Tokomaru, New Zealand facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tokomaru
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Rural settlement
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Tokomaru Store
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Manawatū-Whanganui region |
| Territorial authority | Horowhenua District |
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| Area | |
| • Total | 2.91 km2 (1.12 sq mi) |
| Population
(June 2023)
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| • Total | 640 |
| • Density | 219.9/km2 (570/sq mi) |
Tokomaru is a small town in the Horowhenua District on the southwestern side of New Zealand's North Island. It is about 18 kilometres (11 miles) southwest of Palmerston North. It is also a similar distance northeast of Shannon. The Tokomaru railway station was part of the North Island Main Trunk line. It was open from 1885 until 1982.
Contents
Discovering Tokomaru's Attractions
Tokomaru has some cool places to visit and things to see.
Steam Engine Museum
The Tokomaru Steam Engine Museum is a special place. It has many old steam engine machines. Many of these machines still work! The collection includes a large 1904 Fowler traction engine. There is also an 1897 Aveling & Porter portable engine. A huge 335 horsepower Filer & Stowell engine-compressor is also on display. This big machine used to be at the Imlay Freezing Works in Wanganui. You can visit the museum by making an appointment.
Parks and Green Spaces
Tokomaru has two public parks where people can relax and play. The Tokomaru Domain has a sports field and a hall. It is a great place for outdoor activities. The Horseshoe Bend reserve is another lovely green space in the town.
Local Services
The town has a handy local store that also works as a post office. This means you can buy things and send letters all in one place!
Local Industries
There are two factories just outside Tokomaru. One of them, Stevensons Structural Engineers, used to build large steel structures. It employed many people from Tokomaru. However, it closed down on March 3rd, 2023. The other factory used to be a dairy factory. It was being updated in 2011.
Understanding Tokomaru's Population
Tokomaru is a rural settlement. This means it is a small community outside of a big city.
How Many People Live Here?
Statistics New Zealand says Tokomaru covers about 2.91 square kilometres (1.12 square miles). As of 2018, about 640 people lived in Tokomaru. This means there were about 220 people living in each square kilometre.
Population Changes Over Time
The number of people living in Tokomaru has grown.
| Historical population for Tokomaru | ||
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| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 2006 | 459 | — |
| 2013 | 483 | +0.73% |
| 2018 | 531 | +1.91% |
In 2018, the population was 531 people. This was an increase of 48 people (9.9%) since 2013. It was also an increase of 72 people (15.7%) since 2006. There were 192 homes in Tokomaru. There were 264 males and 267 females. About 147 people (27.7%) were under 15 years old.
Who Lives in Tokomaru?
Most people in Tokomaru are of European or Pākehā background (84.7%). About 27.1% are Māori. There are also smaller groups of Pasifika (4.0%) and Asian (3.4%) people. Some people have more than one ethnic background.
Beliefs and Work
Many people in Tokomaru (58.8%) said they had no religion. About 28.8% were Christian. A small number followed Hinduism (0.6%) or Buddhism (0.6%).
About 16.4% of adults had a university degree or higher. Many people (57.8%) worked full-time. About 10.2% worked part-time.
Education in Tokomaru
Tokomaru School is a primary school for children from Year 1 to Year 8. It is a co-educational school, meaning both boys and girls attend. As of February 2024, the school has 86 students.
