Whitianga

{{Short description|Town in Waikato, New Zealand}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2019}} {{More citations needed|date=November 2007}} {{Infobox settlement | name = Whitianga | image_skyline = Albert Street, Whitianga.jpg | image_caption = Albert Street in Whitianga | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = [[New Zealand]] | subdivision_type1 = Region | subdivision_name1 = [[Waikato]] | subdivision_type2 = District | subdivision_name2 = [[Thames-Coromandel District]] | subdivision_type3 = Ward | subdivision_name3 = Mercury Bay ward | subdivision_type4 = Community Board | subdivision_name4 = Mercury Bay Community | leader_title = Council | leader_name = [[Thames-Coromandel District Council]] | leader_title1 = Regional council | leader_name1 = [[Waikato Regional Council]] | leader_title2 = [[Mayor of Thames-Coromandel]] | leader_name2 = {{NZ officeholder data|Thames-Coromandel District Mayor|y}} | leader_title3 = [[Coromandel (New Zealand electorate)|Coromandel MP]] | leader_name3 = {{NZ officeholder data|Coromandel MP|y}} | leader_title4 = [[Hauraki-Waikato|Hauraki-Waikato MP]] | leader_name4 = {{NZ officeholder data|Hauraki-Waikato MP|y}} | seat_type = Electorates | seat = {{ubl|[[Coromandel (New Zealand electorate)|Coromandel]]|[[Hauraki-Waikato]] (Māori)}} | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 9 | coordinates = {{coord|36|50|S|175|42|E|region:NZ|display=it}} | area_footnotes = <ref name="Area"/> | area_total_km2 = 17.20 | population_total = {{NZ population data 2018|Whitianga|y}} | population_as_of = {{NZ population data 2018|||y}} | population_footnotes = {{NZ population data 2018||||y}} | population_density_km2 = auto | postal_code_type = [[Postcodes in New Zealand|Postcode(s)]] | postal_code = 3510 }}

'''Whitianga''' is a town on the [[Coromandel Peninsula]], in the [[Waikato]] region of New Zealand's [[North Island]]. The town is located on [[Mercury Bay]], on the northeastern coast of the peninsula. The town has a permanent population of {{NZ population data 2018||y}} as of {{NZ population data 2018|||y|y||,}} making it the second-largest town on the Coromandel Peninsula behind [[Thames, New Zealand|Thames]].

==Demographics== Stats NZ describes Whitianga as a small urban area, which covers {{Convert|17.20|km2||abbr=on}}.<ref name="Area">{{Cite web|title=Stats NZ Geographic Data Service|url=https://datafinder.stats.govt.nz/data/|at=Urban Rural 2023 (generalised)|access-date=22 February 2025}}</ref> It had an estimated population of {{NZ population data 2018|Whitianga|y}} as of {{NZ population data 2018|||y|y||,}} with a population density of {{Decimals|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Whitianga|y}}|R}}/17.20|0}} people per km2.

{{Historical populations|2006|3,804|2013|4,410|2018|5,493|2023|6,054|percentages=pagr|align=left|source=<ref name="Census 2018">{{NZ census 2018|Whitianga North (167000) and Whitianga South (167100)}}</ref><ref name="Census 2023"/>}} Whitianga has grown rapidly since 1945, when it had a population of 443,<ref>{{Cite web |date=7 November 1945 |title=Slight decdrease. Hauraki Plains Gazette |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HPGAZ19451107.2.34 |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}}</ref> with 1,427 in 1976<ref>{{Cite book |last=Statistics |first=New Zealand Department of |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S2sm8g0jsf4C&q=whitianga |title=1976 Census of Population and Dwellings |date=1977 |publisher=The Department |language=en}}</ref> and 3,540 in 1996.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Statistical Area, Regional Council and Urban and Rural Area by Census Night and Census Usually Resident Population Counts, 1991, 1996 and 2001 |url=https://statsnz.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/api/collection/p20045coll19/id/235/download |website=StatsNZ}}</ref>

