Wharekahika facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wharekahika / Hicks Bay
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Town
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Gisborne District |
| Ward | Tairāwhiti General Ward |
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| Area | |
| • Total | 1.28 km2 (0.49 sq mi) |
| Population
(June 2023)
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| • Total | 190 |
| • Density | 148/km2 (384/sq mi) |
| Postcode(s) |
4087
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Wharekahika, also known as Hicks Bay, is a beautiful bay and coastal area in New Zealand. You can find it in the Gisborne District, on the North Island. It's about 150 kilometers east of Ōpōtiki. It's also 186 kilometers north of Gisborne city. The main road, State Highway 35, passes right through it.
The bay got its name from Zachary Hickes. He was the second-in-command on Captain James Cook's ship, the Endeavour. They sailed past this area on October 31, 1769. On June 10, 2019, the bay's name was officially changed to Wharekahika / Hicks Bay.
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People Living in Wharekahika / Hicks Bay
Statistics New Zealand describes Hicks Bay as a small rural settlement. It covers an area of 1.28 square kilometers. As of 2018, about 190 people live here. This means there are about 148 people for every square kilometer.
In the 2018 New Zealand census, Hicks Bay had 162 residents. This was a small increase of 9 people since 2013. It was also 15 more people than in 2006. There were 54 households in total.
The community had 75 males and 87 females. The average age of people living here was 26.6 years. This is younger than the national average of 37.4 years. A large part of the population, 57 people (35.2%), were under 15 years old.
Most people in Hicks Bay identify as Māori, making up 96.3% of the population. About 14.8% were European/Pākehā. Some people also identified as Pacific peoples.
When it came to religion, half of the people (50.0%) said they had no religion. About 37.0% were Christian. A small number followed Māori religious beliefs or other religions.
For those aged 15 and older, 15 people (14.3%) had a university degree or higher. About 27 people (25.7%) did not have any formal qualifications. The average income was $20,000. This is less than the national average of $31,800. Most adults were employed full-time or part-time.
Weather in Wharekahika / Hicks Bay
Hicks Bay has a mild and pleasant climate. Summers are warm, and winters are not too cold. The area gets a lot of rain throughout the year. This helps to keep the landscape very green and lush.
| Climate data for Hicks Bay, elevation 46 m (151 ft), (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1990–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 30.6 (87.1) |
31.8 (89.2) |
26.5 (79.7) |
24.5 (76.1) |
23.0 (73.4) |
20.6 (69.1) |
18.9 (66.0) |
18.8 (65.8) |
20.2 (68.4) |
22.6 (72.7) |
24.8 (76.6) |
26.3 (79.3) |
31.8 (89.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 22.0 (71.6) |
22.6 (72.7) |
21.4 (70.5) |
19.5 (67.1) |
17.3 (63.1) |
15.3 (59.5) |
14.4 (57.9) |
14.8 (58.6) |
15.8 (60.4) |
17.1 (62.8) |
18.4 (65.1) |
20.4 (68.7) |
18.3 (64.8) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 18.8 (65.8) |
19.4 (66.9) |
18.2 (64.8) |
16.3 (61.3) |
14.2 (57.6) |
12.1 (53.8) |
11.4 (52.5) |
11.6 (52.9) |
12.7 (54.9) |
13.9 (57.0) |
15.2 (59.4) |
17.3 (63.1) |
15.1 (59.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 15.5 (59.9) |
16.2 (61.2) |
14.9 (58.8) |
13.0 (55.4) |
11.1 (52.0) |
9.0 (48.2) |
8.4 (47.1) |
8.4 (47.1) |
9.6 (49.3) |
10.8 (51.4) |
12.0 (53.6) |
14.2 (57.6) |
11.9 (53.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 7.0 (44.6) |
7.8 (46.0) |
6.3 (43.3) |
2.9 (37.2) |
0.6 (33.1) |
1.2 (34.2) |
0.9 (33.6) |
1.0 (33.8) |
2.2 (36.0) |
1.7 (35.1) |
2.9 (37.2) |
5.7 (42.3) |
0.6 (33.1) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 79.2 (3.12) |
100.2 (3.94) |
106.1 (4.18) |
101.0 (3.98) |
140.2 (5.52) |
168.2 (6.62) |
160.0 (6.30) |
137.2 (5.40) |
99.5 (3.92) |
99.8 (3.93) |
77.4 (3.05) |
102.5 (4.04) |
1,371.3 (54) |
| Source: NIWA | |||||||||||||
Marae: A Special Meeting Place
The marae is a very important meeting place for Māori people. In Wharekahika, the local marae is called Hinemaurea ki Wharekahika Marae. It is a gathering spot for different groups, or hapū, of the Ngāti Porou tribe. These groups include Ngāti Tuere, Te Whānau a Te Aotakī, and Te Whānau a Tuwhakairiora. The marae also has a special meeting house called Tūwhakairiora.
In October 2020, the New Zealand Government provided money to improve Hinemaurea ki Wharekahika Marae. This funding helped create 12 jobs for people in the area.
Learning and Education
Wharekahika is home to Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Kawakawa Mai Tawhiti. This is a special school where students learn mostly in the Māori language. It teaches children from Year 1 all the way up to Year 13. As of February 2024. , the school had a roll of 119 students.
