Wattle Downs

Originally the Mahia Park peninsula was farmland (belonging to Ian Ross) but has been developed in a number of phases. The area is almost exclusively residential, with only a few shops and schools.

Aerial imagery of Wattle Downs before residential development

Wattle Cove, a large development by Fletcher Building was a $300 million subdivision that built 900 houses on the Wattle Downs peninsula.[1]

Wattle Park, a recent development that started construction in 2019 is a 112 home subdivision.[2]

Wattle Downs, comprising the statistical areas of Wattle Downs West, Wattle Downs North and Wattle Downs East, had a population of 8,496 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 1,038 people (13.9%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 1,683 people (24.7%) since the 2006 census. There were 2,589 households. There were 4,095 males and 4,401 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.93 males per female, with 2,004 people (23.6%) aged under 15 years, 1,638 (19.3%) aged 15 to 29, 3,606 (42.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,245 (14.7%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 53.1% European/Pākehā, 25.0% Māori, 22.8% Pacific peoples, 16.6% Asian, and 2.6% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).

The proportion of people born overseas was 29.7%, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people objected to giving their religion, 38.6% had no religion, 43.8% were Christian, 4.2% were Hindu, 1.4% were Muslim, 0.8% were Buddhist and 4.8% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 1,161 (17.9%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 1,290 (19.9%) people had no formal qualifications. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 3,489 (53.7%) people were employed full-time, 657 (10.1%) were part-time, and 237 (3.7%) were unemployed.[3]

Clayton Park School and Reremoana Primary School are coeducational full primary schools (years 1–8) with rolls of 321 and 432 students, respectively.[4][5] Clayton Park opened in 1979.[6] Reremoana opened on 7 February 2006. It has been built to cater for the rapidly growing population in the local area.[7]

Rolls are as of March 2020.[8]

Wattle Downs Golf Course, a 9-hole golf course, is nestled between areas of housing.

Wattle Downs North & South Path, are shared paths that link several reserves in the area and includes views over Waimaha Creek & Pahurehure Inlet