 2.3% Pasifika, 4.2% Asian, and 2.3% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 10.4, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 39.6% had no religion, 51.2% were Christian, 0.1% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.7% were Hindu, 0.7% were Muslim, 0.2% were Buddhist and 0.7% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 312 (14.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 621 (29.4%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $29,200, compared with $31,800 nationally. 360 people (17.1%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 897 (42.5%) people were employed full-time, 270 (12.8%) were part-time, and 36 (1.7%) were unemployed.{{NZ census 2018|Donovan Park (360700)|donovan-park|Donovan Park}}
Education
Southland Adventist Christian School is a state-integrated co-educational full primary school for years 1–8. It has a roll of {{NZ school roll data|4112|y}} students as of {{NZ school roll data|||y|y||.}}.{{TKI|4112|Southland Adventist Christian School}} The school was established in Invercargill Central in 1955 and moved to Waikiwi in 1968. It moved to its current site in Waikiwi in 2021.{{cite web|url=http://sacs.school.nz/About-Us|title=About Us|publisher=Southland Adventist Christian School|access-date=8 February 2022}}
Sacred Heart School is a Catholic state-integrated co=educational contributing primary school for years 1 to 6{{TKI|4013|Sacred Heart School}} with a roll of {{NZ school roll data|4013|y}} students as of {{NZ school roll data|||y|y||.}}. The school opened in 1962.{{cite web|url=https://www.shsinv.school.nz/our-school/home/|title=About Sacred Heart / Te Kura o te Manawa Tapu|publisher=Sacred Heart School|access-date=8 February 2022}}
Ruru Special School, a co-educational school for people with learning support needs, was established in 1967.{{cite web |title=Our School History |url=http://rurued.school.nz/history.php |website=rurued.school.nz |publisher=Ruru Special School}}
Waikiwi School was a state primary school established in 1872.{{cite web|url=http://archives.ilibrary.co.nz/repositories/2/resources/84/collection_organization|title=Waikiwi School|publisher=Invercargill Archives|access-date=8 February 2022}} It was merged to Grasmere School in January 2005.{{cite web|url=https://gazette.govt.nz/notice/id/2004-go3746|title=Merger of Grasmere School (3958), Waikiwi School (4039) and West Plains School (4051)|publisher=New Zealand Gazette|date=10 June 2004|first=Trevor|last=Mallard}}