Paraparaumu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paraparaumu
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Town
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Wellington Region |
| Territorial authority | Kāpiti Coast District |
| Ward |
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| Community |
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| Electorates |
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| Area | |
| • Total | 28.38 km2 (10.96 sq mi) |
| Population
(June 2023)
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| • Total | 30,800 |
| • Density | 1,085.3/km2 (2,811/sq mi) |
| Postcode(s) |
5032
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| Area code(s) | 04 |
Paraparaumu is a lively town located on the Kāpiti Coast in the south-western part of New Zealand's North Island. It's about 55 kilometers (34 miles) north of Wellington, the country's capital city. People who live there sometimes call it Pram or Paraparam for short.
Just like other towns in the area, Paraparaumu has a partner town right on the coast called Paraparaumu Beach. This beach town is directly across from Kapiti Island. Both towns are part of the Kāpiti Coast District.
Together with nearby Raumati Beach and Raumati South, these towns are some of the fastest-growing places in New Zealand. Many people who live here travel to work in the larger cities around Wellington. In 2012, over 49,000 people lived in these four towns combined. Inland from Paraparaumu, you'll find the Maungakotukutuku area.
The village of Lindale is just north of Paraparaumu's town center. It started as a place for tourists and farming, and became known for its cheese and the Lindale Barnyard petting farm.
The old State Highway 1 and the Kapiti Line railway track both go through Lindale. Most of the shops in Paraparaumu are located near the town center in the Coastlands Mall, which is close to the train station.
Contents
What Does the Name Paraparaumu Mean?
The name "Paraparaumu" comes from the Māori-language. It means "scraps from an earth oven." The word parapara means "dirt" or "scraps," and umu means "oven."
The name came from an expedition in 1819–1820 by the Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Toa tribes. They traveled along the west coast of the North Island. When they reached the Kāpiti Coast, they didn't find many useful resources.
Sometimes, people call Paraparaumu by shorter names like "Pram," "Paraparam," or "Pram-Pram."
A Look Back: Paraparaumu's History
In August 1936, there was a train accident in Paraparaumu. A train went off its tracks as it was approaching a landslide during rainy weather.
Weather in Paraparaumu
Paraparaumu has an oceanic climate, which is common in New Zealand. This means it has moderately warm summers and mild winters. It often rains throughout the year, but it's usually drier than many other coastal areas in the country.
| Climate data for Paraparaumu (Kapiti Coast Airport) (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1953–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 29.0 (84.2) |
30.0 (86.0) |
30.0 (86.0) |
26.3 (79.3) |
23.2 (73.8) |
20.0 (68.0) |
19.2 (66.6) |
21.0 (69.8) |
21.8 (71.2) |
25.6 (78.1) |
26.2 (79.2) |
29.3 (84.7) |
30.0 (86.0) |
| Mean maximum °C (°F) | 25.3 (77.5) |
25.3 (77.5) |
24.5 (76.1) |
21.7 (71.1) |
19.3 (66.7) |
17.3 (63.1) |
16.0 (60.8) |
16.5 (61.7) |
17.9 (64.2) |
19.4 (66.9) |
21.3 (70.3) |
23.9 (75.0) |
26.5 (79.7) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 21.3 (70.3) |
21.7 (71.1) |
20.3 (68.5) |
17.9 (64.2) |
15.9 (60.6) |
13.7 (56.7) |
12.9 (55.2) |
13.5 (56.3) |
14.7 (58.5) |
16.0 (60.8) |
17.6 (63.7) |
19.7 (67.5) |
17.1 (62.8) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 17.4 (63.3) |
17.6 (63.7) |
16.1 (61.0) |
13.8 (56.8) |
12.0 (53.6) |
9.9 (49.8) |
9.0 (48.2) |
9.6 (49.3) |
11.1 (52.0) |
12.6 (54.7) |
13.9 (57.0) |
16.1 (61.0) |
13.3 (55.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 13.5 (56.3) |
13.5 (56.3) |
11.8 (53.2) |
9.6 (49.3) |
8.2 (46.8) |
6.2 (43.2) |
5.0 (41.0) |
5.8 (42.4) |
7.5 (45.5) |
9.1 (48.4) |
10.3 (50.5) |
12.4 (54.3) |
9.4 (48.9) |
| Mean minimum °C (°F) | 6.1 (43.0) |
5.8 (42.4) |
4.3 (39.7) |
2.1 (35.8) |
0.2 (32.4) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
−1.4 (29.5) |
−0.4 (31.3) |
1.0 (33.8) |
2.6 (36.7) |
5.5 (41.9) |
−3.0 (26.6) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 2.8 (37.0) |
2.9 (37.2) |
0.8 (33.4) |
−0.5 (31.1) |
−3.3 (26.1) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
−4.8 (23.4) |
−4.1 (24.6) |
−3.8 (25.2) |
−1.7 (28.9) |
−0.4 (31.3) |
1.7 (35.1) |
−4.8 (23.4) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 59.7 (2.35) |
67.6 (2.66) |
66.7 (2.63) |
80.5 (3.17) |
97.1 (3.82) |
108.6 (4.28) |
103.7 (4.08) |
95.5 (3.76) |
90.2 (3.55) |
107.8 (4.24) |
80.9 (3.19) |
88.8 (3.50) |
1,047.1 (41.23) |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 234.4 | 212.6 | 202.5 | 158.7 | 134.5 | 104.0 | 123.0 | 153.9 | 151.9 | 178.3 | 204.5 | 206.2 | 2,064.5 |
| Source: NIWA | |||||||||||||
Who Lives in Paraparaumu?
