The district is administered by the Waimate District Council and regionally by the Canterbury Regional Council. John Coles, who was first elected as a councillor in 1994, was mayor from 2004 to his retirement at the 2013 local elections.[2]
The district is the only part of New Zealand where Bennett's wallabies are prolific, after their introduction from Australia in the 19th century. The animals are a mixed blessing locally, attracting tourists but being a farm pest, and culling measures have been taken in their slowly expanding territory.[3]
Demographics
Waimate District covers 3,554.45 km2 (1,372.38 sq mi)[4] and had an estimated population of 8,850 as of June 2024,[1] with a population density of 2.5 people per km2.
Waimate District had a population of 8,121 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 306 people (3.9%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 585 people (7.8%) since the 2013 census. There were 4,107 males, 3,990 females and 21 people of other genders in 3,483 dwellings.[7] 2.0% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 47.1 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 1,374 people (16.9%) aged under 15 years, 1,131 (13.9%) aged 15 to 29, 3,663 (45.1%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,953 (24.0%) aged 65 or older.[6]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 88.4% European (Pākehā); 8.7% Māori; 1.5% Pasifika; 6.5% Asian; 0.9% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.5% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.8%, Māori language by 1.6%, Samoan by 0.1% and other languages by 6.9%. No language could be spoken by 1.5% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.4%. The percentage of people born overseas was 17.1, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Of those at least 15 years old, 714 (10.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 3,780 (56.0%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 2,064 (30.6%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $34,200, compared with $41,500 nationally. 426 people (6.3%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 3,273 (48.5%) people were employed full-time, 891 (13.2%) were part-time, and 111 (1.6%) were unemployed.[6]
Waimate, the district seat, is the only town in the district with a population over 1,000. It is home to 3,740 people, 42.3% of the district's population.[1]
Other settlements and localities in the district include the following:
