Kaeo

History and culture

Pre-European settlement

Kaeo used to be a fortified village pā of the Ngati Uru sub-tribe. This tribe arrived in the Whangaroa Harbour as late as 1770–1775, having been driven out of the Rawhiti area of the Bay of Islands, after killing and eating Captain Marion du Fresne and his crew.

European settlement

Wesleydale, the first Wesleyan Methodist mission in New Zealand, was established by Samuel Leigh and William White at Kaeo in June 1823, then abandoned in January 1827 after it was sacked by local Māori. A memorial cairn marks the site of the mission adjacent to the cemetery on the south side of the Kaeo River.

Flooding

Kaeo is built on the flood plain of the Kaeo River and has experienced destructive flooding. It came to national attention in 2007 when it took the brunt of three major floods within the space of a few months - in February, March and July. Water flooded homes and shops and destroyed the primary school's pool complex. The local rugby clubrooms also suffered, and the club received support from the whole country as it raised funds to lift the clubrooms off the ground to minimise the risk of damage from further flooding.

Landslips, fallen power lines, and road closures resulted from heavy rain in February 2008. The Northland Regional Council scheduled flood-protection work for 2008, but in 2011 was still waiting on various consents. Floods occurred as a result of Cyclone Wilma in January 2011, and 70 people had to be evacuated from Kaeo.

In November 2025, the national water regulator Taumata Arowai took over Kāeo's drinking water supply from private contractor, Wai Care Environmental Consultants, and ordered the Far North District Council to operate it. The town had been under a boil water notice for the past ten years and lacked running water.

Notable buildings

The Kaeo Post Office is a wooden Edwardian building constructed in 1912. The building served many additional functions until it closed in May 1989 following the Fourth Labour Government's economic reforms. It was refurbished in 2012 and as of 2020 operates as a community centre and library.

Marae

The Kaeo area has two marae affiliated with multiple iwi:

• Waihapa Marae and Te Tai Tokerau meeting house are affiliated with the Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa hapū of Riwhi and Te Pania, and the Ngāpuhi / Ngāti Kahu ki Whaingaroa hapū of Ngāti Rangimatamomoe and Whānau Pani. In October 2020, the Government committed $180,904 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade Waihapa Marae, creating 12 jobs.
• Mangawhero Marae and Te Aroha meeting house are affiliated with the Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa hapū of Ngāti Rangimatamomoe and Te Hōia, and the Ngāpuhi / Ngāti Kahu ki Whaingaroa hapū of Kaitore, Ngāti Hōia and Ngāti Rangi.

There are two marae affiliated with Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa hapū:

• Ōtangaroa (Mangawhero) Marae and Te Aroha meeting house are affiliated with the hapū of Ngāti Rangimatamomoe and Te Hōia.
• Waitāruke Marae and Kahukura Ariki meeting house are affiliated with Hāhi Katorika.

There are seven marae affiliated with Ngāpuhi / Ngāti Kahu ki Whaingaroa hapū:

• Mangaiti Marae and Tau te Rangimarie meeting house are affiliated with Ngāti Pākahi and Ngāti Uru.
• Mangatōwai Marae is affiliated with Ngāti Aukiwa.
• Matangirau Marae and Karangahape meeting house are affiliated with Ngāti Kawau-Kaitangata.
• Pupuke Marae and Te Huia meeting house are affiliated with Ngāti Pākahi, Ngāti Uru and Whānau Pani.
• Tahawai Marae and Te Awaroa meeting house are affiliated with Tahaawai.
• Te Pātūnga Marae and Te Watea meeting house are affiliated with Ngāti Pākahi, Ngāti Uru, Te Aeto and Whānau Pani.
• Whakaari Marae is affiliated with Ngāti Kawau.

Demographics

Statistics New Zealand describes Kāeo as a rural settlement. It covers 1.39 km2 and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2. The settlement is part of the larger Kaeo statistical area.

Kāeo had a population of 249 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 21 people (9.2%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 69 people (38.3%) since the 2013 census. There were 135 males and 114 females in 84 dwellings. 1.2% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 32.9 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 72 people (28.9%) aged under 15 years, 36 (14.5%) aged 15 to 29, 105 (42.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 36 (14.5%) aged 65 or older.

