# Waikari

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Town in Canterbury, New Zealand

This article is about the town in Canterbury. For the 17th-century chief, see [Waikari (Ngāti Tūwharetoa)](/source/Waikari_(Ng%C4%81ti_T%C5%ABwharetoa)). For the Dunedin suburb, see [Wakari](/source/Wakari).

Town in Canterbury, New Zealand

Waikari town The Star and Garter Hotel in Waikari Interactive map of Waikari Coordinates: 42°58′S 172°41′E / 42.967°S 172.683°E / -42.967; 172.683 Country New Zealand Region Canterbury Territorial authority Hurunui District Ward West Ward Electorates Kaikōura Te Tai Tonga Government • Territorial Authority Hurunui District Council • Regional council Environment Canterbury • Mayor of Hurunui Marie Black[1] • Kaikoura MP Stuart Smith[2] • Te Tai Tonga MP Tākuta Ferris[3] Area [4] • Total 0.79 km2 (0.31 sq mi) Population (June 2025)[5] • Total 290 • Density 370/km2 (950/sq mi) Time zone UTC+12 (New Zealand Standard Time) • Summer (DST) UTC+13 (New Zealand Daylight Time) Postcode 7420

**Waikari** is a small town in the [Canterbury](/source/Canterbury_Region) region of [New Zealand](/source/New_Zealand)'s [South Island](/source/South_Island).

Its Anglican parish church is the Church of Ascension, 79 Princes Street, Waikari, where [William Orange](/source/William_Orange_(clergyman)) was vicar in the 1920s.[6]

The New Zealand [Ministry for Culture and Heritage](/source/Ministry_for_Culture_and_Heritage) gives a translation of "dig for water" for *Waikari*.[7]

Waikari is located on [State Highway 7](/source/New_Zealand_State_Highway_7) near the [Weka Pass](/source/Weka_Pass) and was served by the [Waiau Branch](/source/Waiau_Branch) [railway](/source/Railway) from 6 April 1882 until its closure on 15 January 1978. The section of the railway through the Weka Pass has been retained by the [Weka Pass Railway](/source/Weka_Pass_Railway) and preserved trains operate between [Waipara](/source/Waipara) and Waikari.

A town water supply was first put to ratepayers in 1956 and the water supply and sewage works were completed in 1966. Fortnightly rubbish collection was in place in Waikari by 1973. In 1984, Waikari (and [Hawarden](/source/Hawarden%2C_New_Zealand)) became the last towns in North Canterbury to be switched to an automatic telephone exchange.[8]

The town is also located near the site of [Māori](/source/M%C4%81ori_people) cave art and rock drawings in the [Weka Pass](/source/Weka_Pass) Reserve.

## Demographics

Waikari is defined by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement and covers 0.79 km2 (0.31 sq mi).[4] It had an estimated population of 290 as of June 2025,[5] with a population density of 367 people per km2. Waikari is part of the larger [Upper Hurunui](/source/Upper_Hurunui) statistical area.[9]

‹ The [template](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Template) *[Historical populations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Historical_populations)* is being [considered for merging](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Templates_for_discussion/Log/2026_June_24#Template:Infobox_demographics). ›

Historical population Year Pop. ±% p.a. 2006 252 — 2013 264 +0.67% 2018 264 +0.00% Source: [10]

*The Corriedale* sheep sculpture

Waikari had a population of 264 at the [2018 New Zealand census](/source/2018_New_Zealand_census), unchanged since the [2013 census](/source/2013_New_Zealand_census), and an increase of 12 people (4.8%) since the [2006 census](/source/2006_New_Zealand_census). There were 120 households, comprising 141 males and 126 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.12 males per female, with 36 people (13.6%) aged under 15 years, 27 (10.2%) aged 15 to 29, 123 (46.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 78 (29.5%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 92.0% European/[Pākehā](/source/P%C4%81keh%C4%81), 11.4% [Māori](/source/M%C4%81ori_people), 4.5% [Pasifika](/source/Pasifika_New_Zealanders), and 2.3% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 52.3% had no religion, 37.5% were [Christian](/source/Christianity_in_New_Zealand) and 2.3% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 15 (6.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 75 (32.9%) people had no formal qualifications. 12 people (5.3%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 84 (36.8%) people were employed full-time, 36 (15.8%) were part-time, and 9 (3.9%) were unemployed.[10]

