Waitomo: Difference between revisions
imported>Gadfium →Tourist caves: Add a ref. There are certainly small-group tours, and caves which can be explored without a tour, but the only references tend to be commercial companies and blogs. |
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{{ | {{Redirect|Waitomo Caves|the cave|Waitomo Glowworm Caves|the wider territorial authority district|Waitomo District}} | ||
{{short description|Settlement in Waikato, New Zealand}} | {{short description|Settlement in Waikato, New Zealand}} | ||
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}} | {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}} | ||
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|coordinates = {{coord|38|15|38.34|S|175|06|12.02|E|display=title}} | |coordinates = {{coord|38|15|38.34|S|175|06|12.02|E|display=title}} | ||
}} | }} | ||
'''Waitomo''' is a rural community in the [[King Country]] region of New Zealand's [[North Island]]. There are several [[solutional cave]] systems in the area around the village, which are popular [[tourist attraction]]s. Restaurants and accommodation are centred in the village to serve visiting tourists. | '''Waitomo''', officially '''Waitomo Caves''',<ref>{{LINZ|id=47215|name=Waitomo Caves|access-date=23 June 2025}}</ref> is a rural community in the [[King Country]] region of New Zealand's [[North Island]]. There are several [[solutional cave]] systems in the area around the village, which are popular [[tourist attraction]]s. Restaurants and accommodation are centred in the village to serve visiting tourists. | ||
The word ''Waitomo'' comes from the [[Māori language]]: ''wai'' meaning water and ''tomo'' meaning a doline or [[sinkhole]]; it can thus be translated to be "water passing through a hole".<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/W/WaitomoCaves/WaitomoCaves/en|title=Waitomo Caves|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopedia of New Zealand (1966)]]}}</ref> The caves are formed in [[Oligocene]] [[limestone]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The Geological History of New Zealand|url=http://ncealevel2sci.wikispaces.com/Geology|access-date=16 May 2014}}</ref> | The word ''Waitomo'' comes from the [[Māori language]]: ''wai'' meaning water and ''tomo'' meaning a doline or [[sinkhole]]; it can thus be translated to be "water passing through a hole".<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/W/WaitomoCaves/WaitomoCaves/en|title=Waitomo Caves|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopedia of New Zealand (1966)]]}}</ref> The caves are formed in [[Oligocene]] [[limestone]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The Geological History of New Zealand|url=http://ncealevel2sci.wikispaces.com/Geology|access-date=16 May 2014}}</ref> | ||
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The village Waitomo Caves is named for the hundreds of caves present in the spectacular [[karst]] landscape. | The village Waitomo Caves is named for the hundreds of caves present in the spectacular [[karst]] landscape. | ||
The limestone landscape of the [[Waitomo District]] area has been the centre of increasingly popular commercial [[caving]] tourism since before 1900. Initially mostly consisting of impromptu trips guided by local [[Māori people|Māori]], a large cave system near Waitomo Caves | The limestone landscape of the [[Waitomo District]] area has been the centre of increasingly popular commercial [[caving]] tourism since before 1900. Initially mostly consisting of impromptu trips guided by local [[Māori people|Māori]], a large cave system near Waitomo Caves was nationalised by [[the Crown]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/rock-stars/|title=Rock Stars|first=Kate|last=Evans|publisher=New Zealand Geographic|date=May–June 2017|quote=The Scenery Preservation Act of 1903 gave the government far-reaching powers to forcibly purchase land, and in 1904 the Waitomo Glowworm Cave was the first place to be nationalised. The landowners were awarded £625 in compensation}}</ref> and managed as a (relatively genteel) tourism attraction from 1904 onwards.<ref name="TOUR">[http://www.teara.govt.nz/TheBush/BushAndMountainRecreation/Caving/2/en Caving tourism] (from [[Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand]])</ref> A 1915 guide said, "It is reached by railway to [[Hangatiki railway station|Hangatiki]], thence 6 miles by coach along a good road".<ref>Bradbury, E E (1915). ''The Raglan and Kawhia Districts''. Waikato University library: Bradbury. p. 85.</ref> | ||
