Wakapuaka is a small township lying to the north of Nelson, New Zealand. It lies on inland from the northern end of Nelson Haven, between Marybank and Hira. The road to Glenduan joins SH 6 at Wakapuaka.Reed New Zealand atlas (2004) Auckland: Reed Publishing. Map 59. Wise's Nelson-Blenheim "Easyread" Map
Parks
Wakapuaka Sandflats Esplanade, a local public park area, is located in Wakapuaka.
Demographics Wakapuaka locality covers . It is part of the larger Nelson Rural statistical area.
Wakapuaka had a population of 357 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 24 people (7.2%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 99 people (38.4%) since the 2013 census. There were 177 males, 177 females, and 3 people of other genders in 138 dwellings. 2.5% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. There were 57 people (16.0%) aged under 15 years, 36 (10.1%) aged 15 to 29, 171 (47.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 87 (24.4%) aged 65 or older.
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 96.6% European (Pākehā), 10.1% Māori, 1.7% Pasifika, 0.8% Asian, 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 10.1%. The percentage of people born overseas was 24.4, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 17.6% Christian, and 0.8% New Age. People who answered that they had no religion were 72.3%, and 8.4% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 84 (28.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 168 (56.0%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 54 (18.0%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. 36 people (12.0%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 144 (48.0%) full-time and 66 (22.0%) part-time.
Education Hillside School opened in 1857. It closed in 1926, with its students going to Clifton Terrace School in Marybank the following year.
Notable people Pérrine Moncrieff (1893–1979), writer, conservationist and amateur ornithologist, died in Wakapuaka.
References