Waitara

Waitara is a well established coastal township with a population of approximately 7,500 people, located around 15km northeast of New Plymouth on State Highway 3 at the mouth of the Waitara River. The town offers a good range of everyday amenities, including supermarkets, cafés, takeaway outlets, a pharmacy, petrol station, and a variety of local retail and professional services.

Families are well catered for with early childhood, primary, intermediate and secondary schooling options. Manukorihi Intermediate is a co-educational school with approximately 210 students, while Waitara High School is also co-educational and has a roll of around 440 students.

The town has a strong sporting and recreational community, with two golf courses, an outdoor pool, sports grounds, parks and easy access to the coast. The Waitara River is an important recreational feature and is enjoyed for fishing, powered boating, kayaking, waka and rowing.

Improved connections with New Plymouth are also underway, with the New Plymouth Coastal Walkway being extended from Bell Block through to Waitara, creating a new recreational link for walkers and cyclists. New Plymouth Airport is approximately 10-15 minutes’ drive away, with Bell Block and New Plymouth city also within easy commuting distance.

Waitara has a rich industrial history. The river once served as an important port, particularly following the establishment of the freezing works in 1872. For much of the 20th century, the freezing works became the backbone of the local economy, at its peak employing between 1,000 and 1,500 people. ANZCO Foods now operates from the former freezing works site and remains an important local employer.

The wider area supports a strong rural economy, complemented by significant energy and industrial activity across the Waitara Valley, Motunui and Pohokura areas.

History: Waitara was the site of the outbreak of the Taranaki Wars in 1860 following the attempted purchase of land for English settlers from its Māori owners. Disputes over land that was subsequently confiscated by the Government continue to this day.

The commonly accepted meaning of the name Waitara is “mountain stream”, though Maori legend also states that it was originally Whai-tara—”path of the dart”. In 1867 the settlement was named Raleigh, after Sir Walter Raleigh. It reverted to its former name with the establishment of the borough of Waitara in 1904.