- Source: Heretaunga, Upper Hutt
Heretaunga is a suburb of the city of Upper Hutt, located in the lower (southern) North Island of New Zealand. Heretaunga adjoins the suburb of Silverstream to its southwest and the two are commonly thought of associated with each other. To the northeast lies Trentham. The Heretaunga Railway Station on the Hutt Valley Line serves the suburb.
Heretaunga takes its name from one of the Māori names for the nearby Hutt River, originating from a Hawke's Bay district. Heretaunga as a Māori name combines here, meaning "to tie up", and Tauranga, literally meaning "to be at home" - the name originated with a mooring place for canoes.
The settlement, one of the older suburbs in the Hutt Valley, dates from the 1840s when European settlers sought country sections. A prime example of a "leafy" suburb, Heretaunga includes quiet tree-lined streets. It is characterised by large houses, often Edwardian or from the mid-20th century.
The suburb has numerous green spaces, most evident around the site of the Royal Wellington Wellington Golf Club and Trentham Memorial Park. The Royal Wellington Golf Club has been based in Heretaunga since 20 November 1906 after acquiring 48.5 hectares of land from the Barton family (descendants of Richard Barton).
The Mawaihakona Stream begins at a spring in Trentham Memorial Park and drains the western side of the Hutt Valley from Trentham to Heretaunga. The stream passes around Heretaunga Park and the perimeter of the playing fields of St Patrick's College, Silverstream. It flows into the Hutt River north of the Silverstream bridge.
Demographics
Heretaunga's statistical area covers 3.26 km2 (1.26 sq mi). It had an estimated population of 2,520 as of June 2024, with a population density of 773 people per km2.
Heretaunga had a population of 2,496 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 297 people (13.5%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 273 people (12.3%) since the 2006 census. There were 930 households, comprising 1,248 males and 1,248 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.0 males per female. The median age was 41.6 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 474 people (19.0%) aged under 15 years, 426 (17.1%) aged 15 to 29, 1,062 (42.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 537 (21.5%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 81.1% European/Pākehā, 12.5% Māori, 5.9% Pasifika, 10.2% Asian, and 2.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 23.7, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 37.6% had no religion, 51.1% were Christian, 0.5% had Māori religious beliefs, 2.2% were Hindu, 0.5% were Muslim, 0.6% were Buddhist and 1.8% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 525 (26.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 327 (16.2%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $34,200, compared with $31,800 nationally. 480 people (23.7%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 966 (47.8%) people were employed full-time, 267 (13.2%) were part-time, and 75 (3.7%) were unemployed.
Education
St Brendan's School is a co-educational state-integrated Catholic primary school for Year 1 to 8 students, with a roll of 276 as of August 2024.