Kawaha Point

In 1910 the area was used for growing potatoes.^[3] In 1917 a son of businessman and politician, Robert Gillies, Arthur William Gillies,^[4] started the development of Kawaha Point, when he offered an area for a hospital, on condition that the government improve the road. A loan to improve the road was approved in 1924.^[4] Land was sold in 1927^[5] and more in 1929.^[6] Initially development was only on the south side of the point.^[7] The area to the north was built between about 1966^[8] and 2000.^[9]

In 2023, Kāinga Ora proposed the replacement of six state houses on Kawaha Point Road with 16 modern houses of between two and five bedrooms.^[10] Later the same year, Rotorua Lakes Council voted to develop council-owned land on Kawaha Point Road, creating about 30 sections, with more sections being likely on an adjoining rugby field.^[11]

Kawaha statistical area, which corresponds to this suburb, covers 1.03 km² (0.40 sq mi)^[1] and had an estimated population of 1,980 as of June 2025,^[2] with a population density of 1,922 people per km².

Kawaha had a population of 1,905 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 3 people (0.2%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 132 people (7.4%) since the 2013 census. There were 915 males, 987 females, and 6 people of other genders in 684 dwellings.^[14] 3.3% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 39.6 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 378 people (19.8%) aged under 15 years, 357 (18.7%) aged 15 to 29, 843 (44.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 330 (17.3%) aged 65 or older.^[12]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 62.4% European (Pākehā); 40.8% Māori; 7.4% Pasifika; 10.7% Asian; 1.3% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 1.9% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 95.6%, Māori by 14.3%, Samoan by 0.3%, and other languages by 13.4%. No language could be spoken by 1.7% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 20.5, compared with 28.8% nationally.^[12]

Religious affiliations were 32.9% Christian, 1.7% Hindu, 0.2% Islam, 2.7% Māori religious beliefs, 1.1% Buddhist, 0.5% New Age, and 1.1% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 52.3%, and 7.6% of people did not answer the census question.^[12]

Of those at least 15 years old, 369 (24.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 759 (49.7%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 396 (25.9%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $39,400, compared with $41,500 nationally. 168 people (11.0%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 711 (46.6%) full-time, 237 (15.5%) part-time, and 54 (3.5%) unemployed.^[12]

Kawaha Point School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 6 students,^[15][16] with a roll of 238 as of October 2025.^[17][18] The school teaches some classes in the Māori language.^[19] The school opened in 1979.^[20]

Kawaha has been served by a bus since at least 1943^[21] and now has a half-hourly service.^[22] Ngongotahā cycleway, which was opened in 2012,^[23] runs to the west of Kawaha.^[24]