Flaxmere

Flaxmere
Suburb
Aerial photo looking towards Napier
Interactive map of Flaxmere
Coordinates: 39°37′S 176°47′E / 39.617°S 176.783°E / -39.617; 176.783
CountryNew Zealand
CityHastings
Local authorityHastings District Council
Electoral ward
  • Flaxmere General Ward
  • Heretaunga General Ward
  • Takitimu Māori Ward
Area
[1]
 • Land718 ha (1,770 acres)
Population
 (June 2025)[2]
 • Total
12,190
 • Density1,700/km2 (4,400/sq mi)
Omahu Twyford
Flaxmere
 Frimley
Bridge Pa Pakipaki Camberley

Flaxmere (Māori: Paharakeke) is a township in the Hastings District and outlying suburb of Hastings City, in the Hawke's Bay Region of New Zealand's North Island.

History

The original European owner of the land was Sir William Russell, for many years of local member of parliament and Leader of the Opposition from 1894 to 1901. Russell called his estate Flaxmere. When Hastings City Council needed to expand, subdivision of the land started in 1963 and in the following year, the area was incorporated into the area held by the (then) city council. The subdivision was named after the original estate name.[3] Russell's son, Harold Russell, inherited a homestead Little Flaxmere and land that was part of original estate. This is today located in nearby Twyford.[4]

For the subdivision Hastings City Council bought 455 acres (184 ha), which had 150 acres (61 ha) zoned for industry, 40 acres for Flaxmere Park and 12 acres (4.9 ha) for Flaxmere Shopping Centre, including a car park for about 600 cars.[5]

Demographics

Flaxmere covers 7.18 km2 (2.77 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 12,190 as of June 2025,[2] with a population density of 1,698 people per km2.

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
20069,939—    
20139,630−0.45%
201811,250+3.16%
202311,745+0.86%
The 2006 population is for a smaller area of 5.87 km2.
Source: [6][7]

Flaxmere had a population of 11,745 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 495 people (4.4%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 2,115 people (22.0%) since the 2013 census. There were 5,823 males, 5,889 females, and 33 people of other genders in 3,078 dwellings.[8] 1.8% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 28.8 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 3,339 people (28.4%) aged under 15 years, 2,748 (23.4%) aged 15 to 29, 4,539 (38.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,119 (9.5%) aged 65 or older.[6]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 37.7% European (Pākehā); 58.3% Māori; 25.7% Pasifika; 4.0% Asian; 0.3% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 1.1% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 94.1%, Māori by 16.7%, Samoan by 8.7%, and other languages by 6.5%. No language could be spoken by 2.7% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.7%. The percentage of people born overseas was 14.9, compared with 28.8% nationally.[6]

Religious affiliations were 39.0% Christian, 0.3% Hindu, 0.4% Islam, 7.3% Māori religious beliefs, 0.4% Buddhist, 0.4% New Age, and 0.9% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 45.4%, and 6.3% of people did not answer the census question.[6]

Of those at least 15 years old, 660 (7.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 4,749 (56.5%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 3,006 (35.8%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $37,400, compared with $41,500 nationally. 210 people (2.5%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 4,329 (51.5%) full-time, 858 (10.2%) part-time, and 405 (4.8%) unemployed.[6]

Individual statistical areas
Name Area
(km2)		 Population Density
(per km2)		 Dwellings Median age Median
income
Flaxmere West 0.92 2,826 3,072 723 27.0 years $38,000[9]
Omahu Strip 2.93 282 96 87 34.3 years $39,200[10]
Lochain Park 0.94 2,985 3,176 774 27.9 years $37,700[11]
Flaxmere Park 1.35 2,736 2,027 723 30.9 years $37,800[12]
Flaxmere South 1.05 2,919 2,919 765 29.0 years $36,500[13]
New Zealand 38.1 years $41,500

Description

Flaxmere was built to cater to the housing demand of Hastings. It was intended to be an upper-middle class subdivision, but because land was subdivided into smaller lots, it became a low income neighbourhood.