Paraparaumu is considered a medium-sized urban area by Statistics New Zealand. It covers about 28.38 square kilometers (10.96 square miles). This area includes Otaihanga, Paraparaumu Beach, Raumati Beach, and Raumati South.
In 2018, the population of Paraparaumu was 28,701 people. This was an increase of 7% since 2013. There were more females than males, and about 18% of the population was under 15 years old.
Most people living in Paraparaumu (89.1%) are of European descent. About 12.5% are Māori, and smaller percentages are Pasifika, Asian, or other ethnicities. Many people in New Zealand identify with more than one ethnicity.
About 23.5% of the people in Paraparaumu were born outside of New Zealand. This is a bit lower than the national average of 27.1%.
When it comes to religion, 54% of people said they had no religion. About 34.7% were Christian. Smaller numbers followed Māori religious beliefs, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, or other religions.
Many adults in Paraparaumu have higher education. About 21.3% have a bachelor's degree or higher. Most adults are employed, with 44.1% working full-time and 14.2% working part-time.
Shopping and Economy
Retail Stores
The Coastlands Shopping Centre is a major shopping spot in Paraparaumu. It opened in 1969 and has 1400 parking spaces. You can find 94 different shops there, including large stores like Pak'nSave, The Warehouse, Farmers, and Countdown.
Sports and Recreation
Paraparaumu has a local athletics club called Paraparaumu Track and Field Club. It has members of all ages and is based at the Paraparaumu Domain.
Paraparaumu Beach also has a famous golf course. It has hosted the New Zealand Open golf tournament 12 times, which is more than any other course in the country!
Getting Around: Transport
Airport
Kapiti Coast Airport is a local airport that has some scheduled commercial flights. It's also a popular place for recreational flying and is home to the Kapiti Aero Club. Air Chathams offers daily flights between this airport and Auckland. Sounds Air flies to Blenheim and Nelson.
Public Transport
Paraparaumu is located on the North Island Main Trunk Railway (NIMT). It's part of Wellington's commuter railway network, known as the Kapiti Line. These trains are operated by Transdev under the Metlink brand.
The electric commuter train services were extended to Waikanae in 2011. These trains are modern, Korean-built electric units.
Beyond Waikanae, KiwiRail operates two long-distance passenger train services. The Capital Connection runs between Palmerston North and Wellington. The Northern Explorer travels between Auckland and Wellington.
There are also local bus services in Paraparaumu, which are also operated by Metlink.
Learning in Paraparaumu: Education
Primary Schools
- Paraparaumu School is a state primary school for students in Year 1 to 8.
- Paraparaumu Beach School is another state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students.
- Kapiti School is a state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students.
- Kenakena School is a state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students.
- Our Lady of Kapiti School is a state-integrated Catholic primary school for Year 1 to 8 students. It's named after a large statue of the Virgin Mary nearby.
Secondary Schools
There are three secondary schools close to Paraparaumu:
- Paraparaumu College in Paraparaumu Beach
- Kāpiti College in Raumati Beach
- Ōtaki College in Ōtaki
Famous People from Paraparaumu
Raised in Paraparaumu
- Christian Cullen – a famous rugby union player
- Stephen Kearney – a rugby league player and coach
- Wayne McIndoe – a field hockey player
- Drew Ne'emia – a former television presenter
- Andrew Niccol – a film director
Educated in Paraparaumu
- Peter Jackson – a famous film director, who went to Kāpiti College
- Dane Coles – an All Blacks rugby player, who went to Paraparaumu College
- Karl Kippenberger – the bass player in the band Shihad, who went to Kāpiti College
