Onerahi
Encyclopedia
Onerahi is a seaside suburb of Whangarei
, New Zealand
's northern most city. It is the city's only seaside suburb .
It is located 9 km south-east of the centre of Whangarei, and follows the Whangarei harbour coastline until it meets the Pacific Ocean
.
The population was 2,100 in the 2006 Census, an increase of 96 from 2001.
The suburb's main feature is Whangarei Airport
, located on the large flat area at the southern end of the suburb.
There are two concentric roads around the seaward plateau; the upper one surrounds the airport, and the lower follows the coast.
Close to the suburb in the harbour is Motu Matakohe
or Limestone Island, now being managed to restore its ecosystems.
.
From 1911 to 1933, Onerahi was also served by a branch line
railway from the North Auckland Line known as the Onerahi Branch. It was built to provide access to a wharf in Onerahi, and when coastal shipping declined severely in the 1930s, the railway was closed. Part of its formation
has been retained as a walking track.
of 4 and a roll of 455. The school was established in 1893. Raurimu Avenue School is a full primary (years 1-8) school with a decile rating of 2 and a roll of 86.
Both schools are coeducational.
Whangarei
Whangarei, pronounced , is the northernmost city in New Zealand and the regional capital of Northland Region. Although commonly classified as a city, it is officially part of the Whangarei District, administered by the Whangarei District Council a local body created in 1989 to administer both the...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's northern most city. It is the city's only seaside suburb .
It is located 9 km south-east of the centre of Whangarei, and follows the Whangarei harbour coastline until it meets the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
.
The population was 2,100 in the 2006 Census, an increase of 96 from 2001.
The suburb's main feature is Whangarei Airport
Whangarei Airport
Whangarei Aerodrome is a small airport 4NM to the south east of Whangarei city, in the suburb of Onerahi, on the east coast of Northland on the North Island, New Zealand.-History:...
, located on the large flat area at the southern end of the suburb.
There are two concentric roads around the seaward plateau; the upper one surrounds the airport, and the lower follows the coast.
Close to the suburb in the harbour is Motu Matakohe
Motu Matakohe
Motu Matakohe, also known as Matakohe or Limestone Island, is a 37 ha island in the upper reaches of Whangarei Harbour, just off Onerahi, a seaside suburb of the city of Whangarei, Northland, New Zealand...
or Limestone Island, now being managed to restore its ecosystems.
History
The land for the town was purchased by Henry Walton and William Smellie Graham from Te Tirarau in the mid 1860s. It was then called Kaiwaka Point, but they renamed it Grahamtown. In 1912 it was renamed again to Onerahi to prevent a conflict with Grahamstown in the CoromandelCoromandel Peninsula
The Coromandel Peninsula lies in the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of the Waikato Region and Thames-Coromandel District and extends 85 kilometres north from the western end of the Bay of Plenty, forming a natural barrier to protect the Hauraki Gulf and the Firth of Thames in the west...
.
From 1911 to 1933, Onerahi was also served by a branch line
Branch line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...
railway from the North Auckland Line known as the Onerahi Branch. It was built to provide access to a wharf in Onerahi, and when coastal shipping declined severely in the 1930s, the railway was closed. Part of its formation
Track bed
A track bed or trackbed is the term used to describe the groundwork onto which a railway track is laid. Trackbeds of disused railways are sometimes used for recreational paths or new light rail links....
has been retained as a walking track.
Education
Onerahi Primary School is a contributing primary (years 1-6) school with a decile ratingSocio-Economic Decile
Decile, Socio-Economic Decile or Socio-Economic Decile Band is a widely used measure in education in New Zealand used to target funding and support to more needy schools....
of 4 and a roll of 455. The school was established in 1893. Raurimu Avenue School is a full primary (years 1-8) school with a decile rating of 2 and a roll of 86.
Both schools are coeducational.