Marokopa from Mangatoa Rd, showing the mouth of the Marokopa River, the marae on the north bank and 418m Te Iringa beyond
Marokopa is a rural community in Waitomo District and Waikato region of New Zealand. It is located close to the coast between Awakino and Kawhia Harbour. The meshblock includes the coastal township of Marokopa, at the mouth of the Marokopa River, and the south side of the small village of Awamarino, about 10 km (6.2 mi) upstream.[1]
The area was settled by forestry workers in the 19th century. It has been predominantly a farming locale since the early 20th century. In 1911 a large dairy factory was built,[2] which mainly made butter which was shipped to Auckland. The Awamarino factory was enlarged in 1932,[3] but closed in 1937.[4] A telephone link to Te Kūiti was completed in 1914[5] and a service car[6] ran on Tuesdays and Fridays from 1920.[7] The town also had a post office,[8] a flaxmill[9] and a school (1908[10]-1982).[11] The nearest school is now Piripiri,[12] 20 km (12 mi) upstream.[13] There is a campground.[14]
Demographics
In 2018, Marokopa was in meshblocks 4002699-700. Previously, it was in meshblock 1019000. These meshblocks had these census results -[1][15]
Year
Population
Households
Median age
Median income
National median
2001
81
33
40.2
$12,900
$18,500
2006
84
42
46
$19,200
$24,100
2013
72
36
51.7
$22,500
$27,900
2018
69
Monotis fossil shells – Kiritehere beach
Geology
The coast between Marokopa and Kiritehere is accessible at low tide.[16] Along the few kilometres,[17] a succession of Late Triassic and Jurassic rocks are exposed. They are part of the western limb of the Kawhia Syncline, which extends north to the Hakarimatas[18] and have been described as the best Triassic sequence in the North Island.[19] The rocks are youngest at Marokopa (Aratauran) and oldest to the south of Kiritehere (Otapirian), where there is a large bed of monotis, one of the index fossils.[20]
