Kumeū facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kumeū
The main road of Kumeū in 1973
Country	New Zealand
Region	Auckland Region
Ward	Rodney ward
Local board	Rodney Local Board
Subdivision	Kumeū subdivision
Electorates	Kaipara ki Mahurangi Te Tai Tokerau
Area
• Total	6.83 km2 (2.64 sq mi)
Population  (June 2023)
• Total	6,930
• Density	1,014.6/km2 (2,628/sq mi)

Kumeū is a town in the Auckland Region, situated 25 kilometres (16 mi) north-west of the City Centre in New Zealand. State Highway 16 and the North Auckland Line pass through the town. Huapai lies to the west, Riverhead to the north, Whenuapai to the east, and Taupaki to the south.

The wider area has been settled by Tāmaki Māori since the 13th or 14th centuries, and the area is of significant importance to Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara and Te Kawerau ā Maki. The Kumeū River valley was an important transport node between the Kaipara and Waitematā harbours, due to a portage called Te Tōangaroa, where waka could be hauled overland.

Kumeū village developed in the 1870s after the construction of the Kumeu–Riverhead Section, a railway on Te Tōangaroa that linked Kumeū to Riverhead. Over the latter 19th century, the town transitioned from a centre for the kauri logging and kauri gum trades into an agricultural centre. The Kumeu Stockyards opened in 1915, and from 1921 the town began holding a large-scale agricultural show called the Kumeu Show. By the 1940s, Croatian New Zealanders had developed a winemaking industry in the area. Since the 1970s, Kumeū and Huapai have grown to become a single urban area, often referred to as Kumeū-Huapai.

Etymology

The name Kumeū in Māori language originally referred to the north-east of Taupaki village, to the south of modern-day Kumeū. The name is associated with one of the earliest ancestors of the modern Te Kawerau ā Maki iwi, Te Kauea, who was of the early iwi Tini ō Toi (the people of Toi-te-huatahi). .....

The first print references to the Kumeū River in English date from the 1850s, followed by references to the Kumeu Road District in 1861. References to Kumeu and Kumeu Flats as a settlement begin from 1867.

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Geography

The town is located along the banks of the Kumeū River, a tributary of the Kaipara River

Kumeū is a town north-west of Auckland, located along the Kumeū River, a major tributary of the Kaipara River. It is located to the east of Huapai, and the two towns share a conurban metropolitan area, and is close to the towns of Riverhead (to the north-east) and Waimauku, to the west past Huapai. Urban West Auckland suburbs are located 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) to the south-east of Kumeū, including Westgate and the NorthWest Shopping Centre.

The Kumeū River area has traditionally been a wetland and flood plain, prior to European settlement. The Kumeū valley regularly flooded during the 1920s and 1930s, and a major flood occurred in 1954.

Climate

History

The district was originally settled by immigrants from the Dalmatian coast of Croatia, many of whom were part of traditional winegrowing families.

Demographics

Statistics New Zealand describes Kumeū-Huapai as a small urban area, which covers 6.83 km² (2.64 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 6,930 as of June 2023, with a population density of 1015 people per km².

Cabbage trees in the area.

Kumeū-Huapai had a population of 6,948 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 3,468 people (99.7%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 5,493 people (377.5%) since the 2013 census. There were 3,417 males, 3,513 females and 21 people of other genders in 2,280 dwellings. 2.7% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 34.9 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 1,758 people (25.3%) aged under 15 years, 921 (13.3%) aged 15 to 29, 3,534 (50.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 735 (10.6%) aged 65 or older.

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 70.2% European (Pākehā); 9.4% Māori; 5.4% Pasifika; 24.6% Asian; 2.6% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 4.0% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 93.8%, Māori language by 1.0%, Samoan by 0.6%, and other languages by 21.7%. No language could be spoken by 4.0% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.3%. The percentage of people born overseas was 34.2, compared with 28.8% nationally.

Religious affiliations were 26.7% Christian, 6.8% Hindu, 1.1% Islam, 0.3% Māori religious beliefs, 0.9% Buddhist, 0.3% New Age, 0.2% Jewish, and 2.5% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 55.1%, and 6.1% of people did not answer the census question.

Of those at least 15 years old, 1,275 (24.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 2,565 (49.4%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 951 (18.3%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $61,000, compared with $41,500 nationally. 1,215 people (23.4%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 3,279 (63.2%) people were employed full-time, 615 (11.8%) were part-time, and 87 (1.7%) were unemployed.

