Castlecliff
Suburb of Whanganui, New Zealand
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Castlecliff is a suburb of Whanganui, in the Whanganui District and Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand's North Island. The name was given by the Harbour Board, on the suggestion of the future Prime Minister, John Ballance,[3] when it established the township on what were described as "barren sandhills" in 1882. Many of the streets were named after Harbour Board members.[4] The northern harbour breakwater extended 900 ft (270 m) by 1885.[5] The freezing works was built in 1891.[6]
Castlecliff | |
|---|---|
A café in Castlecliff | |
 Interactive map of Castlecliff | |
| Coordinates: 39.943031°S 174.993740°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| City | Whanganui |
| Local authority | Whanganui District Council |
| Area | |
| • Land | 865 ha (2,140 acres) |
| Population (June 2025)[2] | |
• Total | 4,260 |
| • Density | 492/km2 (1,280/sq mi) |
| Kai Iwi | Westmere | Tawhero |
  Castlecliff  |
Gonville | |
| (South Taranaki Bight) | (Whanganui River mouth) |
Demographics
Castlecliff covers 8.65 km2 (3.34 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 4,260 as of June 2025,[2] with a population density of 492 people per km2.
Castlecliff had a population of 4,026 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 312 people (8.4%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 762 people (23.3%) since the 2013 census. There were 2,094 males, 1,920 females, and 12 people of other genders in 1,479 dwellings.[9] 3.7% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. There were 858 people (21.3%) aged under 15 years, 792 (19.7%) aged 15 to 29, 1,719 (42.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 657 (16.3%) aged 65 or older.[7]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 70.6% European (Pākehā); 43.0% Māori; 6.3% Pasifika; 3.4% Asian; 0.4% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.5% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.3%, Māori by 12.5%, Samoan by 0.8%, and other languages by 5.1%. No language could be spoken by 2.5% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 1.1%. The percentage of people born overseas was 10.5, compared with 28.8% nationally.[7]
Religious affiliations were 23.9% Christian, 0.6% Hindu, 0.1% Islam, 6.3% Māori religious beliefs, 0.7% Buddhist, 0.9% New Age, and 1.3% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 58.0%, and 8.9% of people did not answer the census question.[7]
Of those at least 15 years old, 387 (12.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 1,845 (58.2%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 942 (29.7%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. 111 people (3.5%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 1,350 (42.6%) full-time, 423 (13.4%) part-time, and 162 (5.1%) unemployed.[7]
Education
Castlecliff School is a state primary school for Year 1 to 6 students,[13][14] with a roll of 174.[15] It opened in 1892.[16]
Aranui School is another state primary school for Year 1 to 6 students,[17] with a roll of 67.[18] It opened in 1965.[19]
Te Kura o Kokohuia is a Year 1 to 8 state primary school,[20] with a roll of 212.[21] It was the first bilingual school in Whanganui. It was in existence in 1991.[22]
Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Tupoho is a Māori language immersion primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,[23] with a roll of 155.[24] It started in 1996 as a satellite school of Te Kura o Kokohuia.[25]
All these schools are co-educational. Rolls are as of October 2025.[26]
See also
Castlecliff Branch railway opened 1885
Castlecliff tramway opened 1912