Waikino

Waikino is a small settlement at the eastern end of a gorge in the

The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "harmful waters" for Waikino.^[3]

The population of Waikino was 213 people in 90 households in the 2013 New Zealand census.^[4]

History

Gold mining around Waikino has a history dating back to early colonisation of New Zealand. Waikino was the focal point of gold mining in the Waikato-Bay of Plenty district with the 1897 construction of the Victoria Battery on the edge of what was a busy town supporting the extensive local mining industry. Waikino's Victoria Battery processed ore from the large Martha Mine in Waihi. The Victoria Battery was then New Zealand's largest industrial complex. Besides processing ore, it supported carpenters' shops, a sawmill and a foundry. With 200 stamps, the battery was the largest quartz crushing plant for gold extraction in Australasia, and was capable of crushing over 812 tonnes of ore each day to the consistency of sand. The loud thumping sounds of crushing rock could be heard 10 kilometres away.

Up the scenic Waitekauri road 5 km behind Waikino, once existed the mining town of Waitekauri, near Golden Cross. Waitekauri is no longer there today, because the town was demolished at the end of that era's gold rush, consequently the village reverted to farmland. The local Waitekauri pub, the historic two storeyed "Golden Cross Hotel", was transported to Waihi.

On 19 October 1923, the Waikino school shooting occurred at Waikino School, claiming the lives of two students, Kelvin McLean, aged 13, and Charles Stewart, aged 9. This remains New Zealand's only school shooting. The gunman, John Christopher Higgins, was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. The death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. Higgins later had his conviction quashed, on the grounds of insanity.^[5]

When gold became uneconomic to mine after World War II, Waikino residents lost their economic base and the town reverted into a sleepy little village predominantly inhabited by retirees from the old era. However, the small retail business community in Waikino's main street endured until the late 1950s.

The 1970s heralded an influx of people to Waikino, drawn by cheap housing and magnificent scenery. The

The main highway (

The main highway shops came to a devastating end in the great Ohinemuri river floods of 1981. A huge torrent of water washed much of the Waikino business district and many homes them downstream through the Karangahake Gorge. All that was salvageable was the Waikino Hotel and the local community hall, both of which remain operational today.

A new post office was later built on higher ground with funds raised by the community. Initially the National Government deemed a new community post office uneconomical, and so decided not to replace one of the town's focal community services which was depended on by the large aged population to cash their weekly pension cheques. This decision was not welcomed by many locals, many of whom subsequently joined the campaign group "Waikino Action committee", which lobbied Government and the wider community to have a new community post office constructed. After a bitter campaign the Government agreed to build a post office, conditional on the community footing much of the bill; which it did. After the postal services were privatised under Rogernomics in the 1990s this postal service was terminated permanently.

Waikino also has its own primary school which caters for children from as far as Waihi with a daily bus service. The school provides for Year 1 to 6 students, and boasts one computer per two students.[1]

Waikino is defined by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement and covers 1.75 km² (0.68 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 330 as of June 2023,^[2] with a population density of 189 people per km². It is part of the larger Waihi Rural statistical area.^[6]

Waikino had a population of 306 at the

Ethnicities were 93.1% European/Pākehā, 18.6% Māori, and 4.9% Pacific peoples. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 62.7% had no religion, 24.5% were Christian and 2.9% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 33 (12.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 57 (22.1%) people had no formal qualifications. 18 people (7.0%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 105 (40.7%) people were employed full-time, 39 (15.1%) were part-time, and 21 (8.1%) were unemployed.^[7]

Education

Waikino School is a co-educational state primary school,^[8][9] with a roll of 79 as of February 2024.^[10][11]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Waikino.

• WELCOME TO WAIKINO
• Waikinos historic walkway
• Waikino Railway cafe
• Goldfields Railway
• Waikino letters
• Waikino School