Matiere

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Matiere
Rural community
Map
Coordinates: 38°45′54″S 175°06′05″E / 38.764990°S 175.101457°E / -38.764990; 175.101457
CountryNew Zealand
RegionManawatū-Whanganui
DistrictRuapehu District
Ward
  • Ruapehu General Ward
  • Ruapehu Māori Ward
CommunityTaumarunui-Ōhura Community
Electorates
Government
 • Territorial AuthorityRuapehu District Council
 • Regional councilHorizons Regional Council
 • Mayor of RuapehuWeston Kirton[1]
 • Taranaki-King Country MPBarbara Kuriger[2]
 • Te Tai Hauāuru MPDebbie Ngarewa-Packer[3]
Area
[4]
 • Total
218.06 km2 (84.19 sq mi)
Population
 (2023 Census)[5]
 • Total
186
 • Density0.853/km2 (2.21/sq mi)

Matiere is a rural community in the Ruapehu District and Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand's North Island.

European settlers arrived in the early 1900s, establishing the Matiere School in 1906.[6]

The settlement is now a ghost town,[6] consisting of a small number of homes, former shops and former churches.[7] However, there is still a small but active community.[8]

The former post office has been converted to a business making swings for babies and toddlers.[9] The business supplies just 35 stockists,[10] but Kourtney Kardashian is among its customers.[11] The couple who make the swings live in the former Catholic church, and have turned the former Methodist church into a woodworking workshop.[7]

In September 2018, American forestry company Soper Wheeler Co received regulatory approval to convert a 1148 hectare farm north of the main settlement into a redwood forest.[12]

Demographics

[edit]

Matiere locality covers 218.06 km2 (84.19 sq mi).[4] The locality is part of the larger Otangiwai-Ohura statistical area.[13]

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
2006201—    
2013189−0.88%
2018180−0.97%
2023186+0.66%
Source: [5][14]

Matiere had a population of 186 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 6 people (3.3%) since the 2018 census, and a decrease of 3 people (−1.6%) since the 2013 census. There were 93 males and 90 females in 78 dwellings.[15] 1.6% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 43.7 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 42 people (22.6%) aged under 15 years, 21 (11.3%) aged 15 to 29, 84 (45.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 36 (19.4%) aged 65 or older.[5]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 71.0% European (Pākehā), 41.9% Māori, 1.6% Pasifika, 3.2% Asian, and 6.5% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 100.0%, Māori by 11.3%, and other languages by 1.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 4.8, compared with 28.8% nationally.[5]

Religious affiliations were 27.4% Christian, 3.2% Māori religious beliefs, and 1.6% New Age. People who answered that they had no religion were 53.2%, and 16.1% of people did not answer the census question.[5]

Of those at least 15 years old, 12 (8.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 93 (64.6%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 42 (29.2%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $28,900, compared with $41,500 nationally. 6 people (4.2%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 69 (47.9%) full-time, 24 (16.7%) part-time, and 6 (4.2%) unemployed.[5]

Education

[edit]

Matiere School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,[16] with a roll of 25 as of July 2025.[17] It opened in 1906.[18] In 2024, the school opened a new main building and playground.[19]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "2025 Triennial Elections Declaration of Result" (PDF). Electionz. Retrieved 20 October 2025.
  2. ^ "Taranaki-King Country - Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  3. ^ "Te Tai Hauāuru - Official Result". Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 1 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 11 November 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. 7017558. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  6. ^ a b Morris, Bruce (14 June 2011). "Land of contrasts: Taumarunui and Auckland". APN New Zealand. The New Zealand Herald.
  7. ^ a b Packer, Ann (12 May 2015). "The couple who live in a church they bought for $1100". Fairfax New Zealand. NZ House & Garden.
  8. ^ Braae, Alex (29 March 2020). "Ohura Medieval Market Day, and the fight to keep a small town standing". The Spinoff.
  9. ^ Ferguson, Frances (23 August 2016). "Into the swing of business at Matiere". Stuff.
  10. ^ Donaldson, Rachel (24 April 2019). "Regional rollercoaster: Selling to the Kardashians from Matiere". ICG Media. The Register.
  11. ^ Nadkarni, Anuja (19 December 2018). "Taumarunui-made Solvej swings on Kardashian's Christmas wishlist". Stuff.
  12. ^ Piddock, Gerald (3 September 2018). "US company snaps up farmland for forestry plantation". Stuff.
  13. ^ "Geographic Boundary Viewer". Stats NZ. Statistical Area 1 – 2023 and Statistical Area 2 – 2023.
  14. ^ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7017558.
  15. ^ "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.
  16. ^ "Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
  17. ^ "Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
  18. ^ "Late Country News". New Zealand Mail. 7 February 1906.
  19. ^ Christiansen, Sigrid (10 July 2024). "Playtime for Matiere". King Country News.