Whitianga had a population of 6,054 in the [[2023 New Zealand census]], an increase of 561 people (10.2%) since the [[2018 New Zealand census|2018 census]], and an increase of 1,644 people (37.3%) since the [[2013 New Zealand census|2013 census]]. There were 3,000 males, 3,048 females and 6 people of [[non-binary gender|other genders]] in 2,586 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_005&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=doTotal%2Bdo1.1134%2B167000%2B167101%2B167102.2023&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> 1.6% of people identified as [[LGBTQ|LGBTIQ+]]. The median age was 54.2 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 831 people (13.7%) aged under 15 years, 717 (11.8%) aged 15 to 29, 2,526 (41.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,977 (32.7%) aged 65 or older.<ref name="Census 2023"/>

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 89.6% [[European New Zealanders|European]] ([[Pākehā]]); 15.2% [[Māori people|Māori]]; 2.7% [[Pasifika New Zealanders|Pasifika]]; 3.9% [[Asian New Zealanders|Asian]]; 0.6% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.3% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 98.4%, Māori language by 2.7%, Samoan by 0.2%, and other languages by 6.9%. No language could be spoken by 1.2% (e.g. too young to talk). [[New Zealand Sign Language]] was known by 0.3%. The percentage of people born overseas was 19.1, compared with 28.8% nationally.<ref name="Census 2023"/>

Religious affiliations were 28.2% [[Christianity in New Zealand|Christian]], 0.8% [[Hinduism in New Zealand|Hindu]], 0.1% [[Islam in New Zealand|Islam]], 0.6% [[Māori religious beliefs]], 0.8% [[Buddhism in New Zealand|Buddhist]], 0.3% [[New Age]], 0.1% [[Judaism in New Zealand|Jewish]], and 1.2% other religions. People who answered that they had [[Irreligion in New Zealand|no religion]] were 59.6%, and 8.4% of people did not answer the census question.<ref name="Census 2023"/>

Of those at least 15 years old, 765 (14.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 3,057 (58.5%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 1,395 (26.7%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $32,200, compared with $41,500 nationally. 357 people (6.8%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,971 (37.7%) people were employed full-time, 855 (16.4%) were part-time, and 129 (2.5%) were unemployed.<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_008&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.1134.2013%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=Whitianga (1134)}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" |+Individual statistical areas |- !Name !! Area (km2) !! Population !! Density (per km2) || Dwellings !! Median age !! Median income |- | Whitianga North || style="text-align:right;"|12.51 || style="text-align:right;"|1,749 || style="text-align:right;"|140 || style="text-align:right;"|717 || 54.2 years || $34,600<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_008&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.167000.2013%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=Whitianga North}}</ref> |- | Whitianga South || style="text-align:right;"|2.62 || style="text-align:right;"|3,276 || style="text-align:right;"|1,250 || style="text-align:right;"|1,437 || 52.9 years || $30,900<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_008&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.167101.2013%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=Whitianga South}}</ref> |- | Whitianga Waterways || style="text-align:right;"|2.06 || style="text-align:right;"|1,029 || style="text-align:right;"|500 || style="text-align:right;"|432 || 58.6 years || $32,200<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_008&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.167102.2013%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=Whitianga Waterways}}</ref> |- ! New Zealand !! !! !! !! !! 38.1 years !! style="text-align:left;"| $41,500 |}

==Geography== Whitianga is located on the eastern side of the [[Coromandel Peninsula]], {{convert|191|km|mi|abbr=on|0}} from [[Auckland]] (by road; 84 km direct distance), {{convert|93|km|mi|abbr=on|0}} from [[Thames, New Zealand|Thames]], {{convert|42|km|mi|abbr=on|0}} from [[Tairua]]. It is situated on the coast of [[Mercury Bay]] along the {{convert|5|km|mi|abbr=on|0}} long east-facing Buffalo Beach. In 1928 there was a controversy about changing the name of the town to Mercury Bay.<ref>{{Cite web |date=25 July 1928 |title=Whitianga or, Mercury Bay? Thames Star |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/THS19280725.2.56.2 |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}}</ref> On 21 June 2019 Whitianga was [[New Zealand Gazette|Gazetted]] as the official name.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Whitianga |url=https://gazetteer.linz.govt.nz/place/48590 |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=gazetteer.linz.govt.nz}}</ref> The town centre is at the southern end of the beach.

