Portland, New Zealand

Portland is a locality on the western side of Whangarei Harbour in Northland, New Zealand. Whangarei is about 10 km to the north. Tikorangi is a hill to the west with a summit 161 m above sea level.[3][4]

Portland
Coordinates: 35°48′06″S 174°19′45″E
CountryNew Zealand
RegionNorthland Region
DistrictWhangarei District
WardBream Bay Ward
Electorates
Government
 • Territorial AuthorityWhangarei District Council
 • Regional councilNorthland Regional Council
Area
[1]
 • Total11.96 km2 (4.62 sq mi)
Population
 (2018 Census)[2]
 • Total441
 • Density37/km2 (96/sq mi)
A train stopped on the North Auckland Line in 1923

The major industry is Portland Cement, which is New Zealand's largest cement manufacturer.[5] It has a specialised loading dock on the harbour,[6] and quarries Tikorangi for lime.[7]

History

The Portland Cement Works, which started on Limestone Island in Whangarei Harbour in 1885, moved to Portland in 1916.[8][9] The Cement works is now owned by Golden Bay Cement, a division of Fletcher Building.

Dominion Cement built a mile-long pier of disused tram rails in 1913.[10]

The town had a railway station on the North Auckland Line from 1918 to 1975.[11]

Demographics

Portland is in two SA1 statistical areas which cover 11.96 km2 (4.62 sq mi).[1] The SA1 areas are part of the larger Otaika-Portland statistical area.[12]

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
2006399—    
2013333−2.55%
2018441+5.78%
Source: [2]

Portland had a population of 441 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 108 people (32.4%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 42 people (10.5%) since the 2006 census. There were 132 households, comprising 234 males and 204 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.15 males per female, with 114 people (25.9%) aged under 15 years, 75 (17.0%) aged 15 to 29, 219 (49.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 33 (7.5%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 80.3% European/Pākehā, 39.5% Māori, 5.4% Pacific peoples, 0.7% Asian, and 2.0% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 62.6% had no religion, 25.2% were Christian, 2.0% had Māori religious beliefs and 0.7% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 45 (13.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 84 (25.7%) people had no formal qualifications. 48 people (14.7%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 180 (55.0%) people were employed full-time, 51 (15.6%) were part-time, and 15 (4.6%) were unemployed.[2]

Education

Portland School is a coeducational contributing primary (years 1–6) school with a roll of 66 students as of April 2023.[13][14]

Notes
  1. "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  2. "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7000860 and 7000865.
  3. Peter Dowling, ed. (2004). Reed New Zealand Atlas. Reed Books. pp. map 7. ISBN 0-7900-0952-8.
  4. Roger Smith, GeographX (2005). The Geographic Atlas of New Zealand. Robbie Burton. pp. map 27. ISBN 1-877333-20-4.
  5. "Northland – Industries". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand.
  6. "Northland – Transport links". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand.
  7. Pickmere, Nancy Preece (1986). Whangarei: The Founding Years. p. 65.
  8. "Whangarei Harbour". Encyclopedia of New Zealand (1966).
  9. "Brief History of the Cement Industry in New Zealand". Cement & Concrete Association of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 26 July 2008. Retrieved 4 May 2008. This source gives a date of 1918 for the move to Portland.
  10. "MANAWATU TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 18 August 1913. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  11. Juliet Scoble: Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations in New Zealand
  12. 2018 Census place summary: Otaika-Portland
  13. "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  14. Education Counts: Portland School
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