In 2004, around 400,000 visitors entered caves in the area,<ref name="TOUR" /> and a visit to Waitomo Caves made number 14 on a list of 101 "Kiwi must-do's" in a [[New Zealand Automobile Association]] poll of over 20,000 motorists published in 2007.<ref name="NZ_Herald_10423289">{{cite news |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10423289 |title=Peaks, sounds, parks and islands tops in Kiwi eyes |author=Dye, Stuart |date=10 February 2007 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |access-date=1 December 2011}}</ref> | |||
The [[Waitomo Caves Museum]] provides information about the karst landscape, caves and caving and the history of the area. | The [[Waitomo Caves Museum]] provides information about the karst landscape, caves and caving and the history of the area. | ||
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Companies specialise in leading tourists through the caves of the area, from easily accessible areas with hundreds of tourists per hour in the peak season, to [[extreme sports]], like crawls into cave systems, which are only seen by a few tourists each day.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tripadvisor.co.nz/Attractions-g616349-Activities-c42-Waitomo_Caves_Waitomo_District_Waikato_Region_North_Island.html|title=Waitomo Caves Tours|publisher=Trip Advisor|access-date=5 May 2025}}</ref> | Companies specialise in leading tourists through the caves of the area, from easily accessible areas with hundreds of tourists per hour in the peak season, to [[extreme sports]], like crawls into cave systems, which are only seen by a few tourists each day.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tripadvisor.co.nz/Attractions-g616349-Activities-c42-Waitomo_Caves_Waitomo_District_Waikato_Region_North_Island.html|title=Waitomo Caves Tours|publisher=Trip Advisor|access-date=5 May 2025}}</ref> | ||
The caves are noted for their [[stalactite]] and [[stalagmite]] displays, and | The caves are noted for their [[stalactite]] and [[stalagmite]] displays, and for the presence of glowworms (the fungus gnat ''[[Arachnocampa luminosa]]'') in the caves with streams running through them. | ||
== Walks == | == Walks == | ||
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The Waitomo Walkway runs through the valley of the Waitomo Stream (a tributary of the [[Waipā River]]) for {{Convert|3.3|km|mi|abbr=on}} from the village to the Ruakuri Scenic Reserve.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/waikato/places/waitomo-area/tracks/waitomo-walkway/|title=Waitomo Walkway|website=www.doc.govt.nz|publisher=Department of Conservation|language=en|access-date=4 February 2017}}</ref> At the reserve the Ruakuri Walk leads through short caves to the Ruakuri Natural Bridge.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/waikato/places/waitomo-area/tracks/ruakuri-walk/|title=Ruakuri Walk|website=www.doc.govt.nz|publisher=Department of Conservation|language=en|access-date=4 February 2017}}</ref> | The Waitomo Walkway runs through the valley of the Waitomo Stream (a tributary of the [[Waipā River]]) for {{Convert|3.3|km|mi|abbr=on}} from the village to the Ruakuri Scenic Reserve.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/waikato/places/waitomo-area/tracks/waitomo-walkway/|title=Waitomo Walkway|website=www.doc.govt.nz|publisher=Department of Conservation|language=en|access-date=4 February 2017}}</ref> At the reserve the Ruakuri Walk leads through short caves to the Ruakuri Natural Bridge.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/waikato/places/waitomo-area/tracks/ruakuri-walk/|title=Ruakuri Walk|website=www.doc.govt.nz|publisher=Department of Conservation|language=en|access-date=4 February 2017}}</ref> | ||
