Ruakura

Ruakura is a semi-rural suburb of Hamilton City, in the Waikato region of New Zealand. The University of Waikato is nearby.

Ruakura
Suburb
Ruakura State Farm in 1921
(homestead and stables in foreground)
CountryNew Zealand
Local authorityHamilton, New Zealand
Electoral wardHamilton East
Established1888
Population
 (2018 Census)
 • Total1,158
Enderley Fairview Downs Eureka
Claudelands
Ruakura
 Newstead
Hamilton East Hillcrest Silverdale

The area lies to the east of urban Hamilton and to the west of State Highway 1B (a variant of State Highway 1 which avoids the urban area).

Ruakura Agriculture Research Centre

Waikato Agricultural College and Model Farm was set up in 1888,[1] so that Ruakura is now synonymous with the Ruakura Agriculture Research Centre, the location of institutes such as AgResearch and Plant & Food Research. Areas of AgResearch's research at Ruakura include animal molecular biology (genomics and cloning), reproductive technologies, agricultural systems modelling, land management, dairy science, meat science, food processing technology and safety, and animal behaviour and welfare. Plant & Food Research's site in Hamilton is home to its blueberry nursery, its Bioengineering Group and its Food and Biological Chemistry laboratory. Work is also carried out on biological control agents. The Waikato region is a major contributor to New Zealand's agricultural-based economy, and Ruakura has an important role in that industry.

The Ruakura Agriculture Research Centre is on land owned by the Waikato Tainui, to whom it was returned by the Crown as part of their 1995 Waikato Raupatu Land Settlement.

The Waikato Regional Council included a majority of the land at Ruakura in the proposed Regional Policy Statement (PWRPS) as a future employment area. The Hamilton City Council Proposed District Plan gave effect to the PWRPS incorporating the Ruakura structure plan. The long term plan for Ruakura is that it will be New Zealand's largest integrated commercial and lifestyle development anchored by a freight and logistics hub.

Demographics
Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
2006831—    
2013900+1.15%
20181,158+5.17%
Source: [2]

Ruakura had a population of 1,158 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 258 people (28.7%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 327 people (39.4%) since the 2006 census. There were 189 households. There were 549 males and 612 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.9 males per female. The median age was 20.6 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 132 people (11.4%) aged under 15 years, 666 (57.5%) aged 15 to 29, 312 (26.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 48 (4.1%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 61.1% European/Pākehā, 13.7% Māori, 5.4% Pacific peoples, 27.2% Asian, and 4.4% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).

The proportion of people born overseas was 39.1%, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people objected to giving their religion, 51.0% had no religion, 30.8% were Christian, 5.7% were Hindu, 2.3% were Muslim, 2.1% were Buddhist and 3.9% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 240 (23.4%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 51 (5.0%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $10,400, compared with $31,800 nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 300 (29.2%) people were employed full-time, 174 (17.0%) were part-time, and 69 (6.7%) were unemployed.[2]

In the 2018 census a new Ruakura area was created, covering the University and a rural area on the city fringe. It is 9.02 km2 (3.48 sq mi).[3] Up to 2013 Ruakura was part of the 8.22 km2 (3.17 sq mi) Newstead area, which covered a similar area, but excluded the University.[4] As shown below, the change resulted in a much larger, younger and poorer population in 2018 than previously and younger than the 37.4 years of the national average. 61.1% were European, 27.2% Asian and 13.7% Māori.[5] Only 3 people lived in meshblock 0955300, at the Research Centre, in 2013.[4]

Population Median income
Year Ruakura Newstead Median age Households Local NZ
2001 159 30.5 51 $24,200 $18,500
2006 831 174 41.5 57 $32,500 $24,100
2013 900 216 36.2 81 $33,800 $27,900
2018 1,158 20.6 189 $10,400 $31,800

Education

Tai Wananga is a co-educational state secondary school located in Ruakura.[6][7] It had a roll of 147.[8]

Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Toku Mapihi Maurea is a coeducational full primary school (years 1–8) with a roll of 109.[9] The school teaches primarily in the Māori language.[10]

Both schools are coeducational. Rolls are as of March 2020.[11]

Railway at Ruakura

Ruakura Junction railway station

Ruakura had a railway station from 1 October 1884 to 1 January 1967[12] at the junction of the East Coast Main Trunk and the Cambridge Branch. The branch had its first public train on 8 October 1884.[13] Ruakura was 8.17 km (5.08 mi) west of Eureka and 3.94 km (2.45 mi) east of Claudelands.[14] it was 2.57 km (1.60 mi) north of Mongaonui (or Mongonui), later renamed Newstead.[12] When the line opened, Ruakura station was described as an island in a swamp, with no road connection.[15] In 2020 reopening as a "passenger rail Metro Station" was put forward as a COVID-19 recovery scheme, as part of a $150m scheme to relay tracks to Cambridge.[16]

  Former adjoining stations  
Claudelands
Line open, station closed		   East Coast Main Trunk
New Zealand Railways Department		   Eureka
Line open, station closed
Terminus   Cambridge Branch   Newstead
Line open, station closed

Employment area and Inland port

In 2016 approval was given to create an employment area, with an inland port, served by the railway and the Hamilton Bypass.[17] The development will cover 485 ha (1,200 acres), including a 31 ha (77 acres) inland port to the west of the Research Centre.[18] Opening is planned in 2021.[19]

Residential areas

The 2016 Structure Plan included residential development to the north and south of the employment areas.[20]

Greenhill Park

Greenhill Park is a medium density suburb at the north west of the development, begun in 2016,[21] It adjoins Fairview Downs. A 110kV transmission line was undergrounded in 2020 to make way for more housing.[22]

References
  1. "SUBMISSION ON VARIATION 1 RUAKURA" (PDF). Hamilton City Council. December 2015.
  2. "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Ruakura (179200). 2018 Census place summary: Ruakura
  3. "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  4. "2013 Census map – QuickStats about a place". archive.stats.govt.nz. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  5. "2018 Census place summaries". www.stats.govt.nz. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  6. "Official School Website". ruakura.taiwananga.co.nz.
  7. "Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
  8. "Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
  9. Education Counts: Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Toku Mapihi Maurea
  10. "Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Toku Mapihi Maurea – 27/01/2015". Education Review Office. 27 January 2015.
  11. "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  12. Scoble, Juliet. "Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations in New Zealand 1863 to 2010" (PDF). Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand.
  13. "Page 3 Advertisements Column 1 AUCKLAND STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 3 October 1884. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  14. Yonge, John Roger; Company, Quail Map (1993). New Zealand Railway and Tramway Atlas. Quail Map Company. ISBN 9780900609923.
  15. "The Opening. WAIKATO TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 9 October 1884. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  16. "URBAN GROWTH PROGRAMME INITIATIVES" (PDF). Hamilton City Council. 3 April 2020.
  17. "History". Ruakura. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  18. "Pictures reveal true size of Ruakura Inland Port". Stuff. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  19. "Media Hub". Ruakura. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  20. "Figure 2-14: Ruakura Structure Plan – Land Use" (PDF). Hamilton City Council. 21 October 2016.
  21. "Hearing to consider Variation 1 – Ruakura to the Hamilton City Council Proposed District Plan" (PDF). Hamilton City Council. 15 July 2016.
  22. "Developer spends $15m to put high voltage lines underground". Stuff. Retrieved 15 April 2020.

See also

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