| Himatangi | |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | New Zealand |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Manawatū-Whanganui |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Manawatū District |
| Subdivision Type3: | Ward |
| Seat Type: | Electorates |
| Leader Title: | Territorial Authority |
| Leader Name: | Manawatū District Council |
| Leader Title1: | Regional council |
| Leader Name1: | Horizons Regional Council |
Himatangi is a small settlement in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located at the junction of State Highways 1 and 56, 25 kilometres west of Palmerston North, and seven kilometres east of the coastal settlement of Himatangi Beach.
The area has two marae:
About 50 Māori land blocks are located between Himatangi and Foxton to the south.[3]
The area was largely undeveloped with rough terrain in 1942, according to a photograph held in the National Library of New Zealand.[4]
Himatangi was once the location of the junction between the New Zealand Railways Department's Foxton Branch railway and the Manawatu County Council's Sanson Tramway. Both lines are now closed; use of the Tramway ceased in 1945, followed by the Branch in 1959.
In 2005, a study found agricultural pesticides were being rapidly leached into the sandy soil at Himatangi.[5]
In 2009, planning approval was granted for the building of a piggery after the landowner agreed to reduce from what he originally proposed.[6]
In 2014, the community was used as a trial community for the Horizons Regional Council's emergency readiness plan. The landowner and New Zealand Pork Board had been considering legal action through the Environment Court.[7]
In 2019 a regional bus service between Levin and Palmerston North was introduced, providing a weekly return service between Himatangi and Foxton.[8]
Oroua Downs statistical area, which also includes Himatangi Beach and Tangimoana, covers 124.62km2[9] and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2.
Oroua Downs had a population of 1,254 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 210 people (20.1%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 87 people (7.5%) since the 2006 census. There were 540 households, comprising 642 males and 612 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.05 males per female. The median age was 48.0 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 207 people (16.5%) aged under 15 years, 192 (15.3%) aged 15 to 29, 606 (48.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 249 (19.9%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 88.8% European/Pākehā, 16.0% Māori, 1.9% Pacific peoples, 2.9% Asian, and 2.2% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 10.0, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 57.7% had no religion, 26.8% were Christian, 0.7% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.2% were Hindu and 2.9% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 120 (11.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 327 (31.2%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $26,700, compared with $31,800 nationally. 123 people (11.7%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 477 (45.6%) people were employed full-time, 147 (14.0%) were part-time, and 42 (4.0%) were unemployed.
Oroua Downs School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,[10] [11] with a roll of as of .[12]