Ngātapa

Ngātapa is a rural community in the Gisborne District of New Zealand's North Island.^[5]

Ngātapa
Coordinates: 38°35′08″S 177°47′23″E
Country	New Zealand
District	Gisborne District
Ward	Tairāwhiti General Ward
Electorates	Napier Ikaroa-Rāwhiti (Māori)
Government
• Territorial authority	Gisborne District Council
• Napier MP	Katie Nimon[1]
• Ikaroa-Rāwhiti MP	Cushla Tangaere-Manuel[2]
Area [3]
• Total	165.73 km2 (63.99 sq mi)
Population  (2023 Census)[4]
• Total	141
• Density	0.85/km2 (2.2/sq mi)

In late 1868 and early 1869 between 86 and 128 followers of Te Kooti were executed on nearby Ngātapa hill after the siege of Ngatapa.^[6] The Waitangi Tribunal described the siege as "one of the worst abuses of law and human rights in New Zealand’s colonial history".^[7] The 150th anniversary was commemorated in Ngatapa in January 2019.^[8]

Demographics

Ngātapa locality covers 165.73 km² (63.99 sq mi).^[3] It is part of the Hangaroa statistical area.^[9]

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	165	—
2013	150	−1.35%
2018	141	−1.23%
2023	141	+0.00%
Source: [4][10]

Ngātapa had a population of 141 in the 2023 New Zealand census, unchanged since the 2018 census, and a decrease of 9 people (−6.0%) since the 2013 census. There were 72 males and 69 females in 57 dwellings.^[11] The median age was 38.2 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 24 people (17.0%) aged under 15 years, 33 (23.4%) aged 15 to 29, 63 (44.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 21 (14.9%) aged 65 or older.^[4]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 70.2% European (Pākehā), 40.4% Māori, and 4.3% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 93.6%, Māori by 10.6%, and other languages by 2.1%. No language could be spoken by 6.4% (e.g. too young to talk). The percentage of people born overseas was 8.5, compared with 28.8% nationally.^[4]

Religious affiliations were 27.7% Christian, 2.1% Māori religious beliefs, 2.1% Buddhist, and 2.1% New Age. People who answered that they had no religion were 59.6%, and 8.5% of people did not answer the census question.^[4]

Of those at least 15 years old, 18 (15.4%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 78 (66.7%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 15 (12.8%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $53,100, compared with $41,500 nationally. 12 people (10.3%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 78 (66.7%) full-time, 12 (10.3%) part-time, and 3 (2.6%) unemployed.^[4]

Parks

Eastwoodhill Arboretum, the national arboretum of New Zealand, is located in Ngātapa. It includes a walkway and cycleway.^[12]

Marae

The Ngātapa Marae is a meeting ground of the Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki hapū of Te Whānau a Kai.^[13][14]

In October 2020, the Government committed $460,500 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade Pakowhai Marae, Takitimu Marae and Ngātapa Marae, creating 13 jobs.^[15]

Transport

Ngātapa is the terminus of the former Ngatapa Branch railway that closed in 1931. The locality is served by Wharekopae Road.

Education

Ngatapa School is a Year 1–8 co-educational state primary school^[16][17] with a roll of 13 students as of July 2025.^[18][19] It opened in 1911.^[20]

Waerenga-o-Kuri School is a Year 1–8 co-educational state primary school about 23 km south of Ngātapa by road.^[21][22] It had a roll of 25 students as of July 2025.^[18][23] It started in 1917 in a private home, and spent four years from 1920 in a hotel. There was an earlier school at Waerenga-o-Kuri in 1879.^[24]