| Waikaretu | |
| Postal Code Type: | Postcode(s) |
| Area Total Km2: | 133.47 |
| Population As Of: | 2018 |
| Population Total: | 141 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | New Zealand |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Waikato |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Waikato District |
| Subdivision Type3: | Ward |
| Subdivision Name3: | Onewhero-Te Akau Ward |
| Subdivision Type4: | Community |
| Subdivision Name4: | Onewhero-Tuakau Community |
| Leader Title: | Territorial Authority |
| Leader Name: | Waikato District Council |
| Leader Title1: | Regional council |
| Leader Name1: | Waikato Regional Council |
| Seat Type: | Electorates |
| Coordinates: | -37.5412°N 174.8292°W |
| Settlement Type: | Hamlet |
| Native Name: | Waikāretu |
| Native Name Lang: | mi |
Waikaretu (Maori: Waikāretu) is a rural community and caving area in the Waikato District and Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located 49 kilometres south-west of Tuakau.
A local farmstay also provides guided horse treks.[1]
Waikāretu translates as "waters of the kāretu grass"; wai means water; and kāretu is a sweet-scented grass.[2]
The current Waikaretu settlement was established with the opening of a local school in 1924.[3]
The Waikaretu War Memorial Hall was built in 1952. It has no Roll of Honour, but includes a plaque commemorating those who served in both World War I and World War II.[4]
By the 2010s the area featured several dairy farms, including the third-generation Whitford farm.[5]
In 2016, the Overseas Investment Office granted a Chinese company, Weihai Station, approval to buy 595 hectares of coastal land.[6] Part of the land will be used for a lodge and training facility, with the rest continuing to operate as a sheep and beef farm.[7] The company gave Waikaretu School $25,000 in grants between 2016 and 2020.[8]
Also in 2016, a secretive group began tunneling into the side of road searching for the skeletons of a mythical race of pre-Polynesian giants.[9] They called off the search in February 2020, after iwi, academics and the landowner raised concerns about the dig.[10]
The area features the long Nikau Cave, which has limestone pillars, stalactites and stalagmites.[11] The caves contain many thousands of glow-worms which visitors can observe up close. Ninety minute guided adventure tours are available, which are often wet and muddy.[12] There is a visitor cafe, and there are several accommodation options nearby.[13] A British analysis of TripAdvisor reviews in 2020 identified the cave as one of New Zealand's best secret tourist spots.[14]
Philip and Anne Woodward moved to the area in 1978, purchasing a 204 hectare sheep and dairy farm that included Nikau Cave. They opened the cave to the public in 1994, after their farming lease on a neighbouring 242 hectare block ended and they could no longer make enough money from farming and shearing services.[15] [16] The cave has been formed in Waimai Limestone,[17] which is about 28m years old, hard, flaggy, glauconitic, pebbly[18] and over 90% formed of calcium carbonate.[19] There is also a path beside Waikaretu Stream, through QEII protected areas of bush, from near the cave to the foot of a waterfall.[20]
Waikaretu is in an SA1 statistical area which covers 133.47km2.[21] The SA1 area is part of the larger Port Waikato-Waikaretu statistical area.
Waikaretu had a population of 141 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 12 people (9.3%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 30 people (27.0%) since the 2006 census. There were 51 households, comprising 69 males and 72 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.96 males per female. The median age was 35.6 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 33 people (23.4%) aged under 15 years, 24 (17.0%) aged 15 to 29, 75 (53.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 9 (6.4%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 57.4% European/Pākehā, 48.9% Māori, 2.1% Pacific peoples, 2.1% Asian, and 2.1% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 66.0% had no religion, 25.5% were Christian, 2.1% had Māori religious beliefs and 2.1% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 12 (11.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 33 (30.6%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $32,600, compared with $31,800 nationally. 12 people (11.1%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 63 (58.3%) people were employed full-time, 12 (11.1%) were part-time, and 6 (5.6%) were unemployed.
Waikaretu School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,[22] [23] with a roll of as of .[24]