## Education

Waikari School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,[11] with a roll of 34 as of March 2026.[12]

## Notable people

- [Derek Quigley](/source/Derek_Quigley), politician

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["2025 Triennial Elections Declaration of Result"](https://www.electionz.com/LGE2025Results/ELT58HU25_Result.pdf) (PDF). Electionz. Retrieved 17 October 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Kaikōura - Official Result"](https://electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2023/electorate-details-17.html). *Electoral Commission*. Retrieved 9 May 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Te Tai Tonga – Official Result"](https://www.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2023/electorate-details-71.html). [Electoral Commission](/source/Electoral_Commission_(New_Zealand)). Retrieved 23 February 2026.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Area_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Area_4-1) ["ArcGIS Web Application"](https://statsnz.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=6f49867abe464f86ac7526552fe19787). *statsnz.maps.arcgis.com*. Retrieved 25 August 2021.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-NZ_population_data_2018_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-NZ_population_data_2018_5-1) ["Subnational population estimates - Aotearoa Data Explorer"](https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/?fs%5b0%5d=Society%2C1%7CPopulation%20estimates%23CAT_POPULATION_ESTIMATES%23%7CSubnational%20population%20estimates%23CAT_SUBNATIONAL_POPULATION_ESTIMATES%23&pg=0&bp=true&snb=10&isAvailabilityDisabled=false). [Statistics New Zealand](/source/Statistics_New_Zealand). Retrieved 29 October 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-DNZB_Orange_6-0)** Clark, Jeremy J. ["William Alfred Orange"](https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/4o7). *[Dictionary of New Zealand Biography](/source/Dictionary_of_New_Zealand_Biography)*. [Ministry for Culture and Heritage](/source/Ministry_for_Culture_and_Heritage). Retrieved 4 February 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["1000 Māori place names"](https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/maori-language-week/1000-maori-place-names). New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 6 August 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Lovell-Smith, Maragaret (2000). *Hurunui Heritage The development of a district 1950-2000*. New Zealand: Hurunui District Council. pp. 111–130.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** [2018 Census place summary: Upper Hurunui](https://www.stats.govt.nz/tools/2018-census-place-summaries/upper-hurunui)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Census_2018_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Census_2018_10-1) ["Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census"](https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/statistical-area-1-dataset-for-2018-census-updated-march-2020). Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7023867 and 7023868.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-moe3569_11-0)** ["Waikari School Ministry of Education School Profile"](https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/find-school/school/profile?school=3569). *educationcounts.govt.nz*. [Ministry of Education](/source/Ministry_of_Education_(New_Zealand)).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ero3569_12-0)** ["Waikari School Education Review Office Report"](https://www.ero.govt.nz/institution/3569/waikari-school). *ero.govt.nz*. [Education Review Office](/source/Education_Review_Office).

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Waikari](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Waikari).

- [Information about Waikari](http://www.hurunui.com/Information/Waikari/)

- [8mm Forum: Waikari Cinema](http://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=8;t=002165)

v t e Hurunui District, New Zealand Seat: Amberley Populated places Amberley Ward Amberley Balcairn Broomfield Leithfield Amuri-Hurunui Ward Culverden Hawarden Medbury Mount Lyford Pyramid Valley Rotherham Lake Sumner Waiau Waikari Weka Pass Cheviot Ward Cheviot Gore Bay Hawkswood Hundalee Parnassus Glenmark Ward Greta Valley Motunau Omihi Waipara Hanmer Springs Ward Hanmer Springs Lewis Pass Geographic features Ashley Forest Conway River Doubtful River Doubtless River Edwards River Empson River Esk River Gelt River Glencoe River Glencoe River Glenrae River Grantham River Greta River Hanmer River Harper Pass Hundalee Hills Hurunui River Motunau Island Mount Grey / Maukatere Lake Tennyson Waiau Uwha River Waimakariri River Waipara River Facilities and attractions Hanmer Conservation Park Hurunui River South Branch Kate Valley Landfill Waiau Branch Weka Pass Railway Government District Council Mayor Regional Council

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Waikari](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waikari) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waikari?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.