Pirongia

Coordinates: 38°00′S 175°12′E / 38.000°S 175.200°E / -38.000; 175.200
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Pirongia
Village
UTC+13
(NZDT)

Pirongia is a small town in the

Waipa District of the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. It is 12 kilometres to the west of Te Awamutu, on the banks of the Waipā River, close to the foot of the 962 metre Mount Pirongia, which lies in Pirongia Forest Park
to the west of the town.

Pirongia was originally named Alexandra, after the English Princess of Wales, but to avoid confusion with the town of that name in the South Island the name was changed to Pirongia. Some of the village's businesses and organisations such as the Alexandra Hotel and the Alexandra Racing Club retain the earlier name. Alexandra Racing Club, established in 1866, is reputed to be the second oldest racing club in New Zealand.[citation needed]

Pirongia War Memorial Hall

History

Early history

At the northern end of the town, between the

Waikato led by Pōtatau Te Wherowhero, during the musket wars.[3]

Pirongia was sited where it is because of its proximity to the Aukati (the confiscation line along the

Historic Places Trust
.

19th century

Pirongia remained of strategic importance until 1881 when

King Tāwhiao
and his followers symbolically laid down their arms near the intersection of Crozier and Franklin Streets and declared peace, signaling an end to the armed conflict.

Initially, the settlement prospered. In its heyday of the mid-1870s, there were two hotels, a variety of shops, a bank, a blacksmith, a lending library, a school and later a creamery, mainly on Crozier and Franklin Streets.

However, the decision to route the main trunk railway via

King Tāwhiao and his followers, meant that by the 1890s, Pirongia (Alexandra) was being superseded by Te Awamutu and other settlements on the railway line. One solution which was surveyed was a light railway, but an election in 1923 saw the scheme dropped.[4] Many businesses moved to Te Awamutu
or closed and the settlement gradually assumed the character of a small farming centre.

Modern history

Pirongia tourist sign

The village has experienced rapid population growth since the 1980s as city-dwellers seeking a rural lifestyle have migrated to Pirongia. This has changed the town's character from rural to suburban in a short period of time.

Pirongia has a rural fire force located in the village to protect native bush in the area. The rural fire force has a specialised off-road appliance designed for tough off-road terrain.

Pirongia Rugby Club has strong teams in the Waikato competition.

Pirongia is also home to Pirongia Clydesdale horses regularly seen at public events throughout the countryside.[citation needed]

The Pirongia Heritage and Information Centre (Te Whare Taonga O Ngaa Rohe o Arekahana) "Pirongia Heritage and Information Centre website". has displays and items of historical interest and is located on Franklin Street in the centre of the village.

The local Pūrekireki Marae is a meeting place for the

Apakura.[5] It includes the Marutehiakina meeting house.[6]

Demographics

Pirongia covers 3.27 km2 (1.26 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 1,360 as of June 2023,[2] with a population density of 416 people per km2.

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
20061,047—    
20131,122+0.99%
20181,224+1.76%
Source: [7]

Pirongia had a population of 1,224 at the

2006 census
. There were 432 households, comprising 594 males and 633 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.94 males per female. The median age was 42.1 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 291 people (23.8%) aged under 15 years, 168 (13.7%) aged 15 to 29, 579 (47.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 186 (15.2%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 91.9% European/Pākehā, 14.0% Māori, 1.2% Pacific peoples, 1.0% Asian, and 1.7% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 15.7, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 57.8% had no religion, 30.1% were Christian, 0.7% had Māori religious beliefs and 1.7% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 195 (20.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 159 (17.0%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $35,100, compared with $31,800 nationally. 189 people (20.3%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 474 (50.8%) people were employed full-time, 159 (17.0%) were part-time, and 24 (2.6%) were unemployed.[7]

Education

Pirongia School is a co-educational state primary school,[8][9] with a roll of 365 as of February 2024.[10] The school was founded in 1873.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Subnational population estimates (RC, SA2), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (regional councils); "Subnational population estimates (TA, SA2), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (territorial authorities); "Subnational population estimates (urban rural), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (urban areas)
  3. ^ Kelly, Leslie G. (1931). "Matakitaki pā, Pirongia". The Journal of the Polynesian Society. 40 (157): 35–38.
  4. ^ "PIRONGIA RAILWAY BOARD. WAIKATO TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 9 November 1923. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  5. ^ "Māori Maps". maorimaps.com. Te Potiki National Trust.
  6. ^ "Te Kāhui Māngai directory". tkm.govt.nz. Te Puni Kōkiri.
  7. ^ a b "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Pirongia (181900). 2018 Census place summary: Pirongia
  8. ^ "Official School Website". pirongia.school.nz.
  9. ^ Education Counts: Pirongia School
  10. Education Review Office
    .
  11. ^ "About our school..." Pirongia School. Retrieved 2 November 2020.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pirongia&oldid=1175171315"