Papatawa

For the statistical area, see Dannevirke § Papatawa statistical area. For the settlement in New Zealand's Catlins, see Papatowai.

Papatawa
Settlement
Interactive map of Papatawa
Coordinates: 40°19′16″S 175°55′12″E / 40.321°S 175.920°E / -40.321; 175.920
Country	New Zealand
Region	Manawatū-Whanganui
District	Tararua
Ward	South Tararua General Ward Tamaki nui-a Rua Maori Ward
Electorates	Wairarapa Ikaroa-Rāwhiti (Māori)
Government
• Territorial Authority	Tararua District Council
• Regional council	Horizons Regional Council
• Tararua Mayor	Scott Gilmore[1]
• Wairarapa MP	Mike Butterick[2]
• Ikaroa-Rāwhiti MP	Cushla Tangaere-Manuel[3]
Area [4]
• Total	109.97 km^2 (42.46 sq mi)
Population  (2023 Census)[5]
• Total	330
• Density	3.0/km^2 (7.8/sq mi)

Papatawa is a rural community in the Tararua District and Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located six kilometres north-east of Woodville, on both sides of State Highway 2.^[6]

The area has no shops, and locals use Palmerston North, Pahiatua and Dannevirke as service centres.^[7]

History

19th century

European settlement of the area began in 1878,^[8] when an area of forest called the Victoria Block was cleared and subdivided into 36 farming sections.^[9] The name of the post office was changed from Victoria to Papatawa in 1896.^[10]

The Manga-atua School house opened in the area 1887, with a roll of the 18 pupils increasing to 22 within the first day.^[9] The school changed its name to Papatawa School in 1905, and it eventually gained an extra classroom.^[6]

20th century

In 1910 John A. Millar, the Minister of Railways in the Ward Ministry, denied a request for a railway loading bank at Papatawa, citing a lack of funds.^[11]

By the 1930s, the area had a dairy factory, a railway station, a county council yard, and a team of horses in stables. The area was connected by gravel roads, two rail lines and a shunting line. Cheese from the dairy factory was transported to the railway station by horse and cart, and most locals took the train to Woodville to do shopping.^[6]

During the Great Depression, workers built a tennis court at the school and turned the school to face the sun. A pool was installed in the 1960s.^[9]

21st century

The 4.5 kilometre Papatawa stretch of State Highway 2 has been the site of several fatal crashes.^[12][13]

Between 2010 and 2014, the NZ Transport Agency realigned and straightened the 4.5 kilometre stretch of State Highway 2, with a new intersection, rail crossing, over-bridge, passing lane and stream diversion.^[14] The $11 million project aimed to reduce crashes and separate local traffic from the 700 trucks that were using the road between Tararua and Hawke's Bay each day.^[15]

Railway station

Papatawa railway station
Papatawa in 1962
General information
Elevation	120 m (390 ft)
Owned by	KiwiRail
Line	Palmerston North–Gisborne Line
Distance	Palmerston North 36.32 km (22.57 mi)
History
Opened	22 March 1887
Closed	2 July 1967
Previous names	Victoria until 1 May 1904
Services
Preceding station Historical railways Following station Woodville Line open, station closed 6.66 km (4.14 mi) towards PN   Palmerston North–Gisborne Line KiwiRail   Maharahara Line open, station closed 7.43 km (4.62 mi) towards Napier
Location

Papatawa railway station on the Palmerston North–Gisborne line, opened as Victoria in 1887^[16] and was renamed Papatawa in 1904. It closed in 1967.^[16] Only a single line now passes through the station site.^[17]

History

The line through Victoria opened on 22 March 1887, when the 15 mi 10 ch (24.3 km) Tahoraiti (later Tapuata) to Woodville section extended the line from Napier^[18] and Victoria flag station had 2 trains a day.^[19] By 1909 there were 3 mixed trains a day.^[20] From Papatawa the line climbs a 1 in 53 gradient to Maharahara. By 1896 there was a shelter shed, platform, cart access, urinals and a passing loop for 27 wagons, extended for 33 wagons by 1898. From Sunday, 1 May 1904 the name of the station was changed from Victoria to Papatawa,^[21] though the Woodville Examiner reported the change as being from 1 March.^[22]

In 1890 Thomas Crosse had an application for sheep yards declined, "for want of funds". Similarly in 1910 John A. Millar, the Minister of Railways in the Ward Ministry, denied a request for a railway loading bank at Papatawa, citing a lack of funds,^[23] though a loading bank was listed as part of the accommodation at the station in 1904. More successful was an 1891 deputation, asking for the stopping of through trains at Victoria, though it took until 1895 before it happened.^[21] The service was lost in 1917 when the Wellington-Napier mail train was speeded up, by no longer stopping at 30 stations, including Papatawa.^[24]

