{{short description|Locality in Tasman District, New Zealand}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=January 2022}} {{Infobox settlement | name = Bainham | settlement_type = locality | image_skyline = Langfords Store Bainham 1992.jpg | imagesize = 270px | image_alt = | image_caption = Langford's Store, Bainham, in 1992 | area_footnotes = <ref name="Area"/> | area_total_km2 = 736.24 | population_footnotes = <ref name="Census 2023"/> | population_total = 147 | population_as_of = 2023 census | population_density_km2 = auto | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 9 | coordinates = {{coord|40.764|S|172.569|E|display=inline,title}} | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = New Zealand | subdivision_type1 = [[Territorial authorities of New Zealand|Territorial authority]] | subdivision_name1 = [[Tasman District|Tasman]] | subdivision_type2 = Ward | subdivision_name2 = Golden Bay Ward | seat_type = Electorates | seat = [[West Coast-Tasman]]<br>[[Te Tai Tonga]] | leader_title = Territorial Authority | leader_name = [[Tasman District Council]] | leader_title1 = [[Mayor of Tasman]] | leader_name1 = {{NZ officeholder data|Tasman District Mayor|y}} | leader_title2 = [[Nelson (New Zealand electorate)|Nelson MP]] | leader_name2 = {{NZ officeholder data|Nelson MP|y}} | leader_title3 = [[Te Tai Tonga|Te Tai Tonga MP]] | leader_name3 = {{NZ officeholder data|Te Tai Tonga MP|y}} | timezone1 = [[Time in New Zealand|NZST]] | utc_offset1 = +12 | timezone1_DST = [[Time in New Zealand|NZDT]] | utc_offset1_DST = +13 | postal_code_type = [[Postcodes in New Zealand|Postcode]] | postal_code = 7054, 7073 | area_code = 03 }} '''Bainham''' is a settlement in the [[Tasman District]] of New Zealand. Originally called '''Riverdale''', it is located inland from [[Golden Bay / Mohua|Golden Bay]], {{convert|14|km}} southwest of [[Collingwood, New Zealand|Collingwood]].
Located in the Aorere valley, Bainham is situated on the northwestern side of the [[Aorere River]].<ref name="LINZ">{{LINZ|16064|Bainham|13 January 2022}}</ref> The settlement was originally called Riverdale, but when a post office was established there in 1896, a name change was required to avoid confusion with similarly named places, including [[Riversdale, New Zealand|Riversdale]] in [[Southland, New Zealand|Southland]] and [[Riverdale, New Zealand|Riverdale]] in [[Gisborne, New Zealand|Gisborne]]. The chosen name, Bainham, is a [[portmanteau]] of the surnames of two of the first European families to settle in the area, Bain and Graham.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GBARG18960618.2.25 |title=Correspondence |date=18 June 1896 |work=Golden Bay Argus |volume=6 |issue=3 |page=4 |access-date=13 January 2022}}</ref><ref name="HNZ">{{cite web |url=https://www.heritage.org.nz/the-list/details/5110 |title=Bainham store |publisher=[[Heritage New Zealand]] |access-date=13 January 2022}}</ref> A telegraph office opened at Bainham in 1898.<ref name="HNZ"/>
In 1906, the population of Bainham was over 100, with the main activities in the area being dairy farming, gold mining in the Quartz Ranges, further up the Aorere River, and timber milling.<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url=http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc05Cycl-t1-body1-d1-d2-d39.html |chapter=Bainham |title=The Cyclopedia of New Zealand (Nelson, Marlborough & Westland Provincial Districts) |year=1906 |publisher=Cyclopedia Company |place=Christchurch |page=209 |access-date=13 January 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GBARG19081105.2.32 |title=Farmers' meeting |date=5 November 1908 |work=Golden Bay Argus |volume=12 |issue=23 |page=4 |access-date=13 January 2022}}</ref>
Bainham School opened in 1886 and closed in 1969. Students then went to Rockville School (1879 to 1994)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://library.victoria.ac.nz/databases/nzgazettearchive/pubs/gazettes/1994/1994%20ISSUE%20136.pdf|title=School closures notices|publisher=[[New Zealand Gazette]]|date=21 December 1994|page=xxx}}</ref> in the lower Aorere valley.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theprow.org.nz/society/tasman-district-education-timeline/|title=Tasman Education Timeline|publisher=The Prow|access-date=15 April 2026}}</ref>
