Waotu

The Ngāti Kahupungapunga tribe were the first to settle the area. Ngāti Raukawa followed in the 16th century.

Pirauiti, situated at Waotu, is one of about 13 pā or fortified villages along the Waikato River.{{Cite web|last=Wall|first=Tony|date=2022-01-28|title=Pā Wars: Blasting at quarry blamed for partly destroying ancient village|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/127604465/p-wars-blasting-at-quarry-blamed-for-partly-destroying-ancient-village|access-date=2022-02-02|website=Stuff|language=en}} It is of significance to Ngāti Huri and is believed to date from the 14th or 15th centuries. It has been quarried and extensively damaged by J Swap Contracting.

European settlers arrived in the late 19th century, clearing most of the land for farmland by the end of the century.

A school was established at Waotu in 1886 and relocated to its current site in 1969.

Young men from Waotu made a long journey into Hamilton in 1915 to enlist for service in World War I.{{cite news |last1=Stowers |first1=Richard |title=Richard Stowers tells the story of Waikato's Anzacs |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/last-post-first-light/67950172/ |publisher=Stuff |date=23 April 2015}}

The Duxfield Reserve picnic site was donated by councillor John Duxfield in 1968.

The {{convert|16|hectare|acre|adj=on}} Jim Barnett Reserve, established in 1992, features Totara and Rimu.{{Cite book|last=South Waikato District Council|url=https://www.southwaikato.govt.nz/repository/libraries/id:24rtvarkd17q9s3wxfnn/hierarchy/our-council/strategies-plans-policies-bylaws/plans/reserve-management-plans/documents/2020%20Rural%20Reserves%20management%20Plan|title=South Waikato District Council Rural Reserves Management Plan 2020|year=2021|pages=20–22}} An ancient bush survived at this site during the Taupō Volcano eruption of 186 CE, but much of it was harvested for timber during the 1920s.{{cite web|url=https://www.southwaikato.govt.nz/our-district/sport-and-recreation/parks-and-reserves/jim-barnett-reserve|title=Jim Barnett Reserve – History|publisher=South Waikato District Council|access-date=3 May 2025}}

A further {{convert|50|hectare|acre|adj=on}} site was cleared for farming in the 1970s. This prompted a neighbouring couple, Gordon and Celia Stephenson, to co-found the Queen Elizabeth II National Trust in 1977. In 1979 they became the first landowners in New Zealand to covenant private land, opting to protect 4 hectares of remaining native bush on their farm.{{cite news |last1=Riddle |first1=Charles |title=Obituary: Celia’s love for nature a big part of her life |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/100703236/obituary-celias-love-for-nature-a-big-part-of-her-life |agency=Waikato Times |publisher=Stuff |date=20 January 2018}}

English student Matthew Purchase was shot during a hunting trip in Waotu in 2009.{{cite news |title=Parents’ delight as Matthew brought back from the dead |url=https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/local-news/parents-delight-matthew-brought-back-4254179 |publisher=getreading.co.uk |date=5 March 2008}} He survived with serious injuries.{{cite news |title=Matthew Purchase looks to future |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/dorset/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8615000/8615182.stm |publisher=BBC News |date=13 April 2010}}

Police uncovered a substantial cannabis growing operation in Waotu in January 2019.{{cite news |last1=Bathgate |first1=Benn |title=South Waikato farmers guilty of near million dollar cannabis operation |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/110167724/south-waikato-farmers-guilty-of-near-million-dollar-cannabis-operation |agency=Waikato Times |publisher=Stuff |date=26 January 2019}}

Waotu has two tribal meeting grounds for local Ngāti Raukawa hapū: Matiti Pā and Waotu Centennial Hall is a meeting place for Ngāti Maihi, and Pikitū Marae and Huri meetinghouse are affiliated with Ngāti Huri.{{cite web|title=Te Kāhui Māngai directory|url= http://www.tkm.govt.nz/ |website=tkm.govt.nz|publisher=Te Puni Kōkiri}}{{cite web |title=Māori Maps |url=https://maorimaps.com/map

|website=maorimaps.com |publisher=Te Potiki National Trust}} Pikitū Marae operates a worm farm and strict recycling programme.{{cite news |last1=Ferguson |first1=Frances |title=Pikitu Marae a sustainable example |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/south-waikato-news/79402485/pikitu-marae-a-sustainable-example |agency=Waikato Times |publisher=Stuff |date=6 May 2016}}

