Gordonton Hukanui (Māori)
Town
Woodlands Estate homestead
Coordinates: 37°40′12″S 175°18′14″E / 37.670°S 175.304°E / -37.670; 175.304
Country	New Zealand
Region	Waikato
District	Waikato District
Ward	Hukanui-Waerenga Ward
Electorates	Waikato Hauraki-Waikato
Government
• Territorial Authority	Waikato District Council
• Regional council	Waikato Regional Council
Area [1]
• Total	88.43 km2 (34.14 sq mi)
Elevation	26 m (85 ft)
Population  (June 2023)[2]
• Total	1,960
• Density	22/km2 (57/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+12 (NZST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+13 (NZDT)

Gordonton (Māori: Hukanui) is a village and rural community in the Waikato District and Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located southeast of Taupiri on State Highway 1B.^[3]

The area was initially called Hukanui, which means "heavy frost" in the Māori language.^[4] It was renamed to Gordonton after John Gordon, who was a manager for the New Zealand Land Association in the Waikato from 1886.^[5]

The local Hukanui Marae is a meeting place of the local Waikato Tainui hapū of Ngāti Makirangi and Ngāti Wairere.^[6] It includes Te Tuturu-a-Papa Kamutu meeting house.^[7]

Demographics

Kainui-Gordonton statistical area covers 88.43 km² (34.14 sq mi)^[1] and had an estimated population of 1,960 as of June 2023,^[2] with a population density of 22 people per km².

Kainui-Gordonton had a population of 1,734 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 105 people (6.4%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 237 people (15.8%) since the 2006 census. There were 549 households, comprising 873 males and 861 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.01 males per female. The median age was 35.8 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 435 people (25.1%) aged under 15 years, 306 (17.6%) aged 15 to 29, 813 (46.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 177 (10.2%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 82.2% European/Pākehā, 14.4% Māori, 3.1% Pacific peoples, 8.7% Asian, and 1.7% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 17.3, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 45.0% had no religion, 44.8% were Christian, 0.5% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.2% were Hindu, 1.6% were Buddhist and 2.2% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 312 (24.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 183 (14.1%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $40,100, compared with $31,800 nationally. 285 people (21.9%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 714 (55.0%) people were employed full-time, 225 (17.3%) were part-time, and 39 (3.0%) were unemployed.^[8]

Education

Gordonton School is a co-educational state primary school covering years 1 to 8,^[9] with a roll of 214 as of April 2023.^[10] The school first opened in 1891, when it was called Hukanui, and shifted to its current site in 1961.^[11]

Eastwest College of Intercultural Studies is a Category 1 Private Training Establishment established on the western side of Gordonton in 1996 by WEC Aotearoa New Zealand.^[12] It is a Christian tertiary institute that offers both NZQA Level 5 and Level 6 diplomas in intercultural studies. WEC Aotearoa New Zealand headquarters is located next door.^[13]

Woodlands Estate

Woodlands is a homestead and Garden of National Significance, established in the 1870s. The gardens occupy eight hectares and are open to the public.^[14]

References