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Gore District, New Zealand facts for kids

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Gore District
Territorial authority
Location of the Gore District within the South Island
Location of the Gore District within the South Island
Country New Zealand
Region Southland
Wards
  • Gore
  • Mataura
  • Kaiwera-Waimumu
  • Waikaka
Formed 1989
Seat Gore
Area
 • Total 1,253.85 km2 (484.11 sq mi)
Population
 (June 2023)
 • Total 13,050
 • Density 10.408/km2 (26.956/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+12 (NZST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+13 (NZDT)
Postcode(s)
Map of postcodes
Website Gore District Council

Gore District is a district in the Southland region of the South Island of New Zealand.

Geography

The Gore District is located in the south of the South Island. The two neighbouring districts are Southland in the west and Clutha in the east. The district has a land area of 1,251.62 square kilometres (483.25 sq mi). The seat of the district council is in the town of Gore.

The district has a population of 12,750 (June 2018); Gore is the main centre. Other places in the district include Waikaka, Otama, Mandeville, Maitland, Croydon Bush, Whiterigg, Pukerau, Waitane, Waimumu, Charlton, Mataura, Tuturau, Ferndale, Kaiwera, and Otaraia.

History

The European history of Gore started in 1855 with the arrival of Scottish settlers. After the town site was surveyed, the provincial superintendent, James Alexander Robertson Menzies, named the site for his friend, the Governor of New Zealand, Thomas Gore Browne. The original name of the township, Long Ford or Longford, remained for some time, but when the railway reached the town, the shorter name became common and was also applied to the wider district. The township of Gore was incorporated and became a borough council in 1885.

In the local government reform in 1989, the Gore and Mataura borough councils and parts of Southland County Council were amalgamated to form Gore District.

Current body

As of 2016, the current council members are:-

Mayor Tracy Hicks JP
Councillors – Gore District Council Cliff Bolger
Nicky Davis
Peter Grant
Bret Highsted
Ralph Beale
Glenys Dickson
Doug Grant
Neville Phillips
John Gardyne
Ian Pottinger
Graham Sharp


Demographics

Gore District covers 1,253.85 km2 (484.11 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 13,050 as of June 2023, with a population density of 10 people per km2.

Historical population
Year Pop. ±% p.a.
2006 12,108 —    
2013 12,033 −0.09%
2018 12,396 +0.60%

Gore District had a population of 12,396 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 363 people (3.0%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 288 people (2.4%) since the 2006 census. There were 5,076 households. There were 6,153 males and 6,246 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.99 males per female. The median age was 43.6 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 2,373 people (19.1%) aged under 15 years, 2,079 (16.8%) aged 15 to 29, 5,439 (43.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 2,508 (20.2%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 89.0% European/Pākehā, 12.9% Māori, 1.1% Pacific peoples, 3.1% Asian, and 1.5% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 8.8, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people objected to giving their religion, 47.2% had no religion, 43.2% were Christian, 0.4% were Hindu, 0.3% were Muslim, 0.1% were Buddhist and 1.6% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 1,008 (10.1%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 2,883 (28.8%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $30,900, compared with $31,800 nationally. 1,197 people (11.9%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 5,121 (51.1%) people were employed full-time, 1,539 (15.4%) were part-time, and 261 (2.6%) were unemployed.

Individual wards
Name Area (km2) Population Density (per km2) Households Median age Median income
Waikaka Ward 587.00 1,560 2.7 582 39.0 years $41,400
Kaiwera-Waimumu Ward 651.22 1,689 2.6 600 45.5 years $38,200
Gore Ward 10.28 7,518 731.3 3,234 44.8 years $28,900
Mataura Ward 5.33 1,629 305.6 660 39.6 years $26,600
New Zealand 37.4 years $31,800

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