Wakanui

History

The European history of the area started with runs 139, 140, and 150 being taken up in 1854 and 1855. Wakanui is located between Ashburton and the sea, and east of the Ashburton River / Hakatere. An early owner (probably not the initial owners) was the Kermode and Moore partnership, with George Henry Moore as manager.

When Kermode and Moore sold their holdings, the land was subdivided (this process finished by 1877) and more people moved into the area. Around that time, an extensive irrigation system was implemented, which was extended across all of Ashburton County, and that opened the dry but fertile land for wheat growing. Some 3000 mi of irrigation races were built throughout the county.

An electoral redistribution was carried out just prior to the and the electorate was formed (by splitting off areas from the and electorates). The Wakanui electorate was in existence for two electoral cycles and was dis-established in 1887.

In 1879, a large flour mill was erected in Wakanui. The five-storey building was a landmark for the rural location. In 1906, the mill building was hauled over 6 mi to Ashburton. It was deemed advisable that none of the machinery be removed and in all the building weighed an estimated 260 MT. The building survived the relocation without damage.

Wakanui School

Wakanui School opened in 1876 with an initial roll of 35 pupils. In the early decades, the roll peaked in 1890 but at the fiftieth jubilee, the roll was back where it started as more schools had opened throughout the county. A full primary school (i.e. serving years 1 to 8), it had students as of

Wakanui Beef

Demographics

The Winchmore-Wakanui statistical area surrounds Ashburton to the north, east and south, and covers 310.37 km2 and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2.

Before the 2023 census, Winchmore-Wakanui had a larger boundary, covering 312.07 km2. Using that boundary, Winchmore-Wakanui had a population of 1,536 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 114 people (8.0%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 252 people (19.6%) since the 2006 census. There were 579 households, comprising 828 males and 711 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.16 males per female. The median age was 40.9 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 315 people (20.5%) aged under 15 years, 237 (15.4%) aged 15 to 29, 729 (47.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 258 (16.8%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 86.9% European/Pākehā, 4.5% Māori, 1.4% Pasifika, 8.6% Asian, and 2.9% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 21.1, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 39.1% had no religion, 51.4% were Christian, 0.2% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.8% were Hindu, 0.2% were Muslim and 0.6% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 189 (15.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 249 (20.4%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $41,400, compared with $31,800 nationally. 258 people (21.1%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 699 (57.2%) people were employed full-time, 216 (17.7%) were part-time, and 21 (1.7%) were unemployed.

References

References

1. {{DNZB. Gardner. Jim. 1m52. Moore, George Henry. 18 May 2020
2. Acland, Leopold George Dyke. (1946). "The Early Canterbury Runs: Containing the First, Second and Third (new) Series". Whitcombe and Tombs Limited.
3. (24 September 1926). "Wakanui: School jubilee, 1876–1926". [[The Press]].
4. McRobie, Alan. (1989). "Electoral Atlas of New Zealand". GP Books.
5. (3 May 2020). "Wakanui, New Zealand". Windmill World.
6. (27 May 2014). "Simple tool for big task". Ashburton Guardian.
7. {{TKI. 3580. Wakanui School
8. (24 November 2008). "Five Star feed lot". [[Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand]].
9. (26 August 2018). "Grainwashing: The inconvenient truth of Wakanui beef". [[Sunday Star-Times]].
10. (23 August 2018). "NZ's largest feedlot: 'We take great care of our animals'". [[Checkpoint (New Zealand radio show).
11. (20 August 2018). "SAFE calls for end to feedlots". [[Radio New Zealand]].
12. (23 August 2018). "Why you should give a damn about feedlots". [[The Spinoff]].
13. (21 August 2018). "Federated Farmers hits back at 'vegan fundamentalists' SAFE". [[Radio New Zealand]].
14. "ArcGIS Web Application".
15. {{NZ census 2018. Winchmore-Wakanui (337300). winchmore-wakanui. Winchmore-Wakanui