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Apata, New Zealand

Coordinates: 37°38′54″S 175°59′04″E / 37.6484°S 175.9845°E / -37.6484; 175.9845
From Tilcayo Cats, the lean encyclopaedia by Tilcayo Knowledge Systems

Apata
Rural community
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Interactive map of Apata
Coordinates: 37°38′54″S 175°59′04″E / 37.6484°S 175.9845°E / -37.6484; 175.9845
CountryNew Zealand
RegionBay of Plenty
Territorial authorityWestern Bay of Plenty District
WardKatikati-Waihi Beach Ward
Electorates
Government
 • Territorial AuthorityWestern Bay of Plenty District Council
 • Regional councilBay of Plenty Regional Council
 • Mayor of Western Bay of PlentyJames Denyer[1]
 • Coromandel MPScott Simpson[2]
 • Waiariki MPRawiri Waititi[3]
Area
[4]
 • Total
2.65 km2 (1.02 sq mi)
Population
 (2023)[5]
 • Total
186
 • Density70.2/km2 (182/sq mi)
Postcode(s)
3172

Apata is a locality in the Western Bay of Plenty District and Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand's North Island, close to Tauranga Harbour. The East Coast Main Trunk railway and State Highway 2 run through Apata.[6]

History

People started living in the Bay of Plenty around 1400AD and later four Ngāi Te Rangi pā sites were built around Apata.[7] Following their defeat at Te Ranga in 1864 the Government forced purchase of the 4,359 acres (1,764 ha) Apata Block, as part of Te Puna block, including Pahoia and Wainui, to award to 1st Waikato Militia Regiment settlers.[8][9]

A school with 9 pupils[10] opened in a house on 4 July 1927. The school moved to Pahoia[9] on 4 August 1931.[11]

Since 1984[9] Apata has a kiwifruit and avocado packhouse/coolstore beside the old railway station site.[12]

Fundraising for Apata Hall began in 1943[13] and it opened in 1952.[9] It was burned down in 2004, after police closed a party there[14] and an 18 year old English tourist set light to a car,[15] for which he had a 2 year prison sentence.[9] In 2011 it was replaced by a hall at Pahoia[16] and the old site became a freedom camping area.[17]

Railway station

Apata had a station on the East Coast Main Trunk from 28 March 1928 to 11 September 1967,[18] though a special train ran on 29 February 1928[19] and goods were carried from 5 March. New Zealand Railways (NZR) took over from the Public Works Department (PWD) on 18 June 1928. The station had a shelter shed, cart approach, a 30 ft (9.1 m) x 20 ft (6.1 m) goods shed, cattle and sheep yards, a loading bank, 4 railway houses[20] (sold and removed in the 1970s)[9] and a passing loop for 48 wagons. It also had toilets until they were closed in 1958.[20] The stationmaster for the area was at Katikati.[21] There remains a passing loop at the station site[22] and another at Whatakao,[23] 4.13 km (2.57 mi) to the west.[24]

Trains averaged around 20 km/h (12 mph). For example, a train in 1930 was advertised as leaving Paeroa at 6am, Waihi at 7.7am, Apata 8.32am and reaching Tauranga at 9.40am.[25] Waihi was 21.28 km (13.22 mi) from Paeroa, Apata 61.82 km (38.41 mi) and Tauranga 81.66 km (50.74 mi).[24]

The station was on the 18.5 mi (29.8 km) section of the ECMT between Tahawai and Te Puna,[26] work on which was stopped in 1922 to save money.[27] In 1924 Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth & Co won a contract to build it for about £500,000. Due to difficulties in establishing firm foundations for the line and its bridges, it was the last section of the Auckland-Tāneatua line to be completed.[26] It was unusual at the time for contracts to be given to private companies, rather than to PWD, or worker cooperatives.[28] The contractors built a wharf and stacking yard at Mount Maunganui, and landing-stages at several estuaries along the Harbour. They built 100 x 2-man, 13 x 4-man, 66 x 6-man huts, 46 married quarters, 3 cookhouses, 4 bathhouses, 2 recreation-rooms, quarters for field engineers and had two steam-locomotives, six steam-navvies, six petrol-locomotives, two steam pile-drivers, concrete-mixers, launches, punts, motor-lorries and ballast-trucks. Earthworks amounted to 1,229,000 yd3 (940,000 m3).[29] 15 large bridges were built, using steel plate girders. Ballast came from pits at Aongatete.[30]

When the Kaimai Deviation, between Waharoa and Apata, through the Kaimai tunnel, opened on 12 September 1978, the original line closed, except for the Goldfields Railway, west from Waihi.[31] Percy Allen, the Minister of Works, turned the first sod for the Deviation on 2 October 1965 at Apata.[32] It was then estimated as a £5.75m project, set against repairs of £3m needed for the line via Waihi.[33] The Deviation and was variously described as a 25 km (16 mi),[34] 24.9 km (15.5 mi),[35] or 24.01 km (14.92 mi) line.[36] Kiwirail's Network Map indicates the distance as 25.38 km (15.77 mi), Apata being 77.38 km (48.08 mi) from Hamilton and Waharoa Junction 52 km (32 mi).[37] It reduced the distance from Hamilton by 50.65 km (31.47 mi),[24] or another source indicates 55.88 km (34.72 mi), Apata being shown as 64 mi 52 ch (104.0 km) from Morrinsville Junction in 1943, which was 18 mi 12 ch (29.2 km) from Frankton Junction and Apata as 77.32 km (48.04 mi) from the ECMT junction points in 1987.[20]

In 1981 it was decided the railway between Apata and Katikati would remain to proposed processing plants at Katikati.[20] However, the track was lifted,[9] though the 210 ft (64 m) Wainui bridge remains.[38][39]

Demographics

Apata locality covers 2.65 km2 (1.02 sq mi).[4] The demographics are also included at Pahoia.

