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Kihikihi

Coordinates: 38°2′S 175°21′E / 38.033°S 175.350°E / -38.033; 175.350
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Kihikihi
Kihikihi Town Hall (c.1904)
Kihikihi Town Hall (c.1904)
Map
Coordinates: 38°2′S 175°21′E / 38.033°S 175.350°E / -38.033; 175.350
CountryNew Zealand
RegionWaikato
DistrictWaipā District
WardTe Awamutu General Ward
CommunityTe Awamutu Community
Electorates
Government
 • Territorial AuthorityWaipā District Council
 • Regional councilWaikato Regional Council
 • Mayor of WaipaSusan O'Regan[1]
 • Taranaki-King Country MPBarbara Kuriger[2]
 • Hauraki-Waikato MPHana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke[3]
Area
[4]
 • Total
8.80 km2 (3.40 sq mi)
Population
 (June 2024)[5]
 • Total
3,620
 • Density410/km2 (1,100/sq mi)

Kihikihi, a small town located in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand, serves as a satellite community of Te Awamutu, five kilometres to the north, and lies 35 kilometres south of Hamilton. The estimated population was 3,620 as of June 2024.[5]

Kihikihi is a Māori-language word meaning "cicada"; the name imitates the sound made by the insect.[6]

History

[edit]

Kihikihi in the 19th century was described as a "border settlement" or a "frontier town" by James Cowan, ruined in the 1880s by the "Great Wet Peace" with the partition of the King Country and land-buying from Māori.[7]

Demographics

[edit]

Kihikihi covers 8.80 km2 (3.40 sq mi)[4] and had an estimated population of 3,620 as of June 2024,[5] with a population density of 411 people per km2.

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
20062,361—    
20132,409+0.29%
20182,754+2.71%
20233,456+4.65%
The 2006 population is for a larger area of 10.09 km2.
Source: [8][9]
Kihikihi Star Hotel (c.1883)
The Kihikihi cicada statue

Kihikihi had a population of 3,456 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 702 people (25.5%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 1,047 people (43.5%) since the 2013 census. There were 1,698 males, 1,749 females, and 9 people of other genders in 1,212 dwellings.[10] 2.9% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 34.2 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 777 people (22.5%) aged under 15 years, 690 (20.0%) aged 15 to 29, 1,494 (43.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 498 (14.4%) aged 65 or older.[8]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 79.3% European (Pākehā); 30.1% Māori; 3.6% Pasifika; 5.2% Asian; 0.5% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.0% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 95.8%, Māori by 6.9%, Samoan by 0.3%, and other languages by 6.9%. No language could be spoken by 2.9% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.5%. The percentage of people born overseas was 15.4, compared with 28.8% nationally.[8]

Religious affiliations were 26.2% Christian, 1.5% Hindu, 0.1% Islam, 2.1% Māori religious beliefs, 0.7% Buddhist, 0.5% New Age, 0.1% Jewish, and 1.1% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 60.4%, and 7.4% of people did not answer the census question.[8]

Of those at least 15 years old, 462 (17.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 1,554 (58.0%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 666 (24.9%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $45,600, compared with $41,500 nationally. 243 people (9.1%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 1,533 (57.2%) full-time, 321 (12.0%) part-time, and 66 (2.5%) unemployed.[8]

Individual statistical areas
Name Area
(km2)		 Population Density
(per km2)		 Dwellings Median age Median
income
St Leger 6.56 624 95 222 40.8 years $55,200[11]
Kihikihi Central 2.24 2,829 1,263 990 33.2 years $43,900[12]
New Zealand 38.1 years $41,500

People

[edit]

John Rochford (1832–1893)[13], a railroad surveyor, died in the Star Hotel and is buried in the Kihikihi Cemetery.

Rewi Maniapoto (1807–1894), a Maori chief, lived in Kihikihi.

