Portland, New Zealand facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Portland
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|---|---|
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Northland Region |
| District | Whangarei District |
| Ward | Bream Bay Ward |
| Electorates |
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| Area | |
| • Total | 12.12 km2 (4.68 sq mi) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 483 |
| • Density | 39.85/km2 (103.21/sq mi) |
Portland is a small community located in Northland, New Zealand. It sits on the western side of Whangārei Harbour. The city of Whangārei is about 10 kilometers (6 miles) north of Portland. A hill called Tikorangi is to the west, rising 161 meters (528 feet) above sea level.
The main business in Portland is making Portland cement. This is New Zealand's biggest cement maker. The company has a special dock on the harbor to load and unload materials. They get lime, which is a key ingredient for cement, from the Tikorangi hill.
History of Portland
The Portland Cement Works started making cement on Limestone Island in Whangārei Harbour in 1885. Later, in 1916, the factory moved to its current spot in Portland. Today, the cement works is owned by Golden Bay Cement, which is part of a larger company called Fletcher Building.
In 1913, another company called Dominion Cement built a long pier. This pier was about a mile (1.6 kilometers) long and was made from old tram rails.
Portland also had its own railway station. Trains stopped here on the North Auckland Line from 1918 until 1975.
People of Portland
Portland covers an area of about 12.12 square kilometers (4.68 square miles).
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 2006 | 399 | — |
| 2013 | 333 | −2.55% |
| 2018 | 441 | +5.78% |
| 2023 | 483 | +1.84% |
| The 2006 population is for a smaller area of 11.96 km2 | ||
In the 2023 New Zealand census, 483 people lived in Portland. This was an increase of 42 people since the 2018 census. It was also a big increase of 150 people since the 2013 census.
There were slightly more males (246) than females (237) living in 141 homes. About one-fifth of the people (20.5%) were under 15 years old. Most people were between 30 and 64 years old (44.7%).
People in Portland come from different backgrounds. About 80.7% identified as European (Pākehā). A large number, 42.9%, identified as Māori. Some people also identified as Pasifika (5.6%) or Asian (0.6%).
Most people (95.7%) spoke English. Some also spoke the Māori language (7.5%). About 9.9% of the people living in Portland were born outside of New Zealand.
When it comes to education, about 10.9% of adults had a university degree. Many others (58.6%) had a certificate or diploma from after high school.
Education in Portland
Portland School is a primary school for children in years 1 to 6. It teaches both boys and girls. As of February 2024. , the school has 80 students.
