Rangataua

Transportation

State Highway 49 runs immediately adjacent to the village, as does the North Island Main Trunk railway. There is no station and all passenger rail traffic uses the railway station at Ohakune.

History

The name Rangataua comes from two Māori words: Ranga - to parade in ranks; to fall in, and taua - war party. Rangataua was the site of a Māori village. In the mid seventeenth century this village was attacked and subsequently destroyed. The survivors of the attack established a pā on the site of present-day Ohakune.

The town grew rapidly after the railway opened. A 1909 report said a billiard room, hair-dressing saloon, stationery shop and bakery were open, or being built. Marino and Piwari Streets were nearing completion and Miharo was expected to be a business street. A skating rink opened in 1911.

The Raetihi forest fire of March 18–20, 1918 almost destroyed Rangataua. Many houses and sawmills were burnt down. Fires had previously threatened the town in January 1914.

Demographics

Rangataua is described by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement. It covers 0.77 km2 and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2. It is part of the larger Tangiwai statistical area, which covers 2696.63 km2.

Rangataua had a population of 183 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 51 people (38.6%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 51 people (38.6%) since the 2013 census. There were 90 males and 90 females in 93 dwellings. 4.9% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 38.5 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 33 people (18.0%) aged under 15 years, 24 (13.1%) aged 15 to 29, 102 (55.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 27 (14.8%) aged 65 or older.

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 90.2% European (Pākehā), 21.3% Māori, 1.6% Pasifika, 1.6% Asian, and 3.3% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 98.4%, Māori by 6.6%, and other languages by 11.5%. No language could be spoken by 3.3% (e.g. too young to talk). The percentage of people born overseas was 16.4, compared with 28.8% nationally.

Religious affiliations were 18.0% Christian, 1.6% Māori religious beliefs, 1.6% Buddhist, 1.6% New Age, and 1.6% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 60.7%, and 14.8% of people did not answer the census question.

Of those at least 15 years old, 30 (20.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 93 (62.0%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 27 (18.0%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $36,900, compared with $41,500 nationally. 9 people (6.0%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 66 (44.0%) full-time, 21 (14.0%) part-time, and 6 (4.0%) unemployed.

Conservation areas

To the immediate east of the village is the 6710 hectare Rangataua Conservation Area, which is contiguous with the UNESCO World Heritage Site Tongariro National Park on its northern boundary. Rangataua is bounded to the north by the 58 hectare Rangataua Scenic Reserve, and to the immediate southeast by the 77 hectare Mangaehuehu Scenic Reserve.

Climate

| Jan record high C = 29.4 | Feb record high C = 31.2 | Mar record high C = 29.2 | Apr record high C = 26.7 | May record high C = 21.8 | Jun record high C = 19.3 | Jul record high C = 16.7 | Aug record high C = 18.9 | Sep record high C = 23.9 | Oct record high C = 24.8 | Nov record high C = 27.2 | Dec record high C = 29.7 | year record high C = | Jan avg record high C = 26.4 | Feb avg record high C = 26.7 | Mar avg record high C = 24.3 | Apr avg record high C = 21.4 | May avg record high C = 17.8 | Jun avg record high C = 15.6 | Jul avg record high C = 14.3 | Aug avg record high C = 15.5 | Sep avg record high C = 17.3 | Oct avg record high C = 20.2 | Nov avg record high C = 22.7 | Dec avg record high C = 24.3 | year avg record high C = 27.5 | Jan avg record low C = 3.0 | Feb avg record low C = 2.2 | Mar avg record low C = 1.6 | Apr avg record low C = -0.3 | May avg record low C = -2.9 | Jun avg record low C = -4.5 | Jul avg record low C = -4.4 | Aug avg record low C = -3.6 | Sep avg record low C = -2.5 | Oct avg record low C = -1.5 | Nov avg record low C = 0.0 | Dec avg record low C = 1.7 | year avg record low C = -5.8 |Jan record low C = -1.1 |Feb record low C = -2.8 |Mar record low C = -3.6 |Apr record low C = -5.6 |May record low C = -8.1 |Jun record low C = -8.3 |Jul record low C = -9.6 |Aug record low C = -9.7 |Sep record low C = -7.3 |Oct record low C = -7.7 |Nov record low C = -4.4 |Dec record low C = -4.4 |year record low C = |access-date = 13 Sep 2024}}

References

References

1. "Yearbook collection: 1893–2012".
2. "Rangataua".
3. (1966). "OHAKUNE".
4. (21 Apr 1909). "RANGATAUA NOTES. WANGANUI CHRONICLE".
5. (29 Mar 1911). "ATTACKING THE BUSH. DOMINION".
6. "NEW ZEALAND DISASTERS - RAETIHI FIRE - 1918".
7. "Papers Past - BUSH FIRES IN KING COUNTRY. (Poverty Bay Herald, 1914-01-13)".
8. "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service".
9. "Geographic Boundary Viewer". Stats NZ.
10. {{NZ census 2018. 7017620
11. "Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer.
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.
13. "Rangataua Conservation Area".
14. "National parks and reserves of New Zealand".