[[Te Araroa]], a national long distance walkway, passes through Waitomo. The section from [[Mount Pirongia|Mt Pirongia]] joins the Waitomo Walkway to enter the village.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.teararoa.org.nz/waikato/pirongia-waitomo/|title=Pirongia to Waitomo:Te Araroa – New Zealand's Trail – Waikato / King Country|website=www.teararoa.org.nz|language=en|access-date=4 February 2017}}</ref> The {{Convert|17.5|km|mi|abbr=on}} section to Te | [[Te Araroa]], a national long distance walkway, passes through Waitomo. The section from [[Mount Pirongia|Mt Pirongia]] joins the Waitomo Walkway to enter the village.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.teararoa.org.nz/waikato/pirongia-waitomo/|title=Pirongia to Waitomo:Te Araroa – New Zealand's Trail – Waikato / King Country|website=www.teararoa.org.nz|language=en|access-date=4 February 2017}}</ref> The {{Convert|17.5|km|mi|abbr=on}} section to Te Kūiti goes over [[Mangapu River]] suspension bridge and through [[Mangapu River#Pehitawa Kahikatea Forest Reserve|Pehitawa]] [[Dacrycarpus dacrydioides|kahikatea]] forest.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.teararoa.org.nz/waikato/pehitawa-track/|title=Pehitawa Track:Te Araroa – New Zealand's Trail – Waikato / King Country|website=www.teararoa.org.nz|language=en|access-date=4 February 2017}}</ref> | ||
==Demographics== | ==Demographics== | ||
Hangatiki statistical area, which includes Waitomo | Hangatiki statistical area, which includes the setllement of Waitomo, covers {{Convert|326.46|km2||abbr=on}}.<ref name="Area">{{Cite web|title=Stats NZ Geographic Data Service|url=https://datafinder.stats.govt.nz/data/|at=Statistical Area 2 2023 (generalised)|access-date=5 May 2025}}</ref> It had an estimated population of {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Hangatiki|y}} as of {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|||y|y||,}} with a population density of {{Decimals|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Hangatiki|y}}|R}}/326.46|1}} people per km<sup>2</sup>. | ||
{{Historical populations|2006|1,059|2013|1,101|2018|1,185|2023|1,254|percentages=pagr|align=left|title=Historical population for Hangatiki statistical area|source=<ref name="Census 2023"/><ref name="Census 2018">{{NZ census 2018|Hangatiki (187100)|hangatiki|Hangatiki}}</ref>}} | {{Historical populations|2006|1,059|2013|1,101|2018|1,185|2023|1,254|percentages=pagr|align=left|title=Historical population for Hangatiki statistical area|source=<ref name="Census 2023"/><ref name="Census 2018">{{NZ census 2018|Hangatiki (187100)|hangatiki|Hangatiki}}</ref>}} | ||
Latest revision as of 06:54, 23 June 2025
Script error: No such module "redirect hatnote". Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use New Zealand English Template:Main otherScript error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Script error: No such module "Check for clobbered parameters".Template:Main other Waitomo, officially Waitomo Caves,[1] is a rural community in the King Country region of New Zealand's North Island. There are several solutional cave systems in the area around the village, which are popular tourist attractions. Restaurants and accommodation are centred in the village to serve visiting tourists.
The word Waitomo comes from the Māori language: wai meaning water and tomo meaning a doline or sinkhole; it can thus be translated to be "water passing through a hole".[2] The caves are formed in Oligocene limestone.[3]
The historic Waitomo Caves Hotel is located in Waitomo Caves village.[4]
History
The village Waitomo Caves is named for the hundreds of caves present in the spectacular karst landscape.
The limestone landscape of the Waitomo District area has been the centre of increasingly popular commercial caving tourism since before 1900. Initially mostly consisting of impromptu trips guided by local Māori, a large cave system near Waitomo Caves was nationalised by the Crown[5] and managed as a (relatively genteel) tourism attraction from 1904 onwards.[6] A 1915 guide said, "It is reached by railway to Hangatiki, thence 6 miles by coach along a good road".[7]
In 2004, around 400,000 visitors entered caves in the area,[6] and a visit to Waitomo Caves made number 14 on a list of 101 "Kiwi must-do's" in a New Zealand Automobile Association poll of over 20,000 motorists published in 2007.[8]
The Waitomo Caves Museum provides information about the karst landscape, caves and caving and the history of the area.
