The Waikato district
This diverse and fertile district of ours covers more than 400,000 hectares and includes the major towns of Huntly, Ngaruawahia, Raglan, Te Kauwhata and Tuakau. Our smaller settlements include Gordonton, Matangi, Tamahere, Meremere, Port Waikato and Pokeno.
Each place has its own unique character, coloured by location, built on history and fuelled by the spirit of its residents.
The Waikato district has much to offer its residents. We are rich with community history and culture, natural resources, native bush reserves, lush farmland and stunning west coast beaches.
The mighty Waikato River threads its way through the region from its source in Taupo to the sea at Port Waikato in the north-west. In 2010 Waikato District Council signed a historic agreement with Waikato-Tainui, the Joint Management Agreement (JMA) is of great significance in the shared management and preservation of this unique resource, our river.
Dairy farming and mining are the backbone of this region that is also known for its industry, education, adventure tourism and events.
Our central location and temperate climate make this district an ideal lifestyle choice for the 58,000 plus people who live here.
Population: 58,459
Land area: 418,893ha
Main centres: Huntly, Ngaruawahia, Raglan, Te Kauwhata, Tuakau
Total length of roads: 2,364kms
Economy
The district is located in the heart of the ‘Golden Triangle’ – a zone of the North Island stretching from Auckland to the Bay of Plenty region and incorporating the Waikato region. This area contains a large proportion of New Zealand’s population (around 40 per cent of New Zealand’s total population live within a 150 kilomatre radius of the Waikato district) and generates the bulk of the nation’s economic activity.
The district lies at the gateway of a northern growth corridor between Hamilton and Auckland along State Highway 1. The district is connected to these areas by a good state highway network that runs through the district, facilitating the movement of both goods and people.
Industry
Dairy
The dairy industry, farming and processing, is the most economically significant industry in the Waikato district.
Fonterra’s ‘mega site’ at Te Rapa is one of its flagship sites, producing mainly milk powder for export.
Coal mining
Solid Energy Ltd and other private mines in the Waikato district produce fuel for operations such as the Huntly Power Station and Glenbrook Steel Mill.
Solid Energy is continually researching ways of producing cleaner coal or producing gas from coal seams or gasification.
Aggregate and sand extraction
There are a number of aggregate quarries and sand mines in the district, which supply an increasing demand from the Auckland region for aggregate and sand for roading and building.