Rural surrounds

The rural area around Kumeū and Huapai covers 40.72 km² (15.72 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 4590 as of June 2023, with a population density of 113 people per km².

Kumeū rural areas had a population of 3,765 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 81 people (2.2%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 417 people (12.5%) since the 2013 census. There were 1,938 males, 1,809 females and 12 people of other genders in 1,218 dwellings. 2.5% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. There were 540 people (14.3%) aged under 15 years, 702 (18.6%) aged 15 to 29, 1,812 (48.1%) aged 30 to 64, and 705 (18.7%) aged 65 or older.

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 81.0% European (Pākehā); 12.8% Māori; 5.7% Pasifika; 13.0% Asian; 1.4% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.7% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 95.2%, Māori language by 2.0%, Samoan by 0.7%, and other languages by 14.8%. No language could be spoken by 1.6% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.3%. The percentage of people born overseas was 25.3, compared with 28.8% nationally.

Religious affiliations were 27.3% Christian, 2.5% Hindu, 0.7% Islam, 0.3% Māori religious beliefs, 0.4% Buddhist, 0.2% New Age, 0.6% Jewish, and 2.2% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 58.1%, and 8.0% of people did not answer the census question.

Of those at least 15 years old, 519 (16.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 1,758 (54.5%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 801 (24.8%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. 483 people (15.0%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,689 (52.4%) people were employed full-time, 453 (14.0%) were part-time, and 78 (2.4%) were unemployed.

Economy

Areas surrounding the Kumeū district produce labels such as Kumeu River, Cooper's Creek and Soljans Estate Winery have gained a good reputation for their Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc wines. The winegrowing district is the main industry in both Kumeū itself and the smaller nearby settlements of Huapai and Waimauku.

• Kumeu River Wines, established in 1944.
• Coopers Creek, established in 1980.
• Landmark Estate, founded in 1937.
• Matua Valley, established in 1966. Matua Valley closed its doors in 2016.
• Nobilos was established in 1943 by Nikola Nobilo and remained family owned until the late 1990s. Now known as Nobilo Wine Group, the company is New Zealand's second largest wine company.
• Soljans Estate Winery was established in 1932 in Henderson, West Auckland. As the company grew they later moved to Kumeū in 2002

The township is in the North West Country Inc business improvement district zone. The business association which represents businesses from Kaukapakapa to Riverhead.

Activities

The area is popular for lifestyle block farming and equestrian pursuits. The Kumeu Agricultural and Horticultural Society hosts one of the largest annual shows in the Southern Hemisphere on 34 hectares (84 acres) of land owned by the Kumeu District Agricultural and Horticultural Society, on the second weekend in March every year. The nearby localities of Woodhill forest and Muriwai Beach means it has strong recreational interests.

Music

Since 1948 Kumeū has had a brass band, competing in many events, and playing in parades, concerts & private Functions, traditional & modern music for all occasions.

The Kumeu Showgrounds are also the venue for the annual Auckland Folk Festival, a 4-day event of music, dancing and workshops, now in its 46th year. The festival is generally held over the last weekend in January.

Transport

The railway network's North Auckland Line passes through Kumeū. For six years the town was the terminus of the isolated Kumeu-Riverhead Section railway, which linked Kumeū to Riverhead, where ferries ran to Auckland. It operated from 1875 until 1881. In 1881, the North Auckland Line reached Kumeū, making the town a railway junction. This status lasted a mere five days; the new railway from Auckland made the line to Riverhead redundant and it was accordingly closed.

In June 2007 it was announced that suburban rail services would be extended to Helensville in 2008, with temporary stations to be built at Huapai and Waimauku. The service commenced on 14 July 2008 for a one-year trial period, and was then suspended permanently in 2009.

Education

Kumeū is served by Huapai District School and Matua Ngaru School, which are coeducational full primary schools serving years 1–8 with rolls of 446 and 501 students respectively as at February 2024, . Huapai District School opened in 1919. Matua Ngaru opened in 2019.

The state integrated Hare Krishna School is a coeducational composite school serving years 1–10 with a roll of 132 students as at February 2024.

The majority of high-school-aged students attend schools in surrounding suburbs. The closest secondary schools are Kaipara College, Massey High School, Liston College, Albany Junior High School and St Dominic's College.

Kumeu Library is based at Huapai. Since the amalgamation of Auckland Council in 2010, Kumeu Library became a branch of Auckland Libraries. In July 2021, Huapai Service Centre was absorbed into the Library to form the Kumeū Library and council services.