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Ōkiwi Bay

Coordinates: 41°06′45″S 173°39′36″E / 41.11250°S 173.66000°E / -41.11250; 173.66000
From Tilcayo Cats, the lean encyclopaedia by Tilcayo Knowledge Systems

This article is about Ōkiwi Bay in the Marlborough Sounds; not to be confused with Ōkiwi Bay to the south of the Waiau Toa / Clarence River mouth or Okiwi-iti (now Rona Bay) near Eastbourne, Lower Hutt.
Ōkiwi Bay
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Interactive map of Ōkiwi Bay
Coordinates: 41°06′45″S 173°39′36″E / 41.11250°S 173.66000°E / -41.11250; 173.66000
CountryNew Zealand
RegionMarlborough
Ward
  • Marlborough Sounds General Ward
  • Marlborough Māori Ward
Electorates
Government
 • Territorial AuthorityMarlborough District Council
 • Marlborough District MayorNadine Taylor[1]
 • Kaikōura MPStuart Smith[2]
 • Te Tai Tonga MPTākuta Ferris[3]
Area
[5]
 • Total
1.08 km2 (0.42 sq mi)
Population
 (June 2025)[4]
 • Total
80
 • Density74/km2 (190/sq mi)

Ōkiwi Bay is a small town in the Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand, within Croisilles Harbour. It has about 200 houses and about 80 permanent residents.[6] The area was noted for its oysters.[7][8]

Name

Ōkiwi Bay officially had a macron added to its name on 5 November 2018 by the New Zealand Geographic Board.[9] The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "place of the kiwi" for Ōkiwi.[10]

About

There were pre-European Māori settlements in this area and the Bay's name dates from those times. The primary Ngāti Koata settlement in the area was at Whangarae, adjacent to Ōkiwi Bay on the western side of Goat Hill.[11] In 1880 50 acres was leased by the Crown to Alabby Hobbs.[12] A saw mill was opened in the 1890s by Messrs Mace and Holland who had lease 3,200 acres of Māori land.[13][14] A track to the Rai Valley was made in 1895.[15] By 1904 Ōkiwi Bay had become a popular destination for holiday makers.[16]

In 1957 a unique patu was uncovered while excavating a load of single from a beach in Ōkiwi Bay. The patu was described as being stone and resembling a medieval mace. The style was more in line with those from the Chatham Islands, but the stone was definitely of local, Ōkiwi Bay, origin.[17]

It is a base for the Okiwi Bay Voluntary Rural Fire Force and St John's Ambulance. There is a holiday park and the area is predominantly a holiday resort.[6] In 2015 when a Dutch aquaculture company, Skretting, proposed setting up a fish farm in the Bay, local residents protested against it, stating that it would ruin the natural resources of the area.[18] The Environment Court granted permission for Skretting's to proceed in 2016.[19] In 2017 the settlement got mobile phone coverage.[20]

Demographics

Ōkiwi Bay is described by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement. It covers 1.08 km2 (0.42 sq mi)[5] and had an estimated population of 80 as of June 2025,[4] with a population density of 74 people per km2. It is part of the larger Marlborough Sounds West statistical area.[21]

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
200699—    
201381−2.83%
201863−4.90%
202384+5.92%
Source: [22][23]

Ōkiwi Bay had a population of 84 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 21 people (33.3%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 3 people (3.7%) since the 2013 census. There were 42 males and 45 females in 48 dwellings.[24] The median age was 67.2 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were no people aged under 15 years, 3 (3.6%) aged 15 to 29, 33 (39.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 48 (57.1%) aged 65 or older.[22]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 92.9% European (Pākehā), 17.9% Māori, and 3.6% Pasifika. English was spoken by 100.0%, Māori by 3.6%, and other languages by 3.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 7.1, compared with 28.8% nationally.[22]

The sole religious affiliation given was 25.0% Christian. People who answered that they had no religion were 57.1%, and 17.9% of people did not answer the census question.[22]

Of those at least 15 years old, 9 (10.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 42 (50.0%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 36 (42.9%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $27,200, compared with $41,500 nationally. 3 people (3.6%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 24 (28.6%) full-time, 12 (14.3%) part-time, and 3 (3.6%) unemployed.[22]

References

  1. ↑ "2025 Triennial Elections Declaration of Result" (PDF). Electionz. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  2. ↑ "Kaikōura - Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  3. ↑ "Te Tai Tonga – Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Subnational population estimates - Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Urban Rural 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 A quaint little drinking village with a fishing problem, Stuff.co.nz, Selina Powell, published 10:14 Jun 09 2015, retrieved 26 July 2019
  7. ↑ Nelson and Marlborough Oyster History, Ken Wright, Journal of the Nelson and Marlborough Historical Societies, Volume 2, Issue 4, 1990, Nelson Historical Society (Inc.), Nelson
  8. ↑ Tracks, Colonist, 31 December 1900, Page 4
  9. ↑ Okiwi Bay, National Library of New Zealand
  10. ↑ "1000 Māori place names". New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 6 August 2019.
  11. ↑ The Croixelles Maori School, Nelson Evening Mail 14 November 1904 Page 2
  12. ↑ Government Notices, Page 2 Advertisements Column 5, Colonist, VOLUME XXIII, ISSUE 2700, 6 May 1880
  13. ↑ New mail service, The Colonist, Nelson, Thursday, January 10, 1895, page 2
  14. ↑ Tenders, Colonist, page 2, 19 January 1898
  15. ↑ Pelorous Guardian and Miners Advocate, 22 January 1895
  16. ↑ The contraband of war question, Nelson Evening Mail 28 September 1904 Page 2
  17. ↑ Journal of the Polynesian Society, Volume 68 1959, No. 2, An unrecorded type of patu from western Marlborough Sounds, G. Leslie Adkin, p 86–92
  18. ↑ Okiwi Bay residents protest against fish farm, Newshub, 26 March 2016, Emily Cooper, retrievedc 26 July 2019
  19. ↑ Skretting Ltd granted permission to establish a finfish research facility at Okiwi Bay in the Marlborough Sounds, Stuff.co.nz, Elena McPhee, 18:14, Jul 11 2016, retrieved 26 July 2019
  20. ↑ retrieved 27 July 2019 Okiwi Bay gets coverage for boating season Wednesday, 1 November 2017, 1:37 pm Press Release: Spark NZ
  21. ↑ "Geographic Boundary Viewer". Stats NZ. Urban Rural Areas – 2023 and Statistical Area 2 – 2023.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Ōkiwi Bay (2026). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  23. ↑ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7023225.
  24. ↑ "Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
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