Buffalo Beach is named after {{HMS|Buffalo|1813|6}}, a [[Royal Navy]] ship which was wrecked during a storm while anchored in Mercury Bay. Her anchor can be seen at a monument at Buffalo Beach.

=== Climate ===

{{Weather box|width=auto |metric first=y |single line=y |collapsed = Y |location = Whitianga Aero (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1990–present) | Jan record high C = 31.9 | Feb record high C = 33.1 | Mar record high C = 30.3 | Apr record high C = 27.8 | May record high C = 23.5 | Jun record high C = 22.4 | Jul record high C = 21.5 | Aug record high C = 21.7 | Sep record high C = 22.8 | Oct record high C = 26.7 | Nov record high C = 30.9 | Dec record high C = 30.9 | year record high C = 33.1 | Jan avg record high C = 27.9 | Feb avg record high C = 28.0 | Mar avg record high C = 26.1 | Apr avg record high C = 24.0 | May avg record high C = 21.1 | Jun avg record high C = 19.1 | Jul avg record high C = 17.6 | Aug avg record high C = 18.5 | Sep avg record high C = 20.1 | Oct avg record high C = 22.1 | Nov avg record high C = 24.3 | Dec avg record high C = 26.2 | year avg record high C = 28.7 |Jan high C = 24.0 |Feb high C = 24.2 |Mar high C = 22.6 |Apr high C = 20.3 |May high C = 17.9 |Jun high C = 15.7 |Jul high C = 14.9 |Aug high C = 15.3 |Sep high C = 16.8 |Oct high C = 18.4 |Nov high C = 20.2 |Dec high C = 22.3 | year high C = |Jan mean C = 19.1 |Feb mean C = 19.5 |Mar mean C = 17.8 |Apr mean C = 15.6 |May mean C = 13.4 |Jun mean C = 11.3 |Jul mean C = 10.5 |Aug mean C = 10.9 |Sep mean C = 12.4 |Oct mean C = 14.0 |Nov mean C = 15.7 |Dec mean C = 17.8 | year mean C = |Jan low C = 14.2 |Feb low C = 14.8 |Mar low C = 12.9 |Apr low C = 10.8 |May low C = 8.9 |Jun low C = 6.9 |Jul low C = 6.0 |Aug low C = 6.5 |Sep low C = 8.0 |Oct low C = 9.7 |Nov low C = 11.2 |Dec low C = 13.2 | year low C = | Jan avg record low C = 8.1 | Feb avg record low C = 8.4 | Mar avg record low C = 7.2 | Apr avg record low C = 3.9 | May avg record low C = 1.7 | Jun avg record low C = -0.3 | Jul avg record low C = -0.9 | Aug avg record low C = 0.3 | Sep avg record low C = 1.4 | Oct avg record low C = 3.0 | Nov avg record low C = 4.9 | Dec avg record low C = 7.0 | year avg record low C = -1.5 |Jan record low C = 4.4 |Feb record low C = 3.6 |Mar record low C = 1.0 |Apr record low C = -0.8 |May record low C = -2.5 |Jun record low C = -4.2 |Jul record low C = -2.6 |Aug record low C = -2.3 |Sep record low C = -1.3 |Oct record low C = -1.8 |Nov record low C = 2.2 |Dec record low C = 3.9 |year record low C = -4.2 |rain colour = green |Jan rain mm = 96.0 |Feb rain mm = 111.9 |Mar rain mm = 128.9 |Apr rain mm = 156.2 |May rain mm = 170.8 |Jun rain mm = 184.6 |Jul rain mm = 230.2 |Aug rain mm = 186.2 |Sep rain mm = 164.9 |Oct rain mm = 120.8 |Nov rain mm = 97.6 |Dec rain mm = 126.6 |year rain mm = |source 1 = NIWA<ref name= NIWA> {{cite web |url = http://cliflo.niwa.co.nz |title = CliFlo – National Climate Database : Whitianga Aero Aws 1520 |publisher = NIWA |access-date = 20 May 2024}}</ref><ref name="cliflo">{{cite web |url = https://cliflo.niwa.co.nz/ |title = CliFlo -The National Climate Database (Agent numbers: 1520, 40981) |publisher = NIWA |access-date = 20 May 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = https://niwa.co.nz/climate-and-weather/monthly |title = Monthly climate summaries from December 2001 to the present. |publisher = NIWA |access-date = 13 Jul 2025}}</ref><ref>https://x.com/MetService/status/1997529128288076025</ref> }}

