Waldronville facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Waldronville
Suburb
Waldronville Location in New Zealand
Country	New Zealand
Local authority	Dunedin
Area
• Land	52 ha (128 acre)
Population  (2018 Census)
• Total	909

	Waldronville

Waldronville is a small town located on the coast of New Zealand's South Island. It sits right by the Pacific Ocean. This community was started in the 1950s for people who worked in nearby Dunedin. It's about 13 kilometers (8 miles) southwest of Dunedin city center. Waldronville is part of the larger Dunedin city area.

History of Waldronville

Waldronville was developed by Bill Waldron. He bought a farm in the early 1950s. His first plan was to build about 200 houses there. This is how the settlement got its start.

Growing the Community

In the mid-1970s, two more streets were added to the southwest part of Waldronville. Later, in the mid-1990s, new areas called Friendship Drive and Wavy Knowes were built to the northeast.

Street Names

Many of the streets in Waldronville are named after World War II-era aircraft. This gives the town a unique connection to history.

Exploring Waldronville's Surroundings

Waldronville is near some interesting places and natural features. The town of Brighton is about 7 kilometers (4 miles) southwest. A tiny place called Westwood is located halfway between Waldronville and Brighton.

Kaikorai Lagoon

Close to Waldronville is the Kaikorai Lagoon. This is a large area of water at the mouth of the Kaikorai Stream. A sandbar protects it from the ocean. The lagoon stretches inland almost to the Dunedin suburb of Green Island, which is 3 kilometers (2 miles) north. This lagoon is part of a special research project. Scientists are studying it to help create a way to monitor estuaries (where rivers meet the sea) across the country.

Island Park and Blackhead

The actual island that shares the suburb's name is about 2 kilometers (1 mile) offshore to the south of Waldronville. The Island Park Recreation Reserve is a protected natural area. It sits between the village and the coast.

To the east of Waldronville, you'll find a rocky area called Blackhead. There's a large quarry here that digs up basalt rock. This basalt is used for road building. You can also see cool hexagonal basalt columns at Blackhead. These are similar to other rock formations found further east at Second Beach.

Local Connections

Waldronville is connected to Brighton and Taieri Mouth to the southwest by a coastal road. In the other direction, the road goes to Green Island. A small rural road passes by the quarry and Tunnel Beach. This road then connects to Dunedin's main street system at Corstorphine.

Other Nearby Places

Green Park Cemetery, one of Dunedin's main cemeteries, is located near Waldronville. Dunedin's only permanent motor racing track, Beachlands Speedway, is also close to the southern end of Waldronville.

People and Community

The Waldronville settlement covers about 0.52 square kilometers (0.20 square miles). In 2018, the population was 909 people. This was an increase of 126 people since 2013.

Who Lives Here?

In 2018, there were 318 households in Waldronville. There were slightly more males (462) than females (438). About 198 people (21.8%) were under 15 years old. Most people (94.4%) were of European descent. About 8.3% identified as Māori.

Beliefs and Work

Many people in Waldronville (59.4%) said they had no religion. About 29.7% were Christian. Most adults (57.4%) worked full-time.

Education in Waldronville

Waldronville School was a primary school for students in years 1 to 8. It closed in 2010 because fewer students were attending. The school site was cleared in 2013. This was done to make space for new houses to be built.