Hunterville

Hunterville is a small town in the Rangitikei district of the North Island of New Zealand. It is located halfway between Taupo and Wellington on State Highway 1, and as of the 2018 census has a population of 408.
The township was named for George Hunter, who was a member of the Wellington Provincial Council. It straddles the state highway as well as the main trunk railway in the foothills forming the gateway to the Central Plateau.
The closest airport or airfield to Hunterville is RNZAF Base Ohakea, an important Royal New Zealand Air Force base, which is sited 33 km to the south west. 6 km north of Hunterville is Vinegar Hill.
Hunterville is well known for its statue of the huntaway, a specialised herding dog that uses its voice to drive the sheep. The town festival and market held on the first Saturday after Labour Day has a "Shepherds Shemozzle" – a race with man and dog with shepherds travelling from all over New Zealand to compete for the top prize.
There are marae south of the town at Rātā, which are affiliated with Ngāti Hauiti hapū. Tāhuhu Marae and Te Ruku a Te Kawau meeting house is a meeting place for Ngāti Haukaha. Rātā or Te Hou Hou or Potaka Marae and Hauiti meeting house are affiliated with Ngāti Ruaanga and Ngāti Tamateraka.

History

From at least 1895 to 1948 the Hunterville Express was published in the town. It was one of 45 newspapers founded by Joseph Ives. Other editors were Cuthbert James Powell, Walter Keay, who was also a novelist and whose wife had earlier signed a suffrage petition in 1893, when women first gained a vote. In 1905 it was the Hunterville Express and Upper Rangitikei Advertiser, published 3 times a week. The Express offices were burnt out in 1917.
The Hunterville railway station on the North Island Main Trunk line opened in 1887 and closed in 1988.
The town's memorial for the First World War was unveiled in 1923.
Kiwiburn, the New Zealand Burning Man regional burn, has been held there since 2014.

Demographics

Hunterville is described by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement. It covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km². It is part of the larger Otairi statistical area.
Hunterville had a population of 378 in the 2023 New Zealand census, a decrease of 33 people since the 2018 census, and a decrease of 51 people since the 2013 census. There were 210 males and 171 females in 180 dwellings. 4.0% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 53.6 years. There were 42 people aged under 15 years, 39 aged 15 to 29, 180 aged 30 to 64, and 120 aged 65 or older.
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 78.6% European ; 24.6% Māori; 3.2% Pasifika; 6.3% Asian; 3.2% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders ; and 6.3% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 98.4%, Māori by 4.0%, and other languages by 9.5%. No language could be spoken by 1.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 19.8, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 34.1% Christian, 0.8% Māori religious beliefs, 0.8% Buddhist, and 0.8% New Age. People who answered that they had no religion were 53.2%, and 10.3% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 39 people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 186 had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 120 people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $28,400, compared with $41,500 nationally. 9 people earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 129 full-time, 48 part-time, and 15 unemployed.

Otairi statistical area

Otairi covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km².
Otairi had a population of 1,248 in the 2023 New Zealand census, a decrease of 24 people since the 2018 census, and an increase of 21 people since the 2013 census. There were 648 males, 594 females, and 3 people of other genders in 513 dwellings. 1.9% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 45.1 years. There were 201 people aged under 15 years, 201 aged 15 to 29, 576 aged 30 to 64, and 270 aged 65 or older.
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 85.1% European ; 19.2% Māori; 2.2% Pasifika; 3.6% Asian; 1.7% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders ; and 3.8% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.4%, Māori by 3.4%, and other languages by 5.3%. No language could be spoken by 1.4%. The percentage of people born overseas was 11.8, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 32.2% Christian, 1.0% Māori religious beliefs, 0.2% Buddhist, 0.5% New Age, and 0.2% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 57.9%, and 7.9% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 159 people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 618 had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 270 people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $35,300, compared with $41,500 nationally. 72 people earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 537 full-time, 180 part-time, and 33 unemployed.

Education

Hunterville Consolidated School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students, with a roll of as of It opened as Hunterville School in 1887. A secondary department operated between 1912 and 1929. Since then, the school has amalgamated with Silverhope and Rata schools in 1937, Putorino and Mangaonoho schools in 1939, Pukiore in 1941, and Rata-iti school in 1952. The school took its current name in 1939.

Notable people

William Meldrum, solicitor in Hunterville and chairman of the Hunterville Town Board prior to WWI.
Hadleigh Parkes, professional Rugby Player, played for Super Rugby teams, Blues, Kings, and Hurricanes. Plays for Welsh regional team Scarlets and was selected for the Welsh Test team in 2017.