==History==

===Māori history=== Whitianga has been continuously occupied for more than a thousand years since [[Māori people|Māori]] explorer [[Kupe]]'s [[iwi]] (tribe) settled here after his visit in about 950 AD.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}} Following this visit, many of Kupe's tribe settled here. Te Whitianga o Kupe is the original place name of the town, meaning Kupe's crossing place.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

Whitianga Pā, located on the ferry landing side of the river is a notable site. According to [[Ngāti Hei]] history, the earliest known chief occupying the rock was Hei Turepe. The [[pā]] is protected on three sides by sheer cliffs. The hill leading up to the pā on the fourth side is defended by a 22-foot man-made ditch which is now part of the track leading down to Back Bay where pā inhabitants had access to shellfish. On Cook's visit to the site in November 1769, the inhabitants who welcomed him believed the pā had been disused for a generation since it had been attacked by a Tauranga chief who married the slain chief's wife and settled peacefully into the area. Whitianga rock has several holes cut into the stone that were used as firepits, water stores, and palisade holes. Cook noted burnt palisade stumps as evidence that an earlier attack had evicted the ancient pā's residents.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

===Captain Cook's visit – 1769=== [[File:CookCairnCooksBeach.JPG|thumb|left|190px|Cairn at Cook's Beach to commemorate Cook's observation of the transit of [[Mercury (planet)|Mercury]]]] The people of [[Ngati Hei|Hei]] commemorated their leader in a few place names, one being the bay at the head of which he had settled, [[Te Whanganui A Hei]], (the Great Bay of Hei). This large sheltered bay was later renamed by [[James Cook|Captain James Cook]] when he came here in November 1769 to observe the transit of [[Mercury (planet)|Mercury]]. Cook was accompanied by [[Charles Green (astronomer)|Charles Green]], the [[Royal Society]] expedition astronomer who died on the homeward journey in 1771.

From Cook's journal – "my reasons for putting in here were the hopes of discerning a good harbour and the desire I had of being in some convenient place to observe the Transit of Mercury, which happens on the 9th instant and will be wholly visible here if the day is clear between 5 and 6 o'clock." Cook also named the Whitianga Harbour "River of Mangroves" and this area is still referred to as "The River".

The sighting of the Transit of Mercury is commemorated at [[Cooks Beach]] by a cairn of Coromandel granite which tells the story: "In this bay was anchored 5 Nov 1769, [[HMS Endeavour|HMS ''Endeavour'']], Lieutenant James Cook RN, Commander. He observed the transit of Mercury and named this bay."

===European settlement=== The original European settlement was situated on the opposite side of the river from approximately 1836 to 1881.

