Waitetuna is a rural community in the Waikato District and Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island, in the valley of the Waitetuna River, upstream from the Raglan Harbour.
History Pollen analysis in the sediments of the Waitetuna arm of the harbour shows that the original vegetation of the valley was kahikatea on the flats, and a mixed podocarp-hardwood forest on the slopes, with totara, maire, mataī, rimu, rata, beech and tree ferns. Kauri was present, but not abundant.
Waitetuna is part of the rohe of Ngāti Māhanga. Aramiro station covers of Māori freehold in the upper part of the valley.
In September 1864, after the invasion of the Waikato, the government bought the Waipā–Waitetuna block, stretching from the summit of Pirongia to Te Uku Landing, for £1,500. A 2018 Waitangi Tribunal report said
Most of the farms were bought from the government in the 1900s and the bush on them was mostly felled, or burnt.
Roads Three through roads serve Waitetuna.
The main road, SH23, is served by the Hamilton to Raglan bus. It was formed as a deviation from Old Mountain Rd between 1907 and 1912.
Waitetuna Valley Road runs south to Te Pahu and Te Awamutu. It follows the old Aramiro Track,C W Vennell & Susan Williams: Raglan County Hills and Sea 1876-1976 which was widened to a track in 1909 and to Fillery Rd about 1990.
Old Mountain Road was originally the main road. It was formed as an extension to the first road, built in 1863 from Raglan via Okete to the Waitetuna River. The county history said
The main road was metalled between 1914 and 1921 and sealing started in 1937, and was completed 1961.
Railways Waitetuna almost got a railway. In 1923 the Waikato-West Coast railway district was set up under the 1914 Local Railways Act. It got a detailed survey done for a 2 ft 6in gauge railway and had a contractor ready to build a line through the Kaniwhaniwha and Waitetuna valleys, joined by an tunnel, past Te Uku School and Okete Falls and along the edge of the harbour to Raglan. However, it was opposed by local MP Alexander Young, the proposed local rate was defeated in an election in 1923 and the Board was wound up in 1928.
Demographics Waitetuna School is in meshblock 0861000, which had these census returns - YearPopulationAverage ageHouseholdsAverage incomeNational average20017240.227$22,500$18,5002006814027$36,300$24,10020139335.536$36,300$27,900201881$31,8002023108
Education
Waitetuna School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students, with a roll of as of . It opened on 3 September 1962.
Until 24 August 1903 Te Uku School was known as Waitetuna. Aramiro School closed in 1964 and its pupils transferred to Waitetuna.
References