Upper Moutere facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Upper Moutere
Rural locality
Centre of village
Country	New Zealand
Territorial authority	Tasman
Ward	Moutere-Waimea Ward
Electorates	West Coast-Tasman Te Tai Tonga (Māori)
Area
• Total	30.23 km2 (11.67 sq mi)
Population  (2018 Census)
• Total	216
• Density	7.145/km2 (18.51/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+12 (New Zealand Standard Time)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+13 (New Zealand Daylight Time)
Postcode	7173

St. Paul's Lutheran Church

Upper Moutere is a small place in the Tasman District of New Zealand. It's located near Motueka at the top of the South Island. The first German settlers called it Sarau.

History of Upper Moutere

Upper Moutere has a cool history, especially about its first settlers.

German Settlers Arrive

Back in 1839, a group called the New Zealand Company wanted to bring German people to New Zealand. They even had someone in Germany, Mr. Bockelman, to help with this.

The British Government agreed to let German colonists become British subjects as soon as they arrived in Nelson. This was after they had been checked in Hamburg, Germany.

Most of the 140 German immigrants came on a ship called the St Pauli in 1843. They were mostly Lutheran Protestants. These settlers helped start the villages of Sarau (which is now Upper Moutere) and Neudorf.

The Journey to New Zealand

The trip on the St Pauli was very long, lasting 176 days. During the journey, some sad things happened, like four young children passing away. But there were also happy events, like seven couples getting married! Two passengers even left the ship at a stopover port.

When they first arrived, things were good. But soon, the settlers faced problems like not enough land and money. Life became harder for a while. Many workers had to take lower wages. By 1846, about a quarter of the immigrants had moved away from Nelson.

New Leaders and a Name Change

Charles Kelling was in charge of the second ship of German immigrants, the Skjold, which arrived in 1844. He moved to Sarau and became an important leader there. He helped represent the Moutere area on the Nelson Provincial Council, which was like a local government.

Later, during the First World War, people in New Zealand felt strongly against Germany. Because of this, Sarau was renamed Upper Moutere.

People of Upper Moutere

This section tells you about the people who live in Upper Moutere.

Upper Moutere Village Population

The village of Upper Moutere covers about 30.23 square kilometers.

Moutere Inn, a local landmark

In 2018, the village and its nearby areas had 216 people. This was an increase of 36 people since 2013. There were 81 homes. There were slightly more males (114) than females (105).

The average age of people in Upper Moutere was 52.9 years. About 16.7% of the people were under 15 years old. Most people, 56.9%, were between 30 and 64 years old.

Most people (97.2%) in Upper Moutere are of European background. A small number (4.2%) are Māori.

When asked about religion, most people (59.7%) said they had no religion. About 27.8% were Christian.

Many people in Upper Moutere have good education. About 26.7% of adults had a university degree. The average income was $33,900. Most adults (53.3%) worked full-time.

Wider Upper Moutere Area

The larger Upper Moutere statistical area is much bigger, covering about 445.94 square kilometers.

As of 2023, this wider area has an estimated population of 2,070 people.

Education in Upper Moutere

Upper Moutere has its own school for local children.

Upper Moutere School

Upper Moutere School is a public school for students from Year 1 to Year 8. It teaches both boys and girls. As of February 2024, the school has a roll of 79 students.

The very first school in Upper Moutere opened in 1857. The school building used today opened in 1929. Interestingly, the classroom from the first school was moved to the current school grounds in the 1940s. This old classroom might be the oldest one still being used in New Zealand!