Economy

The meat processing plant in Wairoa was first established in 1916. Originally owned by the Wairoa Co-operative Meat Company, the building was destroyed by a fire on 5 February 1931. The AFFCO group bought it in 1990. The meat processing plant employs around 650 people in their peak season. They process mutton, lamb, goat and beef and export much of the product. There is also a rendering plant onsite producing bone meal and tallow. In 2018, the Court of Appeal ruled that those workers locked out should be paid lost wages. In February 2020, a worker at the plant was killed on the job, crushed by pallets. Worksafe closed the plant briefly and investigated the incident.

Forestry is playing an increasing role in the economy of Wairoa. Many farms are being converted to forests which earn carbon credits. There are concerns that the loss of farming will shrink the size of the town's economy and lead to depopulation.

In January 2020, the Government announced funding of $6.1 million to support rebuilding in the central business district. The funding will support a Wairoa Integrated Business and Tourism Facility, a Wairoa Digital Employment Programme and a Wairoa Regional Digital Hub.

Amenities and events

Since 2005, Wairoa has been host to the annual Wairoa Māori Film Festival, New Zealand's premiere Māori and indigenous film festival, which has hosted film makers from across the nation and around the world. In 2015, the festival began to be hosted in part at the newly revitalised Gaiety Cinema and Theatre, which had recently been fitted out with one of the world's most advanced theatre sound systems.

The Wairoa Agricultural & Pastoral Society was established in 1899 and held its first show next to the Frasertown Domain. A variety of events are run at the annual show including rodeo, dog trials, competition sheep shearing, show jumping and other equestrian events. The 2022 edition, due to be held in January was cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The Wairoa museum, located at 142 Marine Parade, is housed since 2001, in what was the ANZ bank building. The collection focusses on local and Māori history and includes a Māori flag from the Māori land wars in 1865. In 2016, the museum expanded its exhibition space and refurbished the galleries and developed a new interactive "discovery space".

The Wairoa Centennial Library was built in 1960. It was designed by the Wellington Architectural firm Porker & Martin. The Wairoa Rotary Club raised $20,000 to build an extension to the library in 1974 to house a museum. Further work to the library was completed in 1988 and 2003. The library is located at 212 Marine Parade.

Wairoa is home to two golf courses. The Wairoa Golf Club is located 5 kilometres to the north of central Wairoa. The Mahia Golf Club is located on the Mahia Peninsula and has a nine-hole course.

The Wairoa community centre is home to an indoor stadium. Indoor soccer, netball, cricket, badminton, volleyball and basketball can be played. There is also a gym and a 25-metre indoor swimming pool. It is located at 33 Marine Parade.

Marae

The township includes a number of marae (meeting grounds) and wharenui (meeting houses) for the local iwi (tribe) of Ngāti Kahungunu and its hapū (sub-tribes).

{| class="wikitable sortable"

!Marae

!Wharenui

!Affiliated hapū

|-

|Hinemihi

|Te Poho o Hinemihi

|Ngāti Hinemihi

|-

|Hurumua

|Hurumua Memorial Hall

|Ngāi Tānemitirangi

|-

|Iwitea

|Te Poho o Tahu

|Mātawhaiti

|-

|Kihitu

|Te Rauhina

|Ngāti Kahu

|-

|Ruataniwha

|Te Poho o Riria

|Ngāi Te Kapuamātotoru

|-

|Taihoa

|Te Otane

|Ngāti Kurupakiaka and Te Kāwiti

|-

|Tākitimu-Waihirere

|Tākitimu Wharenui

|Ngāi Te Apatu and Ngāti Moewhare

|-

| Tawhiti A Maru

| St Therese's Church

| Catholic church

|-

|Te Mira, Whetū Mārama and Mill Pā

|Mākoro

|Ngāti Mākoro

|-

|Whaakirangi

|Whaakirangi

|Ngāti Mātangirau

|-

|Arimawha

|Te Poho o Hinetu, Ko Amiria

|Ngāti Hinetu

|-

|Rangiāhua

|Te Poho o Tama te Rangi

|Ngai Tama Te Rangi

|-

|Pākōwhai

|Te Huinga o te Aroha

|Ngāti Mihi

|}

In October 2020, the Government committed $1,949,075 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade Ruataniwha, Hinemihi, Hurumua, Iwitea, Kihitu, Taihoa, Tākitimu-Waihirere, Tawhiti A Maru, Te Mira and Whakakī, and 14 other Ngāti Kahungunu marae.

Infrastructure

The three waters

In 2020, the Wairoa District Council applied to the Regional Council for resource consents for the Wairoa town wastewater scheme. Wastewater is discharged to an estuary in the lower reaches of the Wairoa River, through an outfall about 100 metres from the shore. A panel of independent commissioners reviewing the application noted that the discharge to water is not culturally acceptable to the community, but that land-based discharge is currently unaffordable and the council has not secured suitable land. The review concluded that the town "had a very significant problem" and urged the council to get help from central government.

