Moonshine Valley, New Zealand facts for kids
Moonshine Valley is a quiet valley in the Wellington Region of New Zealand. It is home to about 228 people. The valley is located along Moonshine Hill Road. This road connects State Highway 58 near Judgeford, crosses the Tararua Range, and reaches the Riverstone Terraces suburbs before joining River Road in Upper Hutt. It's special because it sits right on the border between Upper Hutt City and the Kapiti Coast District. You'll find the main office of BRANZ (the Building Research Association of New Zealand) at the start of Moonshine Road.
History of Moonshine Valley
Moonshine Valley was first settled in the 1860s. Early settlers like Ephraim Greenwood came here. He built a sawmill and started a farm.
During World War II, the valley became home to a camp for US Marines. This camp had a recreation hall for the soldiers. It also had a special place to fix vehicles.
People of Moonshine Valley
The part of Moonshine Valley in Upper Hutt covers about 23.90 square kilometers. It is part of a larger area called Akatarawa.
In 2018, Moonshine Valley had a population of 210 people. This was a small increase from earlier years. There were 75 households in the valley. The population was evenly split with 105 males and 105 females.
The average age of people in Moonshine Valley was 48.8 years. About 14.3% of the people were under 15 years old. This means there are 30 young people living there. Another 15.7% were aged 15 to 29. Most people, 55.7%, were between 30 and 64 years old. About 12.9% were 65 or older.
Most people in the valley, 95.7%, were of European/Pākehā background. Some people also identified as Māori (4.3%), Asian (2.9%), or other ethnicities (4.3%). People could choose more than one group.
When asked about religion, 58.6% said they had no religion. About 30.0% were Christian. A small number, 4.3%, followed other religions.
Of those aged 15 and older, 25.0% had a university degree or higher. Only 8.3% had no formal qualifications. Most people were employed. About 61.7% worked full-time. Another 15.0% worked part-time. Only a small number, 1.7%, were unemployed.