In 1926 a locomotive fell over due to gravel on the level crossing.^[25][26] Bridge 131A is 80.363 m (263.66 ft) long and carries SH2 over the railway.^[27] It replaced the level crossing^[28] in 1940^[29] and was renewed as part of the 2014 upgrades.^[30] On 2 July 1967 the station closed.^[21]

Demographics

Papatawa locality covers 108.97 km² (42.07 sq mi).^[4] It is part of the larger Mangatainoka statistical area.^[31]

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	300	—
2013	336	+1.63%
2018	282	−3.44%
2023	330	+3.19%
Source: [5][32]

Papatawa had a population of 330 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 48 people (17.0%) since the 2018 census, and a decrease of 6 people (−1.8%) since the 2013 census. There were 177 males, 150 females, and 6 people of other genders in 123 dwellings.^[33] 1.8% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. There were 69 people (20.9%) aged under 15 years, 66 (20.0%) aged 15 to 29, 147 (44.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 51 (15.5%) aged 65 or older.^[5]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 90.0% European (Pākehā), 19.1% Māori, 1.8% Pasifika, and 2.7% Asian. English was spoken by 97.3%, Māori by 2.7%, Samoan by 0.9%, and other languages by 5.5%. No language could be spoken by 2.7% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.9%. The percentage of people born overseas was 8.2, compared with 28.8% nationally.^[5]

Religious affiliations were 34.5% Christian, 0.9% Māori religious beliefs, and 1.8% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 50.9%, and 10.0% of people did not answer the census question.^[5]

Of those at least 15 years old, 36 (13.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 147 (56.3%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 66 (25.3%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. 15 people (5.7%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 135 (51.7%) full-time, 39 (14.9%) part-time, and 6 (2.3%) unemployed.^[5]

Education

Papatawa School was a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students. The school opened in 1887 as Manga-atua School, changed its name about 1905, and operated through to August 2023 when it closed due to falling roll numbers. Children in the area now attend school in Woodville.^[34]

Notable people

• Anna Leese, international opera singer raised in Papatawa^[6]

References

1. "2025 Triennial Elections Declaration of Result" (PDF). Electionz. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
2. "Wairarapa - Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
3. "Ikaroa-Rāwhiti – Official Result". New Zealand Electoral Commission. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
4. "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 1 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 4 January 2025.
5. "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. 7018862 and 7018863. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
6. "School still in after 130 years as Papatawa bucks closure trend". New Zealand Media and Entertainment. Hawke's Bay Today. 5 June 2017.
7. "Papatawa School". tararuadc.govt.nz. Tararua District Council.
8. Matthews, Claire (1987). Papatawa : forged from the bush. Woodville: Papatawa Centennial Committee. OCLC: 154651459.
9. Murdoch, Dave (15 May 2017). "Papatawa celebrates 130 years". Bush Telegraph.
10. "Local and General. Woodville Examiner". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 24 February 1896. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
11. "Loading Bank at Papatawa". Parliamentary Debates. 150: 662. 1910.
12. "One dead, two injured after crash". Otago Daily Times. New Zealand Press Association. 6 December 2009.
13. Iles, Julie (16 January 2019). "Papatawa crash leaves two dead and another injured". Stuff. Dominion Post.
14. "Papatawa Realignment". nzta.govt.nz. NZ Transport Agency.
15. "Safer, straighter highway celebrated at Papatawa". NZ Transport Agency. 31 January 2014.
16. Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations in New Zealand by Juliet Scoble (2012)
17. "Victoria-Papatawa Railway Station Site 1993". knowledgebank.org.nz. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
18. "PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT BY THE HON. W. HALL-JONES, MINISTER FOR PUBLIC WORKS 27th SEPTEMBER, 1898". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
19. "Daily Telegraph (Napier)". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 3 May 1887. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
20. "Railway Timetables 1909". knowledgebank.org.nz. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
21. "Station Archive". NZR Rolling Stock Lists. Archived from the original on 8 February 2013. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
22. "Local and General. Woodville Examiner". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1 February 1904. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
23. "Loading Bank at Papatawa". Parliamentary Debates. 150: 662. 1910.
24. "Alteration to Time-table. Woodville Examiner". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1 August 1917. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
25. "Railway mishap. Waipukurau Press". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 13 January 1926. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
26. "Auckland Weekly News - Railway accident which disorganised the Hawke's bay - Wellington service for several hours". kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz. 21 January 1926. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
27. "KiwiRail Bridges". data-kiwirail.opendata.arcgis.com. 21 December 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
28. "Progress made in removal of railway level crossings. Central Hawke's Bay Press". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 11 January 1939. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
29. "Napier district". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1940. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
30. "Papatawa Realignment". nzta.govt.nz. NZ Transport Agency.
31. "Geographic Boundary Viewer". Stats NZ. Statistical Area 1 – 2023 and Statistical Area 2 – 2023.
32. "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7018862 and 7018863.
33. "Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
34. "One last hurrah for Papatawa School".