Ōhope
Ōhope | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 Ōhope from the air, looking West | |
 | |
| Coordinates: 37°57′58″S 177°02′35″E / 37.966°S 177.043°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Bay of Plenty |
| Territorial authority | Whakatāne District |
| Ward | Whakatāne-Ōhope General Ward |
| Community | Whakatāne-Ōhope Community |
| Electorates | |
| Government | |
| • Territorial authority | Whakatāne District Council |
| • Regional council | Bay of Plenty Regional Council |
| Area | |
• Total | 6.33 km2 (2.44 sq mi) |
| Population (June 2024)[2] | |
• Total | 3,250 |
| • Density | 510/km2 (1,300/sq mi) |
| Area code | 07 |
Ōhope is a coastal town situated on the northeastern coast of the Eastern Bay of Plenty in New Zealand's North Island. It is six kilometres east of Whakatāne, and is located between Ōhiwa Harbour to the south and Ōhope Beach to the north, providing views of both.
Name
[edit]The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "place of [the] main body of an army" for Ōhope.[3] On 10 October 1974, the name of the settlement was formally changed from Ohope Beach to Ohope.[4] On 21 June 2019, the official name of the town was changed to Ōhope (with a macron) by the New Zealand Geographic Board.[5]
Demographics
[edit]Ōhope covers 6.33 km2 (2.44 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 3,250 as of June 2024,[2] with a population density of 513 people per km2.
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 2,853 | — |
| 2013 | 2,847 | −0.03% |
| 2018 | 3,177 | +2.22% |
| Source: [6] | ||
Ōhope had a population of 3,177 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 330 people (11.6%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 324 people (11.4%) since the 2006 census. There were 1,350 households, comprising 1,545 males and 1,632 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.95 males per female. The median age was 51.8 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 498 people (15.7%) aged under 15 years, 378 (11.9%) aged 15 to 29, 1,410 (44.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 891 (28.0%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 89.6% European/Pākehā, 14.9% Māori, 1.0% Pacific peoples, 3.2% Asian, and 2.5% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 22.3, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 51.4% had no religion, 37.2% were Christian, 0.7% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.6% were Hindu, 0.2% were Muslim, 0.6% were Buddhist and 0.9% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 771 (28.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 366 (13.7%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $36,600, compared with $31,800 nationally. 624 people (23.3%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,215 (45.4%) people were employed full-time, 438 (16.3%) were part-time, and 60 (2.2%) were unemployed.[6]
Tourism
[edit]Ōhope is a holiday destination during the New Zealand summer, with several kilometres of safe swimming beaches.[citation needed] The western end of the beach, commonly known as West End is popular for surfing during the summer and Christmas period.[citation needed] Visitors can explore walking and cycling tracks, including the scenic Ōhope Scenic Reserve Track and Ōhope Harbourside Trail, which offers views of the coastline, native bush and Ōhiwa Harbour. Ōhope Beach has earned recognition as one of New Zealand's most cherished coastal destinations through various accolades over the years. In 2014, it was voted the country's most loved beach, securing nearly 100,000 of the over 600,000 votes cast in a social media campaign by the Automobile Association.[7] More recently, in 2024, Ōhope Beach was honored as the best family beach for the third consecutive year in the New Zealand Herald's Best Beach competition. The beach also secured second place in the best camping beach category.[8][9] Ōhope Beach Top 10 Holiday Park, is a major attraction for both locals and visitors, especially during the summer months. The park offers a range of accommodations, including campgrounds, cabins, and powered sites.
Infrastructure
[edit]Education
[edit]Ōhope is home to the Ohope Beach Primary School, which has five classrooms and provides education for students from Years 1 to 6. The town offers a range of amenities, including cafes, shops, and recreational facilities.
Transportation
[edit]The town is also serviced by public transport links via Baybus operated by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council to nearby Whakatāne via the 122 bus route.[10] Private cars, limited public transport and taxis (as well as cycling and walking) are the primary modes of transport for residents. Ōhope is primarily connected to Whakatāne through Ōhope Road, a two-lane route with passing lanes on the hill inclines. It is also linked to the south via the Pacific Coast Highway, providing access to Tāneatua and Ōpōtiki.
Facilities
[edit]The town offers a range of amenities, including cafes, shops, and recreational facilities. To the east, facilities such as the Port Ōhope Wharf, Ōhope Library, Ōhope Fire Station, Ōhope Beach Top 10 Holiday Park and an aged care facility are present. Ōhope is the main venue for the Local Wild Food Festival, a celebration of local produce and unique culinary experiences. The festival, which draws food lovers from across the region, showcases a variety of wild and foraged foods, with a focus on sustainable and eco-friendly dining.[11]
Gallery
[edit]-
Digging for tuatua on Ōhope Beach in summer -
Ōhope from above
Climate
[edit]| Climate data for Port Ohope (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 23.8 (74.8) |
24.3 (75.7) |
22.8 (73.0) |
20.3 (68.5) |
17.7 (63.9) |
15.4 (59.7) |
14.9 (58.8) |
15.5 (59.9) |
16.9 (62.4) |
18.4 (65.1) |
20.0 (68.0) |
22.0 (71.6) |
19.3 (66.8) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 19.5 (67.1) |
20.1 (68.2) |
18.5 (65.3) |
16.0 (60.8) |
13.5 (56.3) |
11.2 (52.2) |
10.6 (51.1) |
11.1 (52.0) |
12.7 (54.9) |
14.2 (57.6) |
15.9 (60.6) |
18.0 (64.4) |
15.1 (59.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 15.3 (59.5) |
15.9 (60.6) |
14.1 (57.4) |
11.7 (53.1) |
9.4 (48.9) |
7.1 (44.8) |
6.3 (43.3) |
6.7 (44.1) |
8.4 (47.1) |
10.1 (50.2) |
11.9 (53.4) |
14.0 (57.2) |
10.9 (51.6) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 82.0 (3.23) |
72.5 (2.85) |
75.7 (2.98) |
72.7 (2.86) |
71.0 (2.80) |
108.9 (4.29) |
84.5 (3.33) |
104.5 (4.11) |
80.3 (3.16) |
88.5 (3.48) |
86.2 (3.39) |
74.6 (2.94) |
1,001.4 (39.42) |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 240.1 | 207.9 | 195.7 | 198.1 | 164.4 | 132.4 | 159.9 | 160.2 | 172.5 | 193.3 | 202.1 | 234.1 | 2,260.7 |
| Source: NIWA[12] | |||||||||||||
References
[edit]
- ^ a b "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
- ^ a b "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
- ^ "1000 Māori place names". New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 6 August 2019.
- ^ "New Zealand Gazetteer". New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
- ^ "NZGB Notices — June 2019". Retrieved 25 April 2020.
- ^ a b "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Ōhope (203200). 2018 Census place summary: Ōhope
- ^ Thursday; March 2014, 13; Association, 9:51 am Press Release: Automobile. "Ohope Beach named New Zealand's most loved | Scoop News". www.scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
{{cite web}}:|first2=has numeric name (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Ōhope no longer best kept secret as it scoops another title". NZ Herald. 24 March 2025. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
- ^ "Ōhope is no longer the best kept secret". RNZ. 31 January 2024. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
- ^ "Network Maps | Bay of Plenty Regional Council Toi Moana". www.baybus.co.nz. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
- ^ "Local Wild Food Festival 2025 | Whakatāne NZ". Whakatāne i-SITE. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
- ^ "CliFlo – National Climate Database : Port Ohope". NIWA. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
External links
[edit]| International | |
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| National | |