Tourist caves
Companies specialise in leading tourists through the caves of the area, from easily accessible areas with hundreds of tourists per hour in the peak season, to extreme sports, like crawls into cave systems, which are only seen by a few tourists each day.[9]
The caves are noted for their stalactite and stalagmite displays, and for the presence of glowworms (the fungus gnat Arachnocampa luminosa) in the caves with streams running through them.
Walks
The Waitomo Walkway runs through the valley of the Waitomo Stream (a tributary of the Waipā River) for Template:Convert from the village to the Ruakuri Scenic Reserve.[10] At the reserve the Ruakuri Walk leads through short caves to the Ruakuri Natural Bridge.[11]
Te Araroa, a national long distance walkway, passes through Waitomo. The section from Mt Pirongia joins the Waitomo Walkway to enter the village.[12] The Template:Convert section to Te Kūiti goes over Mangapu River suspension bridge and through Pehitawa kahikatea forest.[13]
Demographics
Hangatiki statistical area, which includes the setllement of Waitomo, covers Template:Convert.[14] It had an estimated population of Template:NZ population data 2023 SA2 as of Template:NZ population data 2023 SA2 with a population density of Template:Decimals people per km2.
Template:Historical populations Hangatiki had a population of 1,254 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 69 people (5.8%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 153 people (13.9%) since the 2013 census. There were 642 males, 609 females, and 3 people of other genders in 477 dwellings.[15] 2.4% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 44.4 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 204 people (16.3%) aged under 15 years, 237 (18.9%) aged 15 to 29, 573 (45.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 240 (19.1%) aged 65 or older.[16]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 73.7% European (Pākehā); 37.8% Māori; 1.4% Pasifika; 2.6% Asian; 0.7% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.8% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.9%, Māori by 10.3%, Samoan by 0.2%, and other languages by 4.3%. No language could be spoken by 1.9% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.5%. The percentage of people born overseas was 11.7, compared with 28.8% nationally.[16]
Religious affiliations were 28.5% Christian, 0.2% Islam, 3.6% Māori religious beliefs, 0.5% New Age, and 0.5% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 59.6%, and 6.9% of people did not answer the census question.[16]
Of those at least 15 years old, 174 (16.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 603 (57.4%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 285 (27.1%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $39,900, compared with $41,500 nationally. 81 people (7.7%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 558 (53.1%) full-time, 144 (13.7%) part-time, and 21 (2.0%) unemployed.[16]
Marae
The community has a number of marae, affiliated with Ngāti Maniapoto hapū:[17][18]
- Kaputuhi Marae is affiliated with the hapū of Ngāti Matakore, Pare te Kawa, Ngāti Peehi and Rōrā.
- Te Kauae Marae and Te Kauae o Niu Tereni meeting house are affiliated with the hapū of Huiao, Ngāti Kinohaku, Ngāti Peehi and Ngāti Te Kanawa.
- Te Korapatu Marae is affiliated with the hapū of Peehi and Te Kanawa.
- Pohatuiri Marae is affiliated with the hapū of Uekaha.
- Tokikapu Marae and Matua Template:Not a typo Iwi meeting house are affiliated with the hapū of Ruapuha, Te Kanawa and Uekaha.[19]
Education
Waitomo Caves School is a co-educational state primary school,[20][21] with a roll of Template:NZ school roll data as of Template:NZ school roll data[22] It opened in 1910.[23]
See also
References
External links
- Waitomo Caves area in Episode 4 "Caves" of BBC's Planet Earth.
- Waitomo Caves Museum & Discovery Centre
- ↑ Template:LINZ
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- ↑ a b Caving tourism (from Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand)
- ↑ Bradbury, E E (1915). The Raglan and Kawhia Districts. Waikato University library: Bradbury. p. 85.
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