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 50.6% European (Pākehā), 73.5% Māori, 9.6% Pasifika, and 1.2% Asian. English was spoken by 95.2%, Māori language by 19.3%, and other languages by 1.2%. No language could be spoken by 2.4% (e.g. too young to talk). The percentage of people born overseas was 6.0, compared with 28.8% nationally.

Religious affiliations were 20.5% Christian and 14.5% Māori religious beliefs. People who answered that they had no religion were 56.6%, and 7.2% of people did not answer the census question.

Of those at least 15 years old, 9 (5.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 105 (59.3%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 60 (33.9%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $29,400, compared with $41,500 nationally. 6 people (3.4%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 72 (40.7%) people were employed full-time, 24 (13.6%) were part-time, and 9 (5.1%) were unemployed.

Kāeo statistical area

Kāeo statistical area covers 255.56 km2 and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2.

Kāeo statistical area had a population of 1,299 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 108 people (9.1%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 294 people (29.3%) since the 2013 census. There were 681 males, 615 females and 3 people of other genders in 438 dwellings. 1.8% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 44.3 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 276 people (21.2%) aged under 15 years, 180 (13.9%) aged 15 to 29, 600 (46.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 240 (18.5%) aged 65 or older.

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 67.0% European (Pākehā); 51.5% Māori; 6.0% Pasifika; 1.6% Asian; 0.2% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.1% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.5%, Māori language by 15.2%, Samoan by 0.2% and other languages by 5.1%. No language could be spoken by 1.8% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.5%. The percentage of people born overseas was 12.9, compared with 28.8% nationally.

Religious affiliations were 22.6% Christian, 0.2% Hindu, 8.8% Māori religious beliefs, 0.5% Buddhist, 0.9% New Age, and 0.7% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 60.0%, and 6.2% of people did not answer the census question.

Of those at least 15 years old, 93 (9.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 582 (56.9%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 315 (30.8%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $27,800, compared with $41,500 nationally. 27 people (2.6%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 387 (37.8%) people were employed full-time, 135 (13.2%) were part-time, and 33 (3.2%) were unemployed.

Education

Kaeo Public School was built in 1877. It moved to the current Kaeo School site some years later. In 1941 it became Kaeo District High School, taking both primary and secondary students. It became a primary school when Whangaroa College opened in 1969.{{cite web |access-date=2 April 2015

Whangaroa College is a coeducational secondary (years 7–15) school on a site adjacent to Kaeo School. It has a roll of students as of The principal since 2015 is Jack Anderson.

References

References

1. (6 December 2011). "66 jobs to go at Kaeo oyster plant". [[The Northern Advocate]].
2. (14 December 2023). "UPDATE: Kāeo Bridge". Te Hiku Radio.
3. (24 February 2024). "New Kāeo Bridge opens for Far North". Inside Government.
4. (1896). "The Peopling of the North". Journal of the Polynesian Society.
5. (12 January 2018). "Wesleyan mission established". Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
6. (26 February 2008). "Call to stop town flooding a fourth time". [[The New Zealand Herald]].
7. (31 January 2011). "Kaeo people frustrated by continual flooding". Radio New Zealand.
8. (29 January 2011). "Wilma departs leaving big clean up". The New Zealand Herald.
9. (18 November 2025). "Taumata Arowai takes control of Kāeo water supply after 10-year boil-water notice". [[RNZ]].
10. (Spring 2020). "Kaeo Post Office building listed".
11. "Te Kāhui Māngai directory". [[Te Puni Kōkiri]].
12. "Māori Maps". Te Potiki National Trust.
13. (9 October 2020). "Marae Announcements". [[Provincial Growth Fund]].
14. {{NZ census 2018. 7000132
15. "Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer.
16. "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer.
17. "ArcGIS Web Application".
18. {{NZ census 2018. Kaeo (101900). kaeo. Kaeo
19. "Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer.
20. "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer.
21. {{TKI. 1019. Kaeo School
22. {{TKI. 4. Whangaroa College