Archaeological sites

[edit]

20 archaeological sites have been identified in the town,[14] 9 of which are listed by Heritage New Zealand -

  • c1868 Alpha Hotel[15]
  • 1879 Major Jackson's House[16]
  • 1881 Christ Church (Anglican)[17]
  • 1883 Star Hotel[18]
  • 1894 Rewi Maniapoto Memorial and Reserve[19]
  • 1904 Town Hall[20]
  • 1907 Constable's House and Police Station[21]
  • 1920 World War One Memorial[22]
  • 94 Lyon St[23]

Under the Reserves Act 1977, a management plan for some of the historic area was drawn up for Waipa District Council.[24]

Education

[edit]

Kihikihi School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,[25] with a roll of 189 as of March 2025[26] Kihikihi is a dual medium Kura, meaning there is an Aoraki stream taught in English, and a Rumaki stream taught entirely in Te Reo Māori. It opened in 1873, and moved to its current site in 1884. It was destroyed by fire in 1938, and rebuilt in 1952.[27]

Transport

[edit]

Kihikihi is on SH3. An infrequent bus service operated by GoBus links it to Te Awamutu and Hamilton.[28] The Kihikihi Trail cycleway to Te Awamutu[29] opened in 2017.[30]

Sport

[edit]

Kihikihi Speedway is a motorcycle speedway venue located on Grey Street.[31] The track races various types of cars, such as stock cars, superstocks, midgets, sprint cars, sidecars and saloons, in addition to motorcycle speedway.[32][33] and has been a significant venue for important motorcycle speedway events, including qualifying rounds of the Speedway World Championship[34][35] and finals of the New Zealand Solo Championship.[36]

References

[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kihikihi.
  1. ^ "Mayor and Councillors". Waipā District Council. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
  2. ^ "Taranaki-King Country - Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  3. ^ "Hauraki-Waikato – Official Result". New Zealand Electoral Commission. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Urban Rural 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 24 April 2025.
  5. ^ a b c "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  6. ^ Reed, A. W. (1975). The Reed Dictionary of New Zealand Place Names. Max Cryer. Auckland: Reed (published 2002). p. 250. ISBN 0790007614. Lit. cicada or tree-locust (Amphipsalta cingulata), a name that imitates its strident song.
  7. ^ "Frontier Town - the life or a Border Settlement (1940 article)". NZETC. 1940.
  8. ^ a b c d e "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Kihikihi (1189). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  9. ^ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. St Leger (184500) and Kihikihi Central (184800).
  10. ^ "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.
  11. ^ "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer. St Leger. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  12. ^ "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer. Kihikihi Central. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  13. ^ Exploring New Zealand's interior
  14. ^ "NZAA Site Viewer". archsite.eaglegis.co.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  15. ^ "Alpha Hotel". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  16. ^ "Major Jackson's House". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  17. ^ "Christ Church (Anglican)". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  18. ^ "Star Hotel". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  19. ^ "Rewi Maniapoto Memorial and Reserve". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  20. ^ "Town Hall". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  21. ^ "Constable's House and Police Station". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  22. ^ "World War One Memorial". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  23. ^ "House". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  24. ^ "Rata-tu Management Plan (Kihikihi Heritage Precinct)" (PDF). Waipa District Council. December 2013.
  25. ^ Education Counts: Kihikihi School
  26. ^ "Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
  27. ^ "Our Place, the Whenua, our Whānau". Kihikihi School. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  28. ^ "Te Awamutu 24 | Busit". busit.co.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  29. ^ "New trail route confirmed - Waipa District Council". www.waipadc.govt.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  30. ^ "Kihikihi trail - Waipa District Council". www.waipadc.govt.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  31. ^ "Contact Us". Kihikihi Speedway. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  32. ^ "Kihikihi Speedway, Kihikihi". Speedway Racing New Zealand. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  33. ^ "Kihikihi Speedway". Sporty. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  34. ^ "World Championship". Metal Speedway. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  35. ^ "World Championship". Speedway.org. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  36. ^ "HISTORYCZNE ZESTAWIENIE WYNIKÓW 1929-2023". Speedway History. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
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