Tamarau

Suburb in Gisborne, New Zealand

Tamarau
Suburb
Sponge Bay in 1968
Interactive map of Tamarau
Coordinates: 38°41′35″S 178°03′29″E / 38.693°S 178.058°E / -38.693; 178.058
Country	New Zealand
City	Gisborne
Local authority	Gisborne District Council
Electoral ward	Tairāwhiti General Ward
Area
• Land	111 ha (270 acres)
Population  (June 2025)
• Total	2,770
• Density	2,500/km2 (6,460/sq mi)

Kaiti
	Tamarau	Wainui Beach
	(Poverty Bay)

Tamarau is a suburb of the New Zealand city of Gisborne. It is located to the southeast of the city centre.

Demographics

Tamarau covers 1.11 km² (0.43 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 2,770 as of June 2025, with a population density of 2,495 people per km².

Tamarau had a population of 2,676 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 309 people (13.1%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 432 people (19.3%) since the 2013 census. There were 1,299 males, 1,371 females, and 9 people of other genders in 759 dwellings. 2.5% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 30.1 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 708 people (26.5%) aged under 15 years, 624 (23.3%) aged 15 to 29, 1,053 (39.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 288 (10.8%) aged 65 or older.

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 39.1% European (Pākehā); 76.0% Māori; 7.7% Pasifika; 2.2% Asian; 1.3% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 0.9% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 95.7%, Māori by 22.5%, Samoan by 0.8%, and other languages by 4.7%. No language could be spoken by 2.2% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.4%. The percentage of people born overseas was 8.1, compared with 28.8% nationally.

Religious affiliations were 27.6% Christian, 0.4% Hindu, 0.2% Islam, 7.0% Māori religious beliefs, 0.1% Buddhist, 0.4% New Age, and 0.9% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 55.3%, and 8.7% of people did not answer the census question.

Of those at least 15 years old, 228 (11.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 1,101 (55.9%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 633 (32.2%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $32,400, compared with $41,500 nationally. 63 people (3.2%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 927 (47.1%) full-time, 255 (13.0%) part-time, and 99 (5.0%) unemployed.

Parks

Heath Johnston Park, located in Tamarau, is a public sports ground, one of several owned and operated by Gisborne District Council.

References