Riwaka

Riwaka Riuwaka (Māori)
The Riwaka Hotel
Interactive map of Riwaka
Coordinates: 41°5′S 173°0′E / 41.083°S 173.000°E / -41.083; 173.000
Country	New Zealand
Territorial authority	Tasman
Ward	Motueka Ward
Community	Motueka Community
Electorates	West Coast-Tasman Te Tai Tonga (Māori)
Government
• Territorial authority	Tasman District Council
• Mayor of Tasman	Tim King[1]
• West Coast-Tasman MP	Maureen Pugh[2]
• Te Tai Tonga MP	Tākuta Ferris[3]
Area [4]
• Total	5.49 km2 (2.12 sq mi)
Population  (June 2025)[5]
• Total	740
• Density	130/km2 (350/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+12 (NZST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+13 (NZDT)
Area code	03

Riwaka (Māori: Riuwaka) is a small settlement in the Tasman District of New Zealand's South Island. It lies beside Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere, five kilometres north of Motueka, and close to the mouth of the Riuwaka River. The land where the town is based was a swamp known as Tureauraki.^[6] Europeans first settled in Riwaka in May 1842.^[7] The Riwaka economy has been based around growing tobacco and hops.^[8][9][10]

The settlement's name, Riwaka, is a corruption of the Māori name Riuwaka, which derives from riu meaning bilge or interior, and waka meaning canoe.^[11] The name can be interpreted as the hull of the canoe.^[12]

The name of the nearby river was officially altered from Riwaka River to Riuwaka River in August 2014,^[13] following the Treaty of Waitangi settlements between the Crown and local iwi Ngāti Rārua and Te Atiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui.

Riwaka is described by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement. It covers 5.49 km² (2.12 sq mi)^[4] and had an estimated population of 740 as of June 2025,^[5] with a population density of 135 people per km². It is part of the larger Kaiteriteri-Riwaka statistical area.^[14]

Rīwaka had a population of 756 in the 2023 New Zealand census, a decrease of 9 people (−1.2%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 96 people (14.5%) since the 2013 census. There were 381 males, 375 females, and 3 people of other genders in 273 dwellings.^[17] 3.2% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 42.8 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 123 people (16.3%) aged under 15 years, 138 (18.3%) aged 15 to 29, 354 (46.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 138 (18.3%) aged 65 or older.^[15]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 87.3% European (Pākehā); 14.7% Māori; 5.2% Pasifika; 3.2% Asian; 0.4% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 5.6% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 98.4%, Māori by 2.4%, Samoan by 2.4%, and other languages by 7.1%. No language could be spoken by 0.8% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.4%. The percentage of people born overseas was 20.2, compared with 28.8% nationally.^[15]

Religious affiliations were 19.8% Christian, 0.4% Islam, 0.4% Māori religious beliefs, 0.4% Buddhist, 0.8% New Age, and 2.0% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 67.5%, and 9.5% of people did not answer the census question.^[15]

Of those at least 15 years old, 84 (13.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 369 (58.3%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 177 (28.0%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $36,500, compared with $41,500 nationally. 42 people (6.6%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 333 (52.6%) full-time, 96 (15.2%) part-time, and 12 (1.9%) unemployed.^[15]

Kaiteriteri-Riwaka statistical area, which also includes Mārahau and Kaiteriteri, covers 29.48 km² (11.38 sq mi)^[18] and had an estimated population of 2,020 as of June 2025,^[19] with a population density of 69 people per km².

Kaiteriteri-Rīwaka had a population of 1,992 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 222 people (12.5%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 453 people (29.4%) since the 2013 census. There were 1,053 males, 933 females, and 3 people of other genders in 729 dwellings.^[22] 2.6% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 47.1 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 267 people (13.4%) aged under 15 years, 315 (15.8%) aged 15 to 29, 933 (46.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 474 (23.8%) aged 65 or older.^[20]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 83.9% European (Pākehā); 10.5% Māori; 10.2% Pasifika; 2.4% Asian; 0.8% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.6% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.7%, Māori by 2.1%, Samoan by 2.9%, and other languages by 13.0%. No language could be spoken by 1.1% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.5%. The percentage of people born overseas was 28.5, compared with 28.8% nationally.^[20]

Religious affiliations were 28.9% Christian, 0.2% Islam, 0.3% Māori religious beliefs, 0.8% Buddhist, 1.1% New Age, and 1.4% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 60.1%, and 7.5% of people did not answer the census question.^[20]

Of those at least 15 years old, 306 (17.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 882 (51.1%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 534 (31.0%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $34,400, compared with $41,500 nationally. 117 people (6.8%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 810 (47.0%) full-time, 264 (15.3%) part-time, and 48 (2.8%) unemployed.^[20]

The Saint Barnabas Anglican church is located on Main Road, Riwaka.^[23]

Riwaka School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,^[24][25] with a roll of 157 as of October 2025.^[26] The school, opened in 1848, is one of the oldest schools in New Zealand.^[12]

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