Westshore, New Zealand facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Westshore
|
|
|---|---|
|
Suburb
|
|
Westshore Beach Reserve
|
|
 Westshore
Location in New Zealand
|
|
| Country | New Zealand |
| Local authority | Napier |
| Electoral ward | Ahuriri Ward |
| Area | |
| • Land | 93 ha (230 acre) |
| Population
(June 2023)
|
|
| • Total | 1,270 |
| Airport(s) | Hawke's Bay Airport |
  Westshore, New Zealand  |
||
Westshore is a coastal suburb located in the northern part of Napier city. It is part of the Hawke's Bay area in New Zealand. This area is well-known for its beautiful beaches and sunny weather.
Contents
A Look at Westshore's Past
Westshore has an interesting history. The first European settlers built homes here in 1850. Back then, it was mostly a narrow strip of sand. Even before a big earthquake, Westshore was a popular place for holidays. People loved to go yachting and boating there.
In 1931, a powerful earthquake hit Napier. This earthquake changed the land a lot. It lifted the ground, making the Ahuriri Lagoon much smaller. This created new land for Westshore to grow. Before the earthquake, the beach was rough and stony. After the earthquake, it became a safe, sandy beach perfect for swimming. Over the years, people have worked to make the beachfront even nicer. These efforts have made Westshore one of Napier's most loved beaches.
The Westshore Surf Lifesaving Club
The Napier Swimming and Lifesaving Club was one of the first surf lifesaving clubs in New Zealand. It started in the 1910s. In 1958, a new part of this club began patrolling Westshore Beach. This was because Westshore had become the top swimming spot for people in Napier.
The members of this new group wanted to start their own club. So, on October 28, 1959, the Westshore Surf Lifesaving Club was officially formed. The club has its own two-story building near the beach, which opened in 1963. Today, surf lifesavers still patrol Westshore Beach during the summer months. They help keep everyone safe while swimming.
Where is Westshore?
Westshore is located right on the northern coast of Napier. It sits along the shores of Hawke Bay. The 1931 earthquake had a huge impact on the land here. It raised the coastal land around Napier by about two metres. This created new land that was once under the Ahuriri Lagoon. The earthquake also changed the beach from a rough, stony shore to a soft, sandy one.
Today, Westshore Beach is a great place for fun activities. People enjoy swimming, having picnics, and sunbathing. Because of the new land created by the earthquake, more houses were built in Westshore. You can also find many motels here. The land where Hawke's Bay Airport is located was also created by this earthquake. Westshore is one of Napier's most popular beaches. It is often preferred over the steeper, stony beach along Marine Parade for swimming.
Who Lives in Westshore?
Westshore covers about 0.93 square kilometres. As of 2023, it has an estimated population of about 1,170 people. This means there are about 1,258 people living in each square kilometre.
In 2018, Westshore had 1,143 residents. This was an increase of 84 people since 2013. There were 498 households, with slightly more females than males. The average age of people in Westshore was 50.3 years. About 14.7% of the people were under 15 years old.
Most people in Westshore are of European background (87.7%). About 15.2% identify as Māori. Smaller groups include Pacific peoples and Asian people. About 17.6% of Westshore residents were born outside New Zealand.
When asked about religion, many people (47.0%) said they had no religion. About 42.3% were Christian.
Schools in Westshore
Westshore School is the local primary school. It teaches students from New Entrants (the youngest students) up to Year 6. The school first opened its doors in 1897. As of 2024, it has about 185 students.