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
2006132—    
2013126−0.66%
2018159+4.76%
2023186+3.19%
Source: [5][41]

Apata had a population of 186 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 27 people (17.0%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 60 people (47.6%) since the 2013 census. There were 84 males and 105 females in 66 dwellings.[42] 1.6% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 46.2 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 42 people (22.6%) aged under 15 years, 18 (9.7%) aged 15 to 29, 78 (41.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 48 (25.8%) aged 65 or older.[5]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 95.2% European (Pākehā), 12.9% Māori, 4.8% Pasifika, 1.6% Asian, and 3.2% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 98.4%, Māori by 1.6%, and other languages by 8.1%. No language could be spoken by 1.6% (e.g. too young to talk). The percentage of people born overseas was 17.7, compared with 28.8% nationally.[5]

Religious affiliations were 25.8% Christian, 1.6% Māori religious beliefs, and 1.6% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 66.1%, and 6.5% of people did not answer the census question.[5]

Of those at least 15 years old, 36 (25.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 81 (56.2%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 27 (18.8%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $44,000, compared with $41,500 nationally. 18 people (12.5%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 69 (47.9%) full-time and 33 (22.9%) part-time.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "2025 Triennial Elections Declaration of Result" (PDF). Electionz. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  2. ↑ "Coromandel - Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
  3. ↑ "Waiariki – Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 1 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 1 May 2026.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. 7013606. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  6. ↑ "Apata". gazetteer.linz.govt.nz. 15 April 2013. Retrieved 19 April 2026.
  7. ↑ Garry Law (2008). "Archaeology of the Bay of Plenty" (PDF). Department of Conservation.
  8. ↑ "The Te Puna block. New Zealand Herald". 18 May 1865.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 Robert Craig Scott (2024). Pahoia – Apata – Aongatete – Matahui: The Government Acquisition and Carve up of Māori Land. Robert Craig Scott. ISBN 978-0-473-72844-1. Retrieved 21 April 2026 – via Tauranga City Library.
  10. ↑ "Kati-Kati schools. Bay of Plenty Times". 22 July 1927.
  11. ↑ "Personal. Bay of Plenty Times". 31 July 1931.
  12. ↑ "Contact". Apata. Retrieved 19 April 2026.
  13. ↑ "Katikati news. Bay of Plenty Times". 30 December 1943.
  14. ↑ "Hall burned after police end party". NZ Herald. 2 February 2004. Retrieved 21 April 2026.
  15. ↑ "Katikati: An Historical Tour with Ellen McCormack". Debbie McCauley, Author. 10 September 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2026.
  16. ↑ "From the ashes, finally, a new hall". NZ Herald. 19 January 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2026.
  17. ↑ "Apata Hall (old site)" (PDF). westernbay.govt.
  18. ↑ Scoble, Juliet (2010). "Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations" (PDF). Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 July 2020. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  19. ↑ "Bay of Plenty Times". 28 February 1928.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 Scoble, Juliet. "Station Archive". Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand.
  21. ↑ "Railway traffic. Bay of Plenty Times". 29 April 1933.
  22. ↑ "Tauranga W Rd". Google Maps. April 2025. Retrieved 19 April 2026.
  23. ↑ "Kiwitahi Railway Road". Google maps. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 New Zealand Railway and Tramway Atlas (First ed.). Quail Map Co. 1965. pp. 3 & 4.
  25. ↑ "Bay of Plenty Times". 8 November 1930.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 "East coast railway. Poverty Bay Herald". 28 March 1928.
  27. ↑ "East coast railway. Te Puke Times". 31 January 1922.
  28. ↑ "Public Works Statement by the Hon. J. G. Coates, Minister of Public Works". 1923.
  29. ↑ "Public Works Statement by the Hon. J. G. Coates, Minister of Public Works". 1925.
  30. ↑ "East Coast Railway Contract. Bay of Plenty Times". 10 November 1924.
  31. ↑ "Trains to run on line again. Press". 7 November 1979.
  32. ↑ "Kaimai tunnel. Press". 4 October 1965.
  33. ↑ "Minister Is Now A Tunnel Fan. Evening Post". 22 July 1965.
  34. ↑ "Tunnel opened. Press". 13 September 1978.
  35. ↑ "'Open-day' for the $56M Kaimai Tunnel. Press". 12 September 1978.
  36. ↑ Kaimai Railway Deviation. Ministry of Works. 1971.
  37. ↑ "KiwiRail Network Map". arcgis.com. Retrieved 21 April 2026.
  38. ↑ "EAST COAST MAIN TRUNK RAILWAY (Bay of Plenty Times, 1925-12-04)". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  39. ↑ "Tauranga W Rd". Google Maps. April 2025. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  40. ↑ Yonge, John Roger (1993). New Zealand Railway and Tramway Atlas. Quail Map Company. ISBN 9780900609923.
  41. ↑ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7013606.
  42. ↑ "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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