Tiroa

Tiroa is a rural locality in the Waitomo District and Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand's North Island. State Highway 30 runs through the area.^[6] The name means "tall cabbage tree".^[7]

Tiroa
Rural locality
Coordinates: 38.51°S 175.51°E / -38.51; 175.51
Country	New Zealand
Region	Manawatū-Whanganui region
District	Waitomo District
Ward	Waitomo Rural Ward
Electorates	Taranaki-King Country Te Tai Hauāuru (Māori)
Government
• Territorial Authority	Waitomo District Council
• Regional council	Manawatū-Whanganui Regional Council
• Mayor of Waitomo	John Robertson[1]
• Taranaki-King Country MP	Barbara Kuriger[2]
• Hauraki-Waikato MP	Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke[3]
Area [4]
• Total	182.32 km2 (70.39 sq mi)
Population  (June 2024)[5]
• Total	70
• Density	0.38/km2 (0.99/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	3982

Pao Mīere, a Māori prophetic movement, built a cross-shaped whare wānanga (house of learning) called Te Miringa Te Kakara near Tiroa about 1887. It was destroyed by fire in 1983.^[8][9][10]

Tiroa School operated from about 1900^[11][12] with the buildings replaced in 1925.^[12] The school was open at least until 1958.^[13]

Demographics

Tiroa covers 182.32 km² (70.39 sq mi)^[4] and had an estimated population of 70 as of June 2024,^[5] with a population density of 0.38 people per km².

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	84	—
2013	51	−6.88%
2018	42	−3.81%
2023	45	+1.39%
Source: [14][15]

Tiroa had a population of 45 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 3 people (7.1%) since the 2018 census, and a decrease of 6 people (−11.8%) since the 2013 census. There were 27 males and 18 females in 21 dwellings.^[16] The median age was 41.4 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 3 people (6.7%) aged under 15 years, 12 (26.7%) aged 15 to 29, 21 (46.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 9 (20.0%) aged 65 or older.^[14]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 40.0% European (Pākehā), and 73.3% Māori. English was spoken by 100.0%, Māori by 26.7%, and Samoan by 6.7%. New Zealand Sign Language was known by 6.7%. The percentage of people born overseas was 13.3, compared with 28.8% nationally.^[14]

Religious affiliations were 20.0% Christian, and 13.3% Māori religious beliefs. People who answered that they had no religion were 53.3%, and 13.3% of people did not answer the census question.^[14]

Of those at least 15 years old, 30 (71.4%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 12 (28.6%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $39,700, compared with $41,500 nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 18 (42.9%) full-time, 6 (14.3%) part-time, and 3 (7.1%) unemployed.^[14]