Towai

This article is about the township. For the tree, see Pterophylla sylvicola.

Towai (Māori: Tōwai) is a locality in the Northland Region of the North Island of New Zealand.^[4] State Highway 1 passes through it. Kawakawa is 16 km northwest, and Whakapara is 17 km southeast.^[5][6] The North Auckland Line passes through Towai.^[7]

Towai
Towai Tavern
Coordinates: 35°29′40″S 174°7′54″E
Country	New Zealand
Region	Northland Region
District	Far North District
Ward	Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Ward
Community	Bay of Islands-Whangaroa
Subdivision	Russell-Ōpua
Electorates	Northland Te Tai Tokerau
Government
• Territorial Authority	Far North District Council
• Regional council	Northland Regional Council
• Mayor of Far North	Moko Tepania[1]
• Northland MP	Grant McCallum[2]
• Te Tai Tokerau MP	Mariameno Kapa-Kingi[3]

Towai Primary School closed in January 2005, with students moving to Maromaku School.^[8]

The local hapū is Ngāti Hau of Ngāpuhi.^[9] The local Akerama Marae and Huiarau or Ruapekapeka meeting house is a meeting place for the hapū.^[10]

Demographics

Towai is in two SA1 statistical areas which cover 40.27 km² (15.55 sq mi).^[11] The SA1 areas are part of the larger Maromaku statistical area.^[11]

Historical population for the SA1 statistical areas

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2013	210	—
2018	237	+2.45%
2023	279	+3.32%
Source: [12]

The SA1 statistical areas had a population of 279 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 42 people (17.7%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 69 people (32.9%) since the 2013 census. There were 132 males and 144 females in 84 dwellings.^[13] 2.2% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. There were 69 people (24.7%) aged under 15 years, 57 (20.4%) aged 15 to 29, 120 (43.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 33 (11.8%) aged 65 or older.^[12]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 73.1% European (Pākehā); 47.3% Māori; 3.2% Pasifika; 3.2% Asian; 5.4% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 6.5% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 94.6%, Māori language by 11.8%, and other languages by 6.5%. No language could be spoken by 2.2% (e.g. too young to talk). The percentage of people born overseas was 9.7, compared with 28.8% nationally.

Religious affiliations were 35.5% Christian, and 1.1% Māori religious beliefs. People who answered that they had no religion were 51.6%, and 10.8% of people did not answer the census question.

Of those at least 15 years old, 21 (10.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 141 (67.1%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 42 (20.0%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. 9 people (4.3%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 105 (50.0%) people were employed full-time, 30 (14.3%) were part-time, and 6 (2.9%) were unemployed.^[12]