Reporoa

Reporoa is a rural community in Rotorua Lakes within the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island.

Reporoa
Road sign and sculpture
Coordinates: 38.436003°S 176.340785°E / -38.436003; 176.340785
Country	New Zealand
Region	Waikato
Territorial authority	Rotorua Lakes District
Ward	Rotorua Rural General Ward
Community	Rotorua Rural Community
Electorates	Rotorua Waiariki (Māori)
Government
• Territorial authority	Rotorua Lakes Council
• Regional council	Waikato Regional Council
• Mayor of Rotorua	Tania Tapsell[1]
• Rotorua MP	Todd McClay[2]
• Waiariki MP	Rawiri Waititi[3]
Area [4]
• Total	15.66 km2 (6.05 sq mi)
Population  (2023 Census)[5]
• Total	321
• Density	20/km2 (53/sq mi)

It is located within the Reporoa Caldera,^[6] a caldera in the Taupō Volcanic Zone containing the Deer Hill, Kairuru and Pukekahu rhyolitic lava domes and the active Reporoa geothermal field.^[7][8] Several hydrothermal explosions have occurred in the area, with a large one being recorded in 1948, and another large one occurring in a cow paddock in April 2005.^[9]

The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "long swamp" for Reporoa.^[10]

Demographics

Reporoa locality covers 15.66 km² (6.05 sq mi).^[4] It is part of the Golden Springs statistical area.^[11]

Historical population of Reporoa

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	330	—
2013	279	−2.37%
2018	279	+0.00%
2023	321	+2.84%
Source: [5][12]

Reporoa had a population of 321 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 42 people (15.1%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 42 people (15.1%) since the 2013 census. There were 177 males, 147 females, and 3 people of other genders in 114 dwellings.^[13] 1.9% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. There were 72 people (22.4%) aged under 15 years, 57 (17.8%) aged 15 to 29, 153 (47.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 39 (12.1%) aged 65 or older.^[5]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 58.9% European (Pākehā); 46.7% Māori; 1.9% Pasifika; 7.5% Asian; 0.9% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.8% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 98.1%, Māori by 9.3%, and other languages by 3.7%. No language could be spoken by 1.9% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 1.9%. The percentage of people born overseas was 16.8, compared with 28.8% nationally.^[5]

Religious affiliations were 28.0% Christian, 0.9% Hindu, 3.7% Māori religious beliefs, 0.9% New Age, and 2.8% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 54.2%, and 8.4% of people did not answer the census question.^[5]

Of those at least 15 years old, 21 (8.4%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 156 (62.7%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 75 (30.1%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. 21 people (8.4%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 132 (53.0%) full-time, 39 (15.7%) part-time, and 15 (6.0%) unemployed.^[5]

Golden Springs statistical area

Golden Springs statistical area covers 498.92 km² (192.63 sq mi)^[14] and had an estimated population of 1,930 as of June 2024,^[15] with a population density of 3.9 people per km².

Historical population for Golden Springs

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	1,764	—
2013	1,797	+0.27%
2018	1,767	−0.34%
2023	1,854	+0.97%
Source: [16][17]

Golden Springs had a population of 1,854 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 87 people (4.9%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 57 people (3.2%) since the 2013 census. There were 984 males, 864 females, and 6 people of other genders in 657 dwellings.^[18] 2.3% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 33.0 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 459 people (24.8%) aged under 15 years, 402 (21.7%) aged 15 to 29, 825 (44.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 171 (9.2%) aged 65 or older.^[16]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 76.7% European (Pākehā); 31.1% Māori; 2.8% Pasifika; 7.3% Asian; 0.5% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 1.6% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.8%, Māori by 4.7%, Samoan by 0.3%, and other languages by 5.7%. No language could be spoken by 2.3% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 13.8, compared with 28.8% nationally.^[16]

Religious affiliations were 25.2% Christian, 0.5% Hindu, 0.2% Islam, 1.8% Māori religious beliefs, 0.6% Buddhist, 0.3% New Age, 0.2% Jewish, and 2.3% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 62.1%, and 7.3% of people did not answer the census question.^[16]

Of those at least 15 years old, 159 (11.4%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 873 (62.6%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 360 (25.8%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $49,600, compared with $41,500 nationally. 153 people (11.0%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 813 (58.3%) full-time, 204 (14.6%) part-time, and 27 (1.9%) unemployed.^[16]

Marae

The Reporoa area has four Ngāti Tahu – Ngāti Whaoa marae:

• Mataarae Marae and meeting house is a meeting place of Ngāti Mataarae and Ngāti Whaoa.^[19][20]
• Ōhākī Marae and Tahumatua meeting house is a meeting place of Ngāti Tahu.^[19][20]
• Te Toke Marae and Te Rama meeting house is a meeting place of Ngāti Te Rama and Ngāti Whaoa.^[19][20]
• Waimahana or Marapounamu Marae and Rahurahu meeting house is a meeting place for Ngāti Rahurahu.^[19][20]

Education

Reporoa College is a co-educational state secondary school for Year 7 to 13 schools,^[21][22] with a roll of 207 as of March 2025.^[23] It opened in 1955 as Reporoa District High School.^[24]

Reporoa also has two primary schools for Year 1 to 6 students: Reporoa School,^[25] established in 1923,^[26] with a roll of 88;^[27] and Broadlands School,^[28][29] established by 1937,^[30] with a roll of 117.^[31]