Te Puna

Te Puna is a rural community near Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located on State Highway 2, north of Bethlehem and south of Katikati.

Te Puna
Town
St Joseph's Church
Coordinates: 37.695823°S 176.072806°E / -37.695823; 176.072806
Country	New Zealand
Region	Bay of Plenty
Territorial authority	Western Bay of Plenty District
Ward	Kaimai
Electorates	Bay of Plenty Waiariki (Māori)
Government
• Territorial authority	Western Bay of Plenty District Council
• Regional council	Bay of Plenty Regional Council
• Mayor of Western Bay of Plenty	James Denyer[1]
• Bay of Plenty MP	Tom Rutherford[2]
• Waiariki MP	Rawiri Waititi[3]
Area [4]
• Total	24.71 km2 (9.54 sq mi)
Population  (June 2024)[5]
• Total	3,440
• Density	140/km2 (360/sq mi)

The local Te Puna Quarry has been redeveloped by volunteers into a park.^[6]

Former National Party leader Todd Muller was raised in Te Puna in the 1970s, where his parents started a kiwifruit orchard.^[7] He attended Te Puna Primary School.^[8] He entered parliament at the 2014 general election as the MP for Bay of Plenty, and was National Party leader and the Leader of the Opposition from 22 May to 14 July 2020.^[9]

Demographics

Te Puna statistical area, which includes Motuhoa Island, Plummers Point and Te Puna West, covers 24.71 km² (9.54 sq mi)^[4] and had an estimated population of 3,440 as of June 2024,^[5] with a population density of 139 people per km².

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	2,004	—
2013	2,583	+3.69%
2018	2,931	+2.56%
2023	3,024	+0.63%
The 2006 population is for a smaller area of 18.16 km2, excluding Plummers Point. Source: [10][11]

Te Puna had a population of 3,024 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 93 people (3.2%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 441 people (17.1%) since the 2013 census. There were 1,521 males, 1,497 females, and 6 people of other genders in 1,059 dwellings.^[12] 1.9% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 48.1 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 525 people (17.4%) aged under 15 years, 444 (14.7%) aged 15 to 29, 1,431 (47.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 624 (20.6%) aged 65 or older.^[10]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 76.7% European (Pākehā); 30.3% Māori; 3.7% Pasifika; 2.9% Asian; 0.6% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 1.8% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.5%, Māori by 12.1%, Samoan by 0.1%, and other languages by 5.9%. No language could be spoken by 1.4% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.5%. The percentage of people born overseas was 16.1, compared with 28.8% nationally.^[10]

Religious affiliations were 36.9% Christian, 0.5% Hindu, 4.0% Māori religious beliefs, 0.3% Buddhist, 0.5% New Age, 0.1% Jewish, and 1.1% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 49.2%, and 7.5% of people did not answer the census question.^[10]

Of those at least 15 years old, 579 (23.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 1,425 (57.0%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 492 (19.7%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $42,500, compared with $41,500 nationally. 369 people (14.8%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 1,206 (48.3%) full-time, 453 (18.1%) part-time, and 45 (1.8%) unemployed.^[10]

Marae

Te Puna has four marae belonging to the Ngāti Ranginui hapū of Pirirākau:^[13][14]

• Paparoa Marae and Werahiko meeting house
• Poutūterangi Marae and Takurua meeting house
• Tutereinga Marae and meeting house
• Tawhitinui and Maka meeting house

Education

Te Puna School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,^[15][16] with a roll of 212 as of March 2025.^[17] The school opened in 1896 and moved to its current site in 1904.^[18]