Castlecliff

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]

Castlecliff
Suburb
A café in Castlecliff
Coordinates: 39.943031°S 174.993740°E / -39.943031; 174.993740
Country	New Zealand
City	Whanganui
Local authority	Whanganui District Council
Area [1]
• Land	865 ha (2,137 acres)
Population  (June 2024)[2]
• Total	4,150

Kai Iwi	Westmere	Tawhero
	Castlecliff	Gonville
(South Taranaki Bight)	(Whanganui River mouth)

Demographics

Castlecliff covers 8.65 km² (3.34 sq mi)^[1] and had an estimated population of 4,150 as of June 2024,^[2] with a population density of 480 people per km².

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	3,420	—
2013	3,186	−1.01%
2018	3,630	+2.64%
Source: [7]

Castlecliff had a population of 3,630 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 444 people (13.9%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 210 people (6.1%) since the 2006 census. There were 1,341 households, comprising 1,830 males and 1,797 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.02 males per female, with 861 people (23.7%) aged under 15 years, 678 (18.7%) aged 15 to 29, 1,584 (43.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 510 (14.0%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 70.0% European/Pākehā, 42.4% Māori, 4.7% Pacific peoples, 2.6% Asian, and 1.8% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 7.9, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 54.1% had no religion, 28.1% were Christian, 6.4% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.4% were Hindu, 0.5% were Buddhist and 2.4% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 234 (8.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 792 (28.6%) people had no formal qualifications. 123 people (4.4%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,119 (40.4%) people were employed full-time, 369 (13.3%) were part-time, and 189 (6.8%) were unemployed.^[7]

Individual statistical areas

Name	Area (km2)	Population	Density (per km2)	Households	Median age	Median income
Castlecliff West	3.02	1,593	527	636	40.8 years	$22,400[8]
Castlecliff East	2.63	1,917	729	651	33.1 years	$21,800[9]
Balgownie	2.81	120	43	54	47.5 years	$23,100[10]
New Zealand					37.4 years	$31,800

Education

Castlecliff School is a state primary school for Year 1 to 6 students,^[11][12] with a roll of 165 as of July 2025.^[13]

Aranui School is another state primary school for Year 1 to 6 students,^[14] with a roll of 67.^[15]

Kokohuia School is a Year 1 to 8 state primary school,^[16] with a roll of 206.^[17]

Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Tupoho is a Māori language immersion primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,^[18] with a roll of 149.^[19]

See also

Castlecliff Branch railway opened 1885

Castlecliff tramway opened 1912