A new combined post office and general store was built in 1928 by the local postmaster, Edward Bates Langford. He leased part of the building to the [[New Zealand Post Office|Post Office and Telegraph Department]] to provide postal services, while using the remainder as a store.<ref name="HNZ"/> Langford's granddaughter, Lorna Langford, took over as postmistress in 1952 and the running of the general store in 1954. She ran the businesses until retiring in 2009. Lorna Langford died in 2020.<ref name="Stuff 2020">{{cite news |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/123131451/obituary-lorna-langford-new-zealands-longestserving-postmistress |title=Obituary: Lorna Langford, New Zealand's longest-serving postmistress |first=Nina |last=Hindmarsh |date=24 October 2020 |work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |access-date=13 January 2022}}</ref> The building was accorded historic place category 2 listing by [[Heritage New Zealand]] in 1990, and has become a tourist attraction in its own right.<ref name="HNZ"/><ref name="Stuff 2020"/>
Bainham is the nearest settlement to the northern end of the [[Heaphy Track]], {{convert|14|km}} to the southwest, and is a gateway to the [[Kahurangi National Park]].<ref name="LINZ"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mcleodsbooks.co.nz/p/nz-local-histories-bainham-a-history |title=Bainham: A History |website=McLeods Booksellers |access-date=13 January 2022}}</ref>
==Demographics== The upper Aorere valley, which includes Bainham, covers {{Convert|736.24|km2||abbr=on}}.<ref name="Area">{{Cite web|title=Stats NZ Geographic Data Service|url=https://datafinder.stats.govt.nz/data/|at=Statistical Area 1 2023 (generalised)|access-date=17 April 2026}}</ref> It is part of the [[Golden Bay / Mohua#Demographics|Golden Bay / Mohua statistical area]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://statsnz.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/sidebar/index.html?appid=3a406ce8fbb14367ab5caae21c07ab8b|title=Geographic Boundary Viewer|publisher=Stats NZ|at=Statistical Area 1 – 2023 and Statistical Area 2 – 2023}}</ref>
{{Historical populations|2006|123|2013|120|2018|117|2023|147|percentages=pagr|align=left|source=<ref name="Census 2023"/><ref name="Census 2018">{{NZ census 2018|7022506}}</ref>}} The upper valley had a population of 147 in the [[2023 New Zealand census]], an increase of 30 people (25.6%) since the [[2018 New Zealand census|2018 census]], and an increase of 27 people (22.5%) since the [[2013 New Zealand census|2013 census]]. There were 75 males and 72 females in 69 dwellings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_009&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=doTotal%2Bdo1.7022506.2023&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_DWD_003|publisher=Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses}}</ref> 4.1% of people identified as [[LGBTQ|LGBTIQ+]]. The median age was 37.2 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 33 people (22.4%) aged under 15 years, 18 (12.2%) aged 15 to 29, 75 (51.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 21 (14.3%) aged 65 or older.<ref name="Census 2023"/>
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 89.8% [[European New Zealanders|European]] ([[Pākehā]]); 20.4% [[Māori people|Māori]]; 4.1% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 4.1% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 98.0%, and other languages by 14.3%. The percentage of people born overseas was 18.4, compared with 28.8% nationally.<ref name="Census 2023"/>
Religious affiliations were 8.2% [[Christianity in New Zealand|Christian]], and 2.0% [[New Age]]. People who answered that they had [[Irreligion in New Zealand|no religion]] were 83.7%, and 6.1% of people did not answer the census question.<ref name="Census 2023"/>
Of those at least 15 years old, 12 (10.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 72 (63.2%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 24 (21.1%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $33,300, compared with $41,500 nationally. 3 people (2.6%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 57 (50.0%) full-time and 27 (23.7%) part-time.<ref name="Census 2023">{{Cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_012&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=hq011%2Bhq010%2Bhq009%2Bhq008%2Bhq007%2Bhq006%2Bhq005%2Bhq004%2Bhq003%2Bhq002%2Bhq001%2Bhq000%2Bws1%2Bsp99%2Bra80%2Bra08%2Bra07%2Bra06%2Bra05%2Bra01%2Bra04%2Bra03%2Bra02%2Bra00%2Brb1%2Bls66%2Bls03%2Bls02%2Bls05%2Bls04%2Bls01%2Beg6%2Beg5%2Beg4%2Beg3%2Beg2%2Beg1%2BbiTotal%2Bbi0%2Bbi1%2BasTotalLG%2Bas4%2Bas3%2Bas2%2Bas1%2Bws4%2Bws3%2Bws2%2Bge3%2Bge2%2Bge1%2Brc%2BasMed%2BegTotal%2BlsTotal%2BgeTotal%2BrbTotal%2BraTotal%2BhqTotal%2BibTotal%2Bib7%2Bibmed%2BwsTotal.7022506.2013%2B2018%2B2023&to[TIME]=false&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_IND_003&ly[cl]=CEN23_YEAR_001|publisher=Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses|at=7022506}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Further reading== * {{cite book |last=Dawber |first=Carol |title=Bainham: A History |publisher=Bainham Reunion Committee |place=Bainham |year=1997 |ISBN=0959804145}}
{{Tasman District}}
[[Category:Populated places in the Tasman District]]