Orari, New Zealand facts for kids

Orari (Māori: Ōrarī) is a small town in the South Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. It is located roughly halfway between Ashburton to the north and Timaru to the south. The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage says that Ōrarī means "place of the butterfish" in the Māori language.

The area around Orari has many "lifestyle blocks." These are domestic land parcels, usually 2 to 8 hectares in size, where families can keep farm animals like horses, sheep, and cattle. The land surrounding the town is used for farming. This includes raising sheep for wool and meat, breeding horses on a small scale, and large-scale dairy farming. There are also orchards that grow fruits and nuts. Small businesses in the area support farming activities, such as refining bee wax and providing irrigation services.

Orari is home to the Orari racecourse. This is where the region's yearly Christmas horse racing event takes place.

State Highway 1 and the Main South Line railway run along the eastern edge of Orari. If you turn off State Highway 1 into Orari, you can easily reach the McKenzie country, Tekapo, and Mt Cook.

The weather in Orari usually brings warm, dry summers. Temperatures often reach between 22 and 32 degrees Celsius. Strong winds from the northwest can sometimes blow over 100 kilometers per hour. Winters are cool and dry, with very little snow but many frosty nights. Orari received less than 600 millimeters (24 inches) of rain in both 2014 and 2015.

Orari's Population and People

Orari is considered a rural settlement by Statistics New Zealand. It covers an area of 3.17 km² (1.22 sq mi). As of June 2023, Orari had an estimated population of 180 people. This means there are about 57 people living in each square kilometer. Orari is part of the larger Rangitata statistical area.

At the 2018 New Zealand census, Orari had 165 residents. This was a decrease of 21 people (about 11%) since the 2013 census. However, it was an increase of 18 people (about 12%) since the 2006 census. There were 69 households in the town. The population included 84 males and 84 females, meaning there was an equal number of each.

The average age of people in Orari was 49.0 years. This is older than the national average of 37.4 years. About 16% of the population was under 15 years old. Around 11% were aged 15 to 29. The largest group, about 56%, was aged 30 to 64. About 14.5% of residents were 65 years or older.

Most people in Orari, about 96%, identified as European/Pākehā. Around 9% identified as Māori. A small number of people identified as Asian (1.8%) or other ethnicities (1.8%). Some people identified with more than one ethnicity.

When asked about their religion, 60% of people said they had no religion. About 31% were Christian, and 1.8% followed other religions. Some people chose not to answer this question.

For those aged 15 and older, about 8.7% had a university degree or higher. About 32.6% had no formal qualifications. The average income in Orari was $29,800. This was a bit lower than the national average of $31,800. Half of the people aged 15 and over (50%) were working full-time. About 17% worked part-time, and 2.2% were unemployed.

Orari's Climate

Orari experiences a range of temperatures throughout the year. The warmest months are usually January and February, while July is typically the coolest.