Mercer, New Zealand facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mercer
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Village
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Gun turret from British gunship "The Pioneer" used in Waikato War, 1863–1864
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Waikato |
| District | Waikato District |
| Ward | Awaroa ki Tuakau Ward |
| Electorates |
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| Area | |
| • Territorial | 4.08 km2 (1.58 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 20 m (70 ft) |
| Population
(2018 census)
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| • Territorial | 123 |
| • Density | 30.15/km2 (78.1/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+12 (NZST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+13 (NZDT) |
Mercer is a small village in the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. It's about 70 kilometers (43 miles) north of Hamilton and 58 kilometers (36 miles) south of Auckland. The village sits on the east side of the Waikato River.
Before 2010, Mercer was part of the Auckland Region. Now, it's part of the Waikato District Council area.
Contents
History of Mercer
Mercer village is named after Captain Henry Mercer. He was a soldier who died in November 1863 during the Battle of Rangiriri. This battle was part of the Waikato War.
A special part of Mercer's history is a gun turret. This turret came from a navy river gun-boat called the Pioneer. The Pioneer was damaged in 1866. Today, one of its gun turrets is part of the village's war memorial. This memorial helps people remember those who fought in wars.
In 1914, Mercer became a "town district." This happened when the Mercer Road District joined with Franklin County.
Mercer and the Railway
The main railway line for the North Island, called the North Island Main Trunk, reached Mercer station on May 20, 1875. Trains used to stop here for people to get food and drinks until 1958. Sadly, a train crash happened near Mercer in 1940. The station eventually closed in 1986.
You can still see the old hulls of steamers (boats) on the west side of the river, south of Mercer. These boats were used by a company owned by Caesar Roose until 1976. Later, another company bought the remains of Roose's sand dredging business. They stopped dredging sand in 1997. Then, they built a petrol station and a food court on the land. You can learn more about their history here: W. Stevenson & Sons Ltd.
The Caesar Roose Bridge
In 1965, Caesar Roose offered a lot of money to help build a new bridge. This bridge would replace the old ferry that crossed the river at Mercer. The new bridge cost $343,000, and Roose gave $100,000 towards it.
The bridge is made of concrete and is about 146 meters (480 feet) long. It's called the Caesar Roose Bridge. Roose's daughter, Jeanette Thomas, officially opened it on November 18, 1972.
People of Mercer
Mercer is a small area that covers about 4.08 square kilometers (1.58 square miles).
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 2006 | 105 | — |
| 2013 | 114 | +1.18% |
| 2018 | 123 | +1.53% |
According to the 2018 New Zealand census, Mercer had 123 people living there. This was a small increase of 9 people since the 2013 census. There were 45 homes in the village. There were more males (66) than females (57). The average age of people in Mercer was 41.3 years old. About 19.5% of the people were under 15 years old.
Most people in Mercer (63.4%) were of European or Pākehā background. About 41.5% identified as Māori, and 4.9% were Pacific peoples. Some people chose not to share their ethnicity.
When asked about religion, 51.2% said they had no religion. About 24.4% were Christian, and a small number followed Māori religious beliefs or Islam.
For those aged 15 and older, about 12% had a university degree. About 27% did not have any formal qualifications. The average income in Mercer was $29,100. Most people (51.5%) worked full-time.
Education in Mercer
Mercer has one school called Te Paina School. It's a public primary school for students from Year 1 to Year 8. As of February 2024. , the school has a roll of 66 students. The school first opened in 1876 as Mercer School. It changed its name to Te Paina in 2021.
Mercer's Climate
| Climate data for Mercer (1951–1980) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 23.8 (74.8) |
24.4 (75.9) |
22.8 (73.0) |
19.9 (67.8) |
17.0 (62.6) |
14.6 (58.3) |
13.8 (56.8) |
14.8 (58.6) |
16.2 (61.2) |
17.9 (64.2) |
19.7 (67.5) |
21.8 (71.2) |
18.9 (66.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 18.5 (65.3) |
18.8 (65.8) |
17.2 (63.0) |
15.0 (59.0) |
12.0 (53.6) |
10.0 (50.0) |
9.2 (48.6) |
10.4 (50.7) |
11.7 (53.1) |
13.6 (56.5) |
14.9 (58.8) |
16.8 (62.2) |
14.0 (57.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 13.1 (55.6) |
13.2 (55.8) |
11.5 (52.7) |
10.0 (50.0) |
7.0 (44.6) |
5.3 (41.5) |
4.6 (40.3) |
6.0 (42.8) |
7.2 (45.0) |
9.1 (48.4) |
10.1 (50.2) |
11.8 (53.2) |
9.1 (48.3) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 51 (2.0) |
75 (3.0) |
77 (3.0) |
98 (3.9) |
97 (3.8) |
123 (4.8) |
144 (5.7) |
116 (4.6) |
77 (3.0) |
87 (3.4) |
81 (3.2) |
63 (2.5) |
1,089 (42.9) |
| Source: NIWA | |||||||||||||
Famous People From Mercer
Here are some notable people who used to live in Mercer:
- Allan Marshall (1851–1915), a river captain
- Te Puea Hērangi (1883–1952), an important Māori leader
- Caesar Roose (1886–1967), a ship owner and operator
Images for kids
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The Caesar Roose Bridge in Mercer.