It has a small shopping centre with a petrol station, post office, bakery, video store, butchery, indoor rock climbing centre, and various other businesses offering necessities and/or leisure. Other amenities include a library, police station, several churches and Flaxmere Waterworld, an indoor swimming complex.

Education

Flaxmere has four state primary schools, which provide education for years 1 to 8:

  • Flaxmere Primary School[14][15] has a roll of 421.[16] It opened in 1971.[17]
  • Te Whai Hiringa,[18] formerly Peterhead School,[19] has a roll of 468.[20] It was open by 1973.[21]
  • Te Kura o Waharino Irongate School[22] has a roll of 216.[23] It opened in 1975.[24]
  • Te Kura o Kimi Ora[25] has a roll of 143.[26] It opened in 1988.[27]

The township also has two other schools:

  • Flaxmere College is a state secondary school for years 7 to 15,[28][29] with a roll of 350.[30] It was established in 1976.[31]
  • Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngati Kahungunu Ki Heretaunga is a Year 1–13 Māori immersion school,[32] with a roll of 234.[33] It opened in 1998.[34]

All these schools are co-educational. Rolls are as of October 2025.[35]

References

Flaxmere travel guide from Wikivoyage

  1. ^ a b "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 3 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Subnational population estimates - Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  3. ^ "18. Flaxmere" (PDF). Hastings District Council. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  4. ^ Schamroth, Melina (12 February 1992). "It's goodbye to Little Flaxmere". Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  5. ^ "Hawke's Bay Photo News 1966 – Number 096 October". knowledgebank.org.nz. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Flaxmere (54090). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  7. ^ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Flaxmere West (208800), Omahu Strip (208900), Lochain Park (209000), Flaxmere Park (209100) and Flaxmere South (209200).
  8. ^ "Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  9. ^ "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer. Flaxmere West. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  10. ^ "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer. Omahu Strip. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  11. ^ "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer. Lochain Park. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  12. ^ "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer. Flaxmere Park. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  13. ^ "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer. Flaxmere South. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  14. ^ "Official School Website". flaxmere.school.nz.
  15. ^ "Flaxmere Primary School - Education Counts". www.educationcounts.govt.nz.
  16. ^ "Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
  17. ^ "Our School". Flaxmere Primary School. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  18. ^ "Peterhead School - Education Counts". www.educationcounts.govt.nz.
  19. ^ "Our B.O.T". Te Whai Hiringa. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  20. ^ "Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
  21. ^ North, Cindy (17 February 2025). "Some of Peterhead Schools Finest pupils in 1973".
  22. ^ "Irongate School - Education Counts". www.educationcounts.govt.nz.
  23. ^ "Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
  24. ^ Pocock, James (20 June 2024). "Irongate School in Flaxmere consulting community on name change". Hawke's Bay Today. the school celebrates its 50th anniversary next year
  25. ^ "Te Kura o Kimi Ora - Education Counts". www.educationcounts.govt.nz.
  26. ^ "Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
  27. ^ Laing, Doug (14 September 2016). "$19M Flaxmere for Schools". Hawke's Bay Today. It will also be the 30th anniversary of the opening of Kimi Ora in 1988
  28. ^ "Official School Website". flaxmerecollege.co.nz.
  29. ^ "Flaxmere College - Education Counts". www.educationcounts.govt.nz.
  30. ^ "Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
  31. ^ Hunt, Megan (12 April 2017). "Karamu's deputy principal finishes after 41 years". Stuff. in 1976 ... Havelock North High School and Flaxmere College were still being established
  32. ^ "Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngati Kahungunu Ki Heretaunga - Education Counts". www.educationcounts.govt.nz.
  33. ^ "Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
  34. ^ "Nga Kura Kaupapa Maori". Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  35. ^ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.