Ohawe
# Ohawe

Ohawe or Ōhawe is a rural community in South Taranaki, New Zealand. It is located about 9 kilometres west of Hāwera, and south of State Highway 45. Ohawe is at the mouth of the Waingongoro River, where it reaches the South Taranaki Bight.

The name means "place of a river bend", referring to the winding Waingongoro River.

A coastal walk at low tide goes to Waihi Beach.

## History

Māori settled in the area around 1300 CE. They hunted moa and other birds. Richard Taylor described it as "a regular necropolis" in 1843. In 1847, Walter Mantell realised that Māori and moa had lived in the area at the same time.

In 1865, during the Second Taranaki War, General Duncan Cameron built redoubts on both sides of the Waingongoro river mouth. About 45 troops killed during the war are buried at Ohawe Soldiers' Cemetery.

## Demographics

Ohawe is defined by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement that covers 0.90 $km^2$ (0.35 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 230 as of June 2022, with a population density of 256 people per $km^2.$ It is part of the larger Okaiawa statistical area.

Okawe had a population of 216 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 33 people (18.0%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 3 people (1.4%) since the 2006 census. There were 99 households, comprising 105 males and 108 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.97 males per female. The median age was 46.4 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 42 people (19.4%) aged under 15 years, 21 (9.7%) aged 15 to 29, 120 (55.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 33 (15.3%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 83.3% European/Pākehā, 27.8% Māori, 1.4% Pacific peoples, and 4.2% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 54.2% had no religion, 38.9% were Christian, and 1.4% had Māori religious beliefs.

Of those at least 15 years old, 21 (12.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 39 (22.4%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $37,300, compared with $31,800 nationally. 39 people (22.4%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 81 (46.6%) people were employed full-time, 36 (20.7%) were part-time, and 3 (1.7%) were unemployed.

