Matamata

Matamata covers 6.15 km² (2.37 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 9,130 as of June 2023,[2] with a population density of 1,485 people per km².

Sign in Matamata identifying town as the location where the Hobbiton scenes from the Lord of the Rings were filmed

Livestock in Matamata

Matamata had a population of 7,806 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 720 people (10.2%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 1,509 people (24.0%) since the 2006 census. There were 3,111 households, comprising 3,717 males and 4,089 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.91 males per female, with 1,374 people (17.6%) aged under 15 years, 1,314 (16.8%) aged 15 to 29, 2,934 (37.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 2,187 (28.0%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 84.5% European/Pākehā, 15.7% Māori, 1.7% Pacific peoples, 5.9% Asian, and 1.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 16.6, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 49.2% had no religion, 37.2% were Christian, 1.2% had Māori religious beliefs, 1.0% were Hindu, 0.2% were Muslim, 0.7% were Buddhist and 1.8% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 678 (10.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 1,848 (28.7%) people had no formal qualifications. 774 people (12.0%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 2,763 (43.0%) people were employed full-time, 849 (13.2%) were part-time, and 198 (3.1%) were unemployed.[4]

In the early nineteenth century, the area including and surrounding the present-day Matamata township was part of the territory of the Ngāti Hinerangi iwi and Ngāti Hauā. The Matamata pā itself was actually located near the present-day settlement of Waharoa, approximately 6 kilometres (4 miles) to the north.

The first European thought to have visited the Matamata area was the trader Phillip Tapsell in about 1830.[7] In 1833 the Reverend Alfred Nesbit Brown visited the area and in 1835 opened a mission near Matamata Pa, but this closed the following year when intertribal warfare broke out.[7] In 1865 Josiah Firth negotiated with Ngāti Hauā leader Wiremu Tamihana and leased a large area of land, including the future site of the town which he named after the pā.[7] Firth constructed a dray road to Cambridge and cleared the Waihou River so that it was navigable by his (small) boats.[7]

Peria, on the outskirts of Matamata, was the scene of the Kīngitanga meeting of 1863.[8][9]

Firth's estate later failed and by 1904 had been wholly obtained by the Crown and was subdivided into dairy farm units[10] to take advantage of the new technology of refrigeration.[11] It became a dependent Town District in 1917, an independent Town District in 1919 and was constituted a borough in 1935.[7] With the re-organisation of territorial authorities in New Zealand in 1989, Matamata became part of the Matamata-Piako District.

Railway station

Plantations of oak, larch, chestnut and ash were established near many railway stations.[12] Matamata’s is registered in Council’s District Plan for Hetana St[13]

Matamata was a station on the Kinleith Branch, from Monday 8 March 1886.[14] It was built by Mr D Fallon for the Thames Valley & Rotorua Railway Co. New Zealand Railways Department took over the line on 1 April 1886.[15] Initially 40 minutes north of the temporary terminus at Oxford (Tirau) and about an hour from Morrinsville.[16] For a while Matamata seems to have become a flag station,[17][18] though it did have cattle yards and a 60 ft (18 m) by 30 ft (9.1 m)[15] a goods shed.[19] By 1886 it also had a coal shed able to hold 50 tons, a stationmaster's house, 2 cottages, urinals and a 20,000 imp gal (91,000 L) brick water tank supplied by a 60 ft (18 m) diameter windpump from a well, which was deepened that year. By 1896 Matamata had gained a 4th class station, platform, cart approach and a passing loop for 32 wagons. A telephone came in 1912 and a verandah in 1914. Authority to shift the verandah at Avondale station to Matamata when new station is built, and re-erect, amount £35. House for stationmaster. Platform extended to 175 feet. To extend it to 300 feet will cost £90. Authority for £60 for platform extension. 1919 extension of the verandah have been authorised. In 1919 part of the old Drury station building was erected as a luggage room at Matamata. Improvements are to be put in hand, estimated cost £6,000. Lighting of station and houses. 1927 Additional seating accommodation on platform. 1953 Approval for bicycle shed, estimated cost £90.[15] There was a Post Office at the station until 1911.[15] It had two members of staff from 1913.[20] Matamata was included in the annual returns of railway traffic. For example, in 1924 it sold 26,367 tickets and exported 26,084 sheep and pigs.[21] In 1950 8,868 tickets were sold and it transported 42,322 sheep and pigs.[22] A petrol engined shunter was used in the station yard from 1936.[23] Several Drewry 0-4-0 shunters were introduced in 1936.[24]

The station building was replaced on Monday 17 May 1965 by a new £23,500 steel portal frame and block-work building, with a new platform and approach road from Hetana Street, built by Way & Works Branch staff. The old station was sold for removal by July 1967.[15]

Matamata closed to passengers on 12 November 1968,[14] but reopened to serve the Geyserland Express[25] from 9 December 1991 until 7 October 2001.[26]

Since closure the station has been the Railside by the Green community centre since 2002,[27] though it is fenced off from the platform.[28] Occasional excursions still use the platform.[29][30]

Matamata is home to the Matamata Swifts soccer team, who compete in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 1A.

Matamata College is the town's co-educational state secondary school,[32][33] with a roll of 748 as of April 2023.[34]

Matamata Intermediate is the town's co-educational state intermediate school,[35][36] with a roll of 398.[37]

There are two co-educational state primary schools: Matamata Primary School,[38][39] with a roll of 449;[40] and Firth School,[41] with a roll of 213.[42] The motto for Firth School is E Tipu E Rea, which translates as Grow and Flourish.[43]

Matamata Christian School is a co-educational state integrated Christian primary school,[44][45] with a roll of 85.[46]

St Joseph's Catholic School is a co-educational state integrated Catholic school,[47] with a roll of 43.[48]

• 
  Aerial view of Matamata College in the 1940s
• 
  Front of Matamata College in the 1950s
• 
  Matamata Public School from around 1909.
• 
  Matamata Public School around 1919.

• Shane Dye
• Casey Kopua
• Lance O'Sullivan
• Tim Mikkelson
• Hon Mike Rann CNZM
• Dame Patsy Reddy
• Dame Catherine Tizard
• Matthew Stanley
• Claudia Pond Eyley
• Kyle Wealleans

Smaller towns nearby are:

• Hinuera
• Peria
• Turanga-O-Moana
• Te Poi
• Waharoa
• Walton, New Zealand
• Wardville, New Zealand

• List of towns in New Zealand
• List of reduplicated New Zealand place names