Pōhara

Pōhara
Settlement
A cabbage tree on Pōhara Beach
Coordinates: 40°50′02″S 172°53′06″E / 40.834°S 172.885°E / -40.834; 172.885
Country	New Zealand
Territorial authority	Tasman
Ward	Golden Bay Ward
Community	Golden Bay Community
Electorates	West Coast-Tasman Te Tai Tonga (Māori)
Government
• Territorial Authority	Tasman District Council
• Mayor of Tasman	Tim King
• West Coast-Tasman MP	Maureen Pugh
• Te Tai Tonga MP	Tākuta Ferris
Area [1]
• Total	5.81 km2 (2.24 sq mi)
Population  (June 2024)[2]
• Total	560
• Density	96/km2 (250/sq mi)

Pōhara is a rural locality in the Tasman District of New Zealand's South Island. The locality is northeast of Tākaka and southwest of Tata Beach. To the north is Limestone Bay, part of Golden Bay / Mohua

The official spelling was changed from "Pohara" to "Pōhara" by the New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa on 5 November 2018.^[3]

In the peak holiday season between Christmas and the end of the year, Pōhara beach has up to 700 visitors a day.^[4]

Pōhara is described by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement. It covers 5.81 km² (2.24 sq mi)^[1] and had an estimated population of 560 as of June 2024,^[2] with a population density of 96 people per km². It is part of the larger Pōhara-Abel Tasman statistical area.^[5]

Before the 2023 census, the settlement had a larger boundary, covering 8.06 km² (3.11 sq mi).^[1] Using that boundary, Pōhara had a population of 516 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 9 people (1.8%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 12 people (2.4%) since the 2006 census. There were 231 households, comprising 240 males and 282 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.85 males per female, with 69 people (13.4%) aged under 15 years, 30 (5.8%) aged 15 to 29, 264 (51.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 150 (29.1%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 95.9% European/Pākehā, 7.0% Māori, 2.9% Asian, and 1.7% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 61.0% had no religion, 25.0% were Christian, 0.6% had Māori religious beliefs, 1.2% were Buddhist and 3.5% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 111 (24.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 66 (14.8%) people had no formal qualifications. 42 people (9.4%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 159 (35.6%) people were employed full-time, 93 (20.8%) were part-time, and 12 (2.7%) were unemployed.^[6]

Pohara-Abel Tasman statistical area, which also includes Motupipi and Tata Beach, covers 326.13 km² (125.92 sq mi)^[1] and had an estimated population of 1,570 as of June 2024,^[7] with a population density of 4.8 people per km².

Pohara-Abel Tasman had a population of 1,470 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 27 people (1.9%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 48 people (3.4%) since the 2006 census. There were 597 households, comprising 708 males and 762 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.93 males per female. The median age was 50.4 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 234 people (15.9%) aged under 15 years, 159 (10.8%) aged 15 to 29, 744 (50.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 330 (22.4%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 94.3% European/Pākehā, 7.1% Māori, 0.8% Pasifika, 2.0% Asian, and 2.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 22.2, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 64.3% had no religion, 21.4% were Christian, 0.2% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.6% were Hindu, 1.4% were Buddhist and 3.7% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 276 (22.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 186 (15.0%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $25,300, compared with $31,800 nationally. 111 people (9.0%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 471 (38.1%) people were employed full-time, 297 (24.0%) were part-time, and 33 (2.7%) were unemployed.^[8]

Onetahua Kōkiri Marae is located in Pōhara. It includes Te Ao Marama wharenui (meeting house) and it is a marae (meeting ground) for Ngāti Rārua, Ngāti Tama ki Te Tau Ihu and Te Atiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui.^[9]