Waioneke is a locality on the South Head peninsula of the Kaipara Harbour

Kaipara Harbour

Kaipara Harbour is a large enclosed harbour estuary complex on the north western side of the North Island of New Zealand. The northern part of the harbour is administered by the Kaipara District and the southern part is administered by the Rodney District...

, in the Rodney District

Rodney District

The Rodney District of New Zealand was a local government area in the northernmost part in New Zealand's Auckland Region, created in 1989 from the amalgamation of Helensville Borough and Rodney County. The seat of the district council is at Orewa, and the district includes Kawau Island to the...

 of 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...

. Parakai

Parakai

Parakai is a township in the North Island of New Zealand. It is sited 43 kilometres northwest of Auckland, close to the southern extremity of the Kaipara Harbour...

 is 22 km to the south-east, and the road continues another 14 km to the north-west. Rangitira Beach and Woodhill Forest

Woodhill Forest

Woodhill Forest is a commercial Crown Forest located to the North West of Auckland, in New Zealand. The forest covers approx 12,500 hectares of land from Muriwai in the South to South Head in the North...

 are to the west, and Omokoiti Flats and the southern Kaipara Harbour are to the east.

History

A Māori pa

Pa (Maori)

The word pā can refer to any Māori village or settlement, but in traditional use it referred to hillforts fortified with palisades and defensive terraces and also to fortified villages. They first came into being about 1450. They are located mainly in the North Island north of lake Taupo...

 existed at Waioneke prior to European settlement of the area.
The Waioneke block was taken up in 1868 by Daniel Pollen

Daniel Pollen

Daniel Pollen was the son of Elizabeth and Hugh Pollen and became the ninth Premier of New Zealand, serving from 6 July 1875 to 15 February 1876.-Early life:...

 (who later became Premier of New Zealand

Prime Minister of New Zealand

The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...

) and William Spearman Young, to graze cattle.

A Waioneke Road Board was formed after 1884, and was responsible for forming and maintaining roads over much of the South Head peninsula. The board was dissolved by 1899.

Waioneke was a centre of gum digging

Gum-digger

Kauri gum, a fossilized resin detracted from kauri trees, is used for chewing or tattooing, and often is made into jewellery. The gum comes from kauri trees found in Agathis australis forests. The trees once covered much of the New Zealand North Island, before Māori and European settlers caused...

 from 1880 to 1900.

Deer farming began in the area in the 1970s, and a processing plant was built in Waioneke.

The Kaipara Estate winery began in the Waioneke Valley in 1995.

Education

Waioneke School is a coeducational full primary (years 1-8) school with a decile rating

Socio-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 7 and a roll of 81. The school traces its origins to Mairetahi School, established in 1928. The school moved to its present site and took its current name in 1938.