During 2021, the Government consulted with regional and district councils about proposed major reforms for the three waters sector nationwide, involving the proposed transfer of assets from 67 local authorities to four new large entities. The mayor of Wairoa, Craig Little criticised the proposed reforms and expressed concerns about the loss of local representation and control.

Hospital

Wairoa Hospital (Te Hauora o te Wairoa / Wairoa Health) is a 12-bed hospital that provides both maternity and acute medical inpatient beds. It is run by the Hawke's Bay District Health Board. Also located at Te Hauora o te Wairoa / Wairoa Health is a general practice, an emergency department (level 2), radiology and laboratory services, mental health and addiction services and a number of outpatient clinics. it is located at 36 Kitchener Street, Wairoa.

Transport

The Wairoa airport is located on Airport Road on the northern side of Wairoa. The runway is 914 metres long. The airport is home to the Wairoa Aero Club.

Wairoa is connected south west to Napier and north east to Gisborne by State Highway 2. Connecting Wairoa to the northwest is State Highway 38 which travels past Lake Waikaremoana where it joins State Highway 5.

The Napier to Gisborne section of the Palmerston North-Gisborne railway line was mothballed in 2012 after being damaged by a storm. It was repaired and reopened between Napier and Wairoa in January 2020 with funding of $6.2 million from the Provincial Growth Fund. Freight services ran to transport logs to Napier Port. The service was suspended after six return trips as a result of the impact of COVID-19 on the forestry sector. It reopened in November 2020.

Notable buildings

St Andrew's Church (Presbyterian-Methodist) is located at 98 Queen Street. It is a category two historic place. it was most likely built between 1932 and 1935.

St Peter's Catholic Church is located at 64 Queen Street. It is a category two historic place. One of the oldest buildings in Wairoa, it was completed in 1882. Built out of timber, it is an important example of New Zealand Gothic Revival church architecture.

The Wairoa Meat Company building, located on Marine Parade, is a category two Historic Place. Built between 1915 and 1920, highlights the long association between Wairoa and the meat processing industry. It survived the 1931 Napier earthquake and in 2020 received a $200,000 grant for seismic strengthening.

The Wairoa County Chambers, located on Queen Street, is a category two Historic Place.

The Gaiety Cinema and Theatre, located at 252 Marine Parade was built in 1925. It was destroyed in the 1931 Hawkes Bay earthquake. It was subsequently rebuilt in 1932 in an Art Deco style. It has hosted many events including screenings of movies, concerts, political rallies and boxing matches. It closed in 1960 and was used for a variety of purposes including as a supermarket and basketball court. In 1998, work was completed to restore it to its former use as a cinema and theatre and it was reopened in 2000. Finances forced it to close in 2009. It reopened in 2015 with support from the Wairoa District Council. It has a capacity of 250 patrons.

<gallery mode="packed" heights="140" caption="Notable buildings">

File:St Andrew's Church - Wairoa.jpg|St Andrew's Church

File:St. Peter's Church, Wairoa.jpg|St Peter's Church

File:Wairoa County Council Building 1902.jpg|Wairoa County Chambers (1902)

File:Gaiety Cinema and Theatre, Wairoa.jpg|Gaiety Cinema and Theatre

</gallery>

Education

Wairoa College is a Year 7–13 state high school. It is a decile 1 school with a roll of . It opened on the present site in 1910 as Wairoa District High School, and became Wairoa College in 1954. It included years 7 and 8 in 2005.

Wairoa Primary School is a Year 1–6 state primary school. It is a decile 2 school with a roll of . It opened on the current site in 1954. Before this, primary education was provided by the District High School. North Clyde School, established , merged to Wairoa Primary School at the end of 2004.

Tiaho Primary School is a Year 1–6 state primary school. It is a decile 2 school with a roll of . The school was formed in 2005 by the merger of Hillneath and Turiroa schools on the Hillneath site. Wairoa Intermediate School had merged with Hillneath in 1997.

TKKM o Ngati Kahungunu o Te Wairoa is a Year 1–13 Māori immersion school. It is a decile 1 school with a roll of . It opened in 1997.

St Joseph's School is a Year 1–8 is a state integrated Catholic primary school. It is a decile 3 school with a roll of . It opened in 1911.

All these schools are co-educational. Rolls are as of

Notable people

  • Ethan Browne, actor
  • Bronwyn Elsmore, writer and religious studies lecturer
  • Derek Fox, broadcaster and former mayor of Wairoa
  • Pana Hema Taylor, actor
  • Katarina Kawana, musician
  • Esme Tombleson, politician
  • Mere Whaanga, author and historian

References

  • Wairoa Help and Information Centre
  • Wairoa i-SITE Visitor Information Centre