Whitianga stone wharf, built in 1838 on that east bank of the river, is the oldest remaining wharf in the country. It served a timber mill and shipbuilding yard.<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 July 2009 |title=Old Stone Wharf, Ferry Landing |url=https://www.heritage.org.nz/list-details/4675/Old%20Stone%20Wharf#details |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=Welcome to Heritage New Zealand |language=en}}</ref> It was renovated in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Whitianga Old Stone Wharf |url=https://www.engineeringnz.org/programmes/heritage/heritage-records/whitianga-old-stone-wharf/ |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=www.engineeringnz.org |language=en}}</ref> The ferry across the river uses the wharf as its eastern terminal.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://www.whitiangaferry.co.nz/history/ |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=www.whitiangaferry.co.nz}}</ref> [[File:Whitianga_wharf_about_1913.jpg|thumb|Whitianga hotel wharf about 1913]] Whitianga hotel wharf was built in the early 1870s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Whitianga Heritage Area |url=https://docs.tcdc.govt.nz/store/default/2804839 |website=TCDC}}</ref> [[Thames-Coromandel District Council#History|Coromandel County Council]] took formal ownership of it in 1926.<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 February 1926 |title=Auckland Star |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19260227.2.24 |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}}</ref> By 1927 there were complaints that it was silting up.<ref>{{Cite web |date=19 October 1927 |title=Coromandel news. New Zealand Herald |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19271019.2.132 |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}}</ref> On 4 March 1932 a replacement was completed.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 April 1932 |title=Work of the month. Thames Star |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/THS19320401.2.30 |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}}</ref> It was removed in May 1964.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ministry of Works Files – Mercury Bay / Whitianga |url=https://www.waikatocoastaldatabase.org.nz/CoastalDataSet/Details/183 |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=www.waikatocoastaldatabase.org.nz}}</ref> SS ''Fingal'' was launched in 1879 to serve Tauranga, Mercury Bay and Tairua<ref>{{Cite web |date=17 December 1879 |title=Shipping. New Zealand Herald |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH18791217.2.9 |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}}</ref> and became part of the [[Northern Steamship Company]] fleet in 1881.<ref>{{Cite web |date=17 September 1881 |title=Auckland Star |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS18810917.2.2.1 |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}}</ref> Their weekly service from Auckland ended about 1947.<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 September 1947 |title=Peninsula news. Hauraki Plains Gazette |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HPGAZ19470903.2.50 |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}}</ref> The Minister of Conservation approved construction of a marina in the former wharf area on 24 November 1992.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Robert McClean |date=April 1999 |title=Eastern Coromandel foreshore, fisheries and coastal issues report. Report on the Wai 110 claim |url=https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/WT/wt_DOC_94230420/Wai%20686,%20G002.pdf |website=Waitangi Tribunal}}</ref>

[[HMS Buffalo (1813)|HMS Buffalo]] is a wreck in Mercury Bay; this ship was the first ship to settle the people of the Adelaide company who established the city of Adelaide in South Australia.

==Industry== [[File:Whitianga war memorial obelisk.JPG|thumb|right|220px|Whitianga War Memorial obelisk]] Historically, Whitianga was a centre for boat building, kauri milling, flax milling, gold mining and [[Gum-digger|gum digging]]. For many years, it was a leading timber port, with sailing ships from [[Norway]], [[Sweden]], [[France]], [[Italy]] and [[Great Britain]] coming to load timber. Overseas vessels of 2000 tons with a draught of 18" and carrying with their decks loads over a million feet of timber worked the harbour entrance. The larger ships were towed into the port from near Centre Island. Over a period of sixty years, it is estimated over 500 million feet of [[kauri]] was exported from the Whitianga district.

The first [[kauri gum]] was exported in 1844. It reached its peak in 1899 when over 11,000 [[long ton]]s of gum was exported at an average of $120 per ton.

Today Whitianga serves as a small regional centre for the eastern side of the [[Coromandel Peninsula]] and [[Mercury Bay]] area. It is a focal point for local fishing, farming and tourism industry, such as the nearby [[Te Whanganui-A-Hei (Cathedral Cove)]] marine reserve and associated famous beach and cave. Cathedral Cove was used in the movie ''[[The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian]]''.

