Portland, New Zealand Explained

Portland
Area Total Km2:12.12
Population Total:483
Population As Of:2023 Census
Population Density Km2:auto
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:New Zealand
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Northland Region
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Name2:Whangarei District
Subdivision Type3:Ward
Subdivision Name3:Bream Bay Ward
Leader Title:Territorial Authority
Leader Name:Whangarei District Council
Leader Title1:Regional council
Leader Name1:Northland Regional Council
Leader Title2:Mayor of Whangārei
Leader Title3:Whangārei MP
Leader Title4:Te Tai Tokerau MP
Seat Type:Electorates
Coordinates:-35.8017°N 174.3292°W

Portland is a locality on the western side of Whangārei Harbour in Northland, New Zealand. Whangārei is about 10 km to the north. Tikorangi is a hill to the west with a summit 161 m above sea level.[1] [2]

The major industry is Portland Cement, which is New Zealand's largest cement manufacturer.[3] It has a specialised loading dock on the harbour,[4] and quarries Tikorangi for lime.[5]

History

The Portland Cement Works, which started on Limestone Island in Whangārei Harbour in 1885, moved to Portland in 1916.[6] [7] The Cement works is now owned by Golden Bay Cement, a division of Fletcher Building.

Dominion Cement built a mile-long pier of disused tram rails in 1913.[8]

The town had a railway station on the North Auckland Line from 1918 to 1975.[9]

Demographics

Portland is in two SA1 statistical areas which cover 12.12km2.[10] The SA1 areas are part of the larger Otaika-Portland statistical area.[10]

Portland had a population of 483 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 42 people (9.5%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 150 people (45.0%) since the 2013 census. There were 246 males and 237 females in 141 dwellings.[11] 3.1% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. There were 99 people (20.5%) aged under 15 years, 102 (21.1%) aged 15 to 29, 216 (44.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 60 (12.4%) aged 65 or older.

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 80.7% European (Pākehā), 42.9% Māori, 5.6% Pasifika, 0.6% Asian, and 1.2% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 95.7%, Māori language by 7.5%, and other languages by 3.1%. No language could be spoken by 2.5% (e.g. too young to talk). The percentage of people born overseas was 9.9, compared with 28.8% nationally.

Religious affiliations were 27.3% Christian, 3.1% Māori religious beliefs, 0.6% New Age, 0.6% Jewish, and 0.6% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 62.7%, and 4.3% of people did not answer the census question.

Of those at least 15 years old, 42 (10.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 225 (58.6%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 99 (25.8%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. 30 people (7.8%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 183 (47.7%) people were employed full-time, 57 (14.8%) were part-time, and 15 (3.9%) were unemployed.[12]

Education

Portland School is a coeducational contributing primary (years 1–6) school with a roll of students as of

Notes and References

  1. Book: Reed New Zealand Atlas. 2004. 0-7900-0952-8. Peter Dowling . Reed Books. map 7.
  2. Book: The Geographic Atlas of New Zealand. 2005. 1-877333-20-4. Roger Smith, GeographX. Robbie Burton. map 27.
  3. Encyclopedia: Northland – Industries. .
  4. Encyclopedia: Northland – Transport links. .
  5. Book: Pickmere, Nancy Preece. Whangarei: The Founding Years. 1986. 65.
  6. Encyclopedia: Whangarei Harbour. Encyclopedia of New Zealand (1966).
  7. Web site: Brief History of the Cement Industry in New Zealand. Cement & Concrete Association of New Zealand. 4 May 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080726101724/http://www.cca.org.nz/info_scrs/cement_industry.htm. 26 July 2008. dead. This source gives a date of 1918 for the move to Portland.
  8. Web site: 18 August 1913. MANAWATU TIMES. 16 May 2021. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz.
  9. http://www.railheritage.org.nz/assets/dates_and_names.pdf Juliet Scoble: Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations in New Zealand
  10. Web site: ArcGIS Web Application. 22 November 2024. statsnz.maps.arcgis.com.
  11. Web site: https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_009&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=doTotal%2Bdo1.7000860%2B7000865.2023&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_DWD_003 Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses]. Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. 3 October 2024.
  12. Web site: https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_012&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=hq011%2Bhq010%2Bhq009%2Bhq008%2Bhq007%2Bhq006%2Bhq005%2Bhq004%2Bhq003%2Bhq002%2Bhq001%2Bhq000%2Bws1%2Bsp99%2Bra80%2Bra08%2Bra07%2Bra06%2Bra05%2Bra01%2Bra04%2Bra03%2Bra02%2Bra00%2Brb1%2Bls66%2Bls03%2Bls02%2Bls05%2Bls04%2Bls01%2Beg6%2Beg5%2Beg4%2Beg3%2Beg2%2Beg1%2BbiTotal%2Bbi0%2Bbi1%2BasTotalLG%2Bas4%2Bas3%2Bas2%2Bas1%2Bws4%2Bws3%2Bws2%2Bge3%2Bge2%2Bge1%2Brc%2BasMed%2BegTotal%2BlsTotal%2BgeTotal%2BrbTotal%2BraTotal%2BhqTotal%2BibTotal%2Bibmed%2BwsTotal.7000860%2B7000865.2013%2B2018%2B2023&to[TIME]=false&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_IND_003&ly[cl]=CEN23_YEAR_001 Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses]. Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. 3 October 2024. 7000860 and 7000865.