Snells Beach facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Snells Beach
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Snells Beach from northern end
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 Snells Beach
Location in New Zealand Auckland
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Auckland Region |
| District | Rodney District |
| Local Board | Rodney Local Board |
| Population
(June 2023)
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| • Total | 3,810 |
| Postcode(s) |
0920
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Snells Beach is a small coastal town in the north of Auckland Region in the North Island of New Zealand. It is situated on the eastern coast of the Mahurangi Peninsula and its namesake beach faces east across Kawau Bay to Kawau Island. The nearest town is Warkworth, 8 km (5.0 mi) to the west, which is linked by 8 buses a day and also Mahu City Express twice a day.
Features and attractions
The Brick Bay Sculpture Trail, an outdoor gallery showcasing contemporary sculpture amongst native trees, palms, birdlife and green pastures, is located at the western entrance of Snells Beach. Snells Beach contains the Rodney District’s regional television broadcaster Family TV and the Mahurangi Shopping Centre. To deal with problems involving drinking in public places, Snells Beach has an overnight liquor ban from nine o’clock in the evening until six o’clock in the morning during the daylight saving period each year.
History and in the media
Cornish miner James Snell arrived in Kawau in 1854 and bought Snells Beach. The beach had been known as Long Beach. Dalmatian immigrants would live in tents on the beach and dig for kauri gum when the tide was out. Maori called Algies Bay 'horahora wai' meaning encroaching waters. Scottish immigrant Alexander Algie and wife Mina, née Deerness, bought the land near Martins Bay, where his brother Samuel had settled in 1867. The family had a boarding house on the beach during the late 1890s but it had closed by 1941. A metal road was built along the eastern peninsular in the 1930s.
The Mahurangi Peninsula was the setting for the 2001 New Zealand film Rain, starring Sarah Peirse and Marton Csokas. The population was 3,234 in the 2006 Census, an increase of 177 from 2001. In 2011, after co-winning the Cancer Foundation's SunSmart video competition, students of Warkworth Primary School were given the opportunity to meet people from Huhu Studios in Snells Beach to see what making a film involves. In late 2011, the Snells Beach branch of New Zealand retail store The Warehouse donated a huge Christmas tree for Warkworth's Christmas Parade. In 2012, the Snells Beach library was marked for closure, leaving many residents bewildered and angry. In 2013, water from Snells Beach was needed for Warkworth's water supply.
Demographics
| Historical population | ||
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| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 2006 | 2,727 | — |
| 2013 | 2,931 | +1.04% |
| 2018 | 3,405 | +3.04% |
Snells Beach had a population of 3,405 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 474 people (16.2%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 678 people (24.9%) since the 2006 census. There were 1,380 households. There were 1,656 males and 1,746 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.95 males per female. The median age was 47.9 years, with 606 people (17.8%) aged under 15 years, 438 (12.9%) aged 15 to 29, 1,374 (40.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 984 (28.9%) aged 65 or older.
Of the 1716 dwellings, 1404 were occupied on census night. The population swells to over 5000 during the summer months.
Ethnicities were 90.7% European/Pākehā, 10.7% Māori, 5.0% Pacific peoples, 3.3% Asian, and 1.9% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).
The proportion of people born overseas was 25.4%, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people objected to giving their religion, 51.5% had no religion, 38.1% were Christian, and 3.3% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 489 (17.5%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 537 (19.2%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $28,500. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,137 (40.6%) people were employed full-time, 444 (15.9%) were part-time, and 72 (2.6%) were unemployed.
Education
Snells Beach Primary is a coeducational contributing primary school catering for years 1-6. It opened in 2009. The school is intended to grow to about 500 students. The roll was 343 students in April 2023. Horizon School, formerly Mahurangi Christian School, is a coeducational full primary (years 1-8) school with a roll of 241 students as at April 2023. . The school is state integrated.
