Castlecliff

Castlecliff
Suburb
A café in Castlecliff
A café in Castlecliff
Map
Interactive map of Castlecliff
Coordinates: 39°56′35″S 174°59′37″E / 39.943031°S 174.993740°E / -39.943031; 174.993740
CountryNew Zealand
CityWhanganui
Local authorityWhanganui District Council
Area
[2]
 • Land865 ha (2,140 acres)
Population
 (June 2025)[1]
 • Total
4,260
 • Density492/km2 (1,280/sq mi)
Kai Iwi Westmere Tawhero
Castlecliff
 Gonville
(South Taranaki Bight) (Whanganui River mouth)

Castlecliff is a suburb of Whanganui, in the Whanganui District and Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand's North Island. The name was given by the Harbour Board, on the suggestion of the future Prime Minister, John Ballance,[3] when it established the township on what were described as "barren sandhills" in 1882. Many of the streets were named after Harbour Board members.[4] The northern harbour breakwater extended 900 ft (270 m) by 1885.[5] The freezing works was built in 1891.[6]

Demographics

Castlecliff covers 8.65 km2 (3.34 sq mi)[2] and had an estimated population of 4,260 as of June 2025,[1] with a population density of 492 people per km2.

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
20063,420—    
20133,264−0.66%
20183,714+2.62%
20234,026+1.63%
Source: [7][8]

Castlecliff had a population of 4,026 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 312 people (8.4%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 762 people (23.3%) since the 2013 census. There were 2,094 males, 1,920 females, and 12 people of other genders in 1,479 dwellings.[9] 3.7% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. There were 858 people (21.3%) aged under 15 years, 792 (19.7%) aged 15 to 29, 1,719 (42.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 657 (16.3%) aged 65 or older.[7]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 70.6% European (Pākehā); 43.0% Māori; 6.3% Pasifika; 3.4% Asian; 0.4% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.5% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.3%, Māori by 12.5%, Samoan by 0.8%, and other languages by 5.1%. No language could be spoken by 2.5% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 1.1%. The percentage of people born overseas was 10.5, compared with 28.8% nationally.[7]

Religious affiliations were 23.9% Christian, 0.6% Hindu, 0.1% Islam, 6.3% Māori religious beliefs, 0.7% Buddhist, 0.9% New Age, and 1.3% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 58.0%, and 8.9% of people did not answer the census question.[7]

Of those at least 15 years old, 387 (12.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 1,845 (58.2%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 942 (29.7%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. 111 people (3.5%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 1,350 (42.6%) full-time, 423 (13.4%) part-time, and 162 (5.1%) unemployed.[7]

Individual statistical areas
Name Area
(km2)		 Population Density
(per km2)		 Dwellings Median age Median
income
Castlecliff West 3.02 1,776 587 699 40.3 years $30,800[10]
Castlecliff East 2.81 2,109 751 729 34.4 years $33,300[11]
Balgownie 2.82 141 50 51 35.4 years $27,900[12]
New Zealand 38.1 years $41,500

Education

Castlecliff School is a state primary school for Year 1 to 6 students,[13][14] with a roll of 165.[15] It opened in 1892.[16]

Aranui School is another state primary school for Year 1 to 6 students,[17] with a roll of 67.[18] It opened in 1965.[19]

Te Kura o Kokohuia is a Year 1 to 8 state primary school,[20] with a roll of 206.[21] It was the first bilingual school in Whanganui. It was in existence in 1991.[22]

Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Tupoho is a Māori language immersion primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,[23] with a roll of 149.[24] It started in 1996 as a satellite school of Te Kura o Kokohuia.[25]

All these schools are co-educational. Rolls are as of July 2025.[26]

See also

Castlecliff Branch railway opened 1885

Castlecliff tramway opened 1912

References

  1. ^ a b "Subnational population estimates - Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 2 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  3. ^ "HARBOUR BOARD Wanganui Herald". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 8 November 1882. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  4. ^ "LOCAL AND GENERAL. Wanganui Chronicle". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 8 November 1882. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  5. ^ "A TRIP TO THE HEADS BY RAIL. Wanganui Herald". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 27 April 1885. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  6. ^ "THE WANGANUI FREEZING WORKS Wanganui Chronicle". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 10 June 1891. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  7. ^ a b c d e "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Castlecliff West (223600), Castlecliff East (223800) and Balgownie (224700). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  8. ^ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Castlecliff West (223600), Castlecliff East (223800) and Balgownie (224700).
  9. ^ "Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  10. ^ "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer. Castlecliff West. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  11. ^ "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer. Castlecliff East. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  12. ^ "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer. Balgownie. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  13. ^ "Castlecliff School Official School Website". castlecliff.school.nz.
  14. ^ "Castlecliff School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
  15. ^ "Castlecliff School Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
  16. ^ Brooks, Paul (5 April 2017). "Castlecliff chalks up 125 years". Whanganui Chronicle.
  17. ^ "Aranui School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
  18. ^ "Aranui School Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
  19. ^ Brooks, Paul (1 July 2015). "School looks back on 50 years". Whanganui Chronicle.
  20. ^ "Kokohuia School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
  21. ^ "Kokohuia School Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  22. ^ Tumuaki, Charles Oliver (November 1991). "Kokohuia : a school on the move".
  23. ^ "Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o TupohoMinistry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
  24. ^ "Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o TupohoEducation Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
  25. ^ Wylie, Liz (10 December 2020). "Haere ra: Long-serving trio bid farewell to beloved Whanganui kura". Whanganui Chronicle.
  26. ^ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aranui_School