In October 2020, the Government committed $109,254 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade the Pikitū Marae, creating an estimated 10 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}}

Waotu locality covers {{Convert|66.97|km2||abbr=on}}.{{Cite web|title=Stats NZ Geographic Data Service|url=https://datafinder.stats.govt.nz/data/|at=Statistical Area 1 2023 (generalised)|access-date=3 May 2025}} It 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=Statistical Area 1 – 2023 and Statistical Area 2 – 2023}}

{{Historical populations|2006|420|2013|327|2018|330|2023|360|percentages=pagr|align=left|source={{NZ census 2018|7013060, 7013062 and 7013063}}|footnote=The 2006 population is for a significantly larger area of 84.44 km².}}

Waotu had a population of 360 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 30 people (9.1%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 33 people (10.1%) since the 2013 census. There were 189 males and 174 females in 129 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_009&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=doTotal%2Bdo1.7013062%2B7013063%2B7032956.2023&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}} 2.5% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. There were 102 people (28.3%) aged under 15 years, 57 (15.8%) aged 15 to 29, 156 (43.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 42 (11.7%) aged 65 or older.

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 85.8% European (Pākehā); 17.5% Māori; 1.7% Pasifika; 7.5% Asian; 0.8% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 1.7% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 98.3%, Māori by 2.5%, and other languages by 9.2%. No language could be spoken by 3.3% (e.g. too young to talk). The percentage of people born overseas was 14.2, compared with 28.8% nationally.

Religious affiliations were 35.0% Christian, 0.8% New Age, and 1.7% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 54.2%, and 7.5% of people did not answer the census question.

Of those at least 15 years old, 51 (19.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 150 (58.1%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 63 (24.4%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. 18 people (7.0%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 144 (55.8%) full-time, 45 (17.4%) 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_012&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.7013062%2B7013063%2B7032956.2013%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=7013062, 7013063 and 7032956}}

Te Waotu School is a co-educational state primary school,{{cite web |title=Te Waotu School Official School Website |url=http://www.tewaotu.school.nz |website=tewaotu.school.nz}}{{cite web |title=Te Waotu School Ministry of Education School Profile |url=https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/find-school/school/profile?district=28®ion=5&school=2025 |website=educationcounts.govt.nz |publisher=Ministry of Education}} with a roll of {{NZ school roll data|2025|y}} as of {{NZ school roll data|||y|y||.}}{{cite web |title=Te Waotu School Education Review Office Report |url=http://www.ero.govt.nz/report-view?id=2025 |website=ero.govt.nz |publisher=Education Review Office}} It opened in 1886 as Te Waotu Native School.{{cite web|url=https://tewaotu.school.nz/our-history/|title=Our History|publisher=Te Waotu School|access-date=3 May 2025}}

Former principal Bruce Darroch was jailed on child pornography charges in 2016.{{cite news |last1=Bathgate |first1=Benn |title=Ex Waikato school head in court on child exploitation charges |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/77603958/ex-waikato-school-head-in-court-on-child-exploitation-charges |agency=Waikato Times |publisher=Stuff |date=7 March 2016}}{{cite news |last1=Bathgate |first1=Beth |title=From principal to pariah: Darroch guilty on child porn charges |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/77893628/from-principal-to-pariah-darroch-guilty-on-child-porn-charges |agency=Waikato Times |publisher=Stuff |date=16 March 2016}} His offending related to 11 boys at the school.{{cite news |last1=Bathgate |first1=Benn |title=South Waikato paedophile principal now on parole |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/100624995/south-waikato-paedophile-principal-now-on-parole |agency=Waikato Times |publisher=Stuff |date=16 January 2018}}

The school was as at risk of overcrowding in 2017.{{cite news |last1=Biddle |first1=Donna-Lee |title=Overcrowded and at capacity - Waikato schools at risk |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/93006095/overcrowded-and-at-capacity--waikato-schools-at-risk |agency=Waikato Times |publisher=Stuff |date=5 June 2017}}

{{Reflist}}

{{South Waikato District}}

Category:South Waikato District

Category:Populated places in Waikato

Category:Populated places on the Waikato River