The area surrounding Whitianga (222 square km) is currently under a mineral prospecting license granted by the Crown to mining company Waihi Gold (a subsidiary of [[Newmont Mining Corporation|Newmont Corporation]] Colorado, USA).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.greenspotguardians.org.nz/what-is-permit-53325/|title=What is Permit 53325|publisher=Greenspot Guardians|access-date=22 September 2014|archive-date=2 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141102091542/http://www.greenspotguardians.org.nz/what-is-permit-53325/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Social== [[File:Boats of Buffalo Beach.JPG|thumb|Two boats sailing off Buffalo Beach]] 74.8% of Whitianga residents are New Zealand born, 85.1% identify as European, and 17% are of Maori descent. Whitianga has a relatively large number of older residents. 32.3% of residents are aged 60 years and over (the New Zealand average for this age group is 19.8%). It also has a large number of [[Bach (New Zealand)|baches]] or holiday homes. 39.1% of the private dwellings in Whitianga were unoccupied on Census night, 2013. (By contrast, the average number of unoccupied dwellings in New Zealand was 11.1%).<ref name=idnz>{{cite web|url=http://profile.idnz.co.nz/thames-coromandel/population?WebID=210&BMID=30 |title=Whitianga Community Profile|publisher=Profile Id}}</ref>

In 2013 Whitianga had an unemployment level of 6.2%, lower than the national average of 7.1. 36.2% of households with income were in the lowest quartile, earning under $33,000 (versus 25% of people nationwide), 33.5% in the medium lowest (versus 25% nationwide), 21% in the medium highest (versus 25% nationwide), and 9.4% earned income over $109,431 which put them in the highest quartile (versus 25% nationwide). Whitianga scored 1008 on the Social Deprivation Index.<ref name=idnz/>

==Education== Mercury Bay Area School is a coeducational composite (years 1–13) school with a roll of {{NZ school roll data|110|y}} as of {{NZ school roll data|||y|y||.}}<ref name="moe">{{TKI|110|Mercury Bay Area School}}</ref> The first primary school opened in the area in 1872. A District High School opened in 1951 and moved to the present site two years later. In February 1981 it became an area school.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mbas.ac.nz/index.php?mid=1|title=School Background|publisher=Mercury Bay Area School|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014031235/http://www.mbas.ac.nz/index.php?mid=1|archivedate=14 October 2008}}</ref> [[File:Whitianga from Hills.JPG|thumb|A view of Whitianga from the surrounding hills.]]

==Transport== Whitianga is served by [[New Zealand State Highway 25|State Highway 25]], the main highway looping around the Coromandel Peninsula. It is also served by the small [[Whitianga Aerodrome]], which receives flights by [[Air Auckland]] with their Cessna 172 and 206 on a regular basis, FlyStark with their [[Cessna 172]] and [[GippsAero GA8 Airvan]] aeroplanes and [[Sunair]] with their Cessna 172 and [[Piper Aztec]] planes. InterCity buses<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.intercity.co.nz/cheap-north-island-buses/bus-auckland-to-whitianga/|title=Bus Auckland to Whitianga|website=www.intercity.co.nz|language=en|access-date=2018-07-19}}</ref> and Go Kiwi Shuttle<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.go-kiwi.co.nz/|title=Go Kiwi daily shuttle Auckland to Coromandel|website=Go Kiwi Shuttles|language=en-NZ|access-date=2018-07-19}}</ref> serve the community with transportation to Whitianga from [[Thames, New Zealand|Thames]], [[Auckland]] and other locations around the [[Coromandel Peninsula]] and [[North Island]].

==Media== Whitianga is served by ''[[The Mercury Bay Informer]]'', ''The Hauraki Herald'', [[More FM#Coromandel|Coromandel's More FM]], and Coromandel's CFM.

==Events== An annual scallop festival is held in September every year to celebrate seafood, particularly [[scallop]]s.

The [[Whitianga Festival of Speed|Whitianga Speed Festival]] was held in 2009 and 2010.

A New Year's Eve festival and concert, known as Coromandel Gold, was held from 2009 to 2012.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Wikivoyage}} * [https://allaboutwhitianga.co.nz/ Local website] * [http://www.whitianga.co.nz/ MBBA Website] * [http://www.theinformer.co.nz/ Local newspaper]

[[Category:Thames-Coromandel District]] [[Category:Populated places in Waikato]]