Ruakākā facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ruakākā
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| Country | New Zealand | |
| Region | Northland | |
| Territorial Authority | Whangarei District | |
| Ward | Bream Bay Ward | |
| Pre 1989 | Whangarei County | |
| Electorates |
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| Area | ||
| • Total | 15.59 km2 (6.02 sq mi) | |
| Population
(June 2023)
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| • Total | 2,930 | |
| • Density | 187.9/km2 (486.8/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | UTC+12 (NZST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+13 (NZDT) | |
| Website | http://www.ruakaka.co.nz | |
Ruakākā is a small town located in the northern part of New Zealand. It's about 30 kilometers south of Whangārei, in an area called Bream Bay. Originally, Ruakākā was a quiet beach community. In the 1980s, it started to grow because of the Marsden Point Oil Refinery nearby. This refinery is New Zealand's only oil refinery. Recently, a new timber processing plant at Marsden Point has also helped the town grow even more.
Ruakākā: A Coastal Town in New Zealand
What's in a Name?
The name Ruakākā comes from the Māori words rua kākā. This means "the nesting hole of the kākā". The kākā is a native New Zealand parrot. These parrots like to nest in hollow trees. Until 2019, the name was usually spelled "Ruakaka" without the special marks called macrons.
Exploring Ruakākā's Areas
The Ruakākā area includes Ruakākā Beach, Ruakākā Township, and Marsden Point. Other nearby places like One Tree Point, Takahiwai, and even Waipu are often talked about as part of the wider Bream Bay area.
Ruakākā Beach
Ruakākā Beach is close to where the Ruakākā River meets the sea. This area has a special reserve for rare birds. It's also a popular spot for holiday parks. The beach area is mostly homes, from permanent houses to smaller beach shacks.
Ruakākā Town Centre
The Ruakākā Town Centre grew a lot in the 1980s. This happened because the Marsden Point Oil Refinery was expanding. Many workers from around the world came to help with the project. The government made sure some of the money from the project was spent on the local community. This allowed Ruakākā to get facilities like squash courts and sports grounds. These are not common in towns of its size.
Marsden Power Station Village
The Marsden Power Station Village was built to support the Marsden Power Stations. These power stations (A and B) are no longer used. Now, this area is promoted as a place for beachside living.
Beautiful Beaches and Views
The bay has lovely white sandy beaches. From the beaches, you can see Bream Head, the Hen and Chicken Islands, Mount Manaia, and Sail Rock.
Who Lives in Ruakākā?
Ruakākā is considered a small urban area. It covers about 15.59 square kilometers. In 2023, the population was 2,817 people. This was an increase of 231 people since 2018. The median age in Ruakākā was 46.3 years. About 17.8% of the people were under 15 years old.
Most people in Ruakākā are of European (Pākehā) background (79.0%). A good number are also Māori (31.1%). Other groups include Pasifika (5.5%) and Asian (4.4%). Most people speak English (98.1%), and 6.7% speak the Māori language.
Ruakākā's Weather
Ruakākā has warm, humid summers and mild winters. Summer temperatures usually range from 22 to 26 degrees Celsius (72 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit). These are some of the warmest temperatures in New Zealand. It almost never gets frosty on the ground. January and February are the hottest months. The area typically gets 1500 to 2000 millimeters of rain each year. Winds usually come from the southwest all year round. Ruakākā has a warm oceanic climate, which is very similar to a humid subtropical climate. This is typical for the Northland region.
| Climate data for Ruakākā | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 24.9 (76.8) |
24.8 (76.6) |
23.7 (74.7) |
21.1 (70.0) |
18.9 (66.0) |
16.6 (61.9) |
15.6 (60.1) |
16.2 (61.2) |
17.6 (63.7) |
19.5 (67.1) |
21.0 (69.8) |
23.4 (74.1) |
20.3 (68.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 20.1 (68.2) |
20.4 (68.7) |
19.2 (66.6) |
17.2 (63.0) |
14.9 (58.8) |
12.4 (54.3) |
11.8 (53.2) |
12.3 (54.1) |
13.6 (56.5) |
15.2 (59.4) |
16.5 (61.7) |
18.7 (65.7) |
16.0 (60.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 15.3 (59.5) |
15.9 (60.6) |
14.7 (58.5) |
13.3 (55.9) |
10.8 (51.4) |
8.2 (46.8) |
7.9 (46.2) |
8.4 (47.1) |
9.5 (49.1) |
10.9 (51.6) |
11.9 (53.4) |
14.0 (57.2) |
11.7 (53.1) |
A Glimpse into History
The area where Ruakākā is located is part of Bream Bay. Captain Cook named Bream Bay on November 25, 1769. He was on his first trip to New Zealand. He named it because it was easy to catch many fish there, about 90 to 100. He thought they were a type of fish called "bream," but they were likely snapper. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, people in this area also dug for kauri gum.
Schools in Ruakākā
Ruakākā has two main schools:
- Bream Bay College is a secondary school for students in years 7 to 13.
- Ruakākā School is a primary school for students in years 1 to 6.
Both schools teach boys and girls together. Ruakākā School first opened in 1898. Bream Bay College started in 1972 and moved to Ruakākā in 1974.
Fun Things to See and Do
- Ruakaka Race Course: This is a place where horse races are held.
Future Plans: A New Railway?
There's a plan to build a new railway line to Marsden Point. This line would connect to the main North Auckland Line at Oakleigh. The new railway, called the Marsden Point Branch, would mostly be used for moving goods. However, there's also a long-term idea to use it for passenger trains. This would allow people to travel between Ruakākā and Whangārei.
