Makaraka, New Zealand

Makaraka
Suburb
Coordinates: 38°39′S 177°58′E / 38.650°S 177.967°E / -38.650; 177.967
Country	New Zealand
City	Gisborne
Electoral ward	Gisborne
Area [1]
• Land	326 ha (806 acres)
Population  (2023 Census)[2]
• Total	537

Pātūtahi		Makauri
	Makaraka	Te Hapara
Manutuke		Awapuni

Makaraka is an outer suburb of Gisborne, in New Zealand's North Island, located in the west of the city.^[3] The suburb features Gisborne's horse-racing circuit, Makaraka Racecourse.^[4] It is part of the statistical area of Makaraka-Awapuni, which is covered at Awapuni.

Makaraka was settled by dairy farmers in the 19th century. A dairy factory was built in the settlement in 1899.^[5]

The Tarere Marae, located near Makaraka, is a tribal meeting place of Te Whānau a Iwi, a hapū of Te Aitanga ā Māhaki.^[6] It includes Te Aotipu meeting house.^[7]

Makaraka covers 3.26 km² (1.26 sq mi).^[1] It is part of the Makaraka-Awapuni statistical area.^[8]

Makaraka had a population of 537 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 93 people (20.9%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 153 people (39.8%) since the 2013 census. There were 288 males, 246 females, and 3 people of other genders in 159 dwellings.^[10] 2.2% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. There were 111 people (20.7%) aged under 15 years, 87 (16.2%) aged 15 to 29, 246 (45.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 90 (16.8%) aged 65 or older.^[2]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 66.5% European (Pākehā); 48.6% Māori; 7.3% Pasifika; 2.2% Asian; 0.6% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.4% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.2%, Māori by 13.4%, Samoan by 3.9%, and other languages by 2.8%. No language could be spoken by 1.1% (e.g. too young to talk). The percentage of people born overseas was 11.2, compared with 28.8% nationally.^[2]

Religious affiliations were 33.0% Christian, 0.6% Hindu, 3.9% Māori religious beliefs, 0.6% Buddhist, and 0.6% New Age. People who answered that they had no religion were 52.5%, and 10.1% of people did not answer the census question.^[2]

Of those at least 15 years old, 48 (11.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 252 (59.2%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 129 (30.3%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. 24 people (5.6%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 213 (50.0%) full-time, 75 (17.6%) part-time, and 12 (2.8%) unemployed.^[2]

Makaraka School is a Year 1–6 co-educational public primary school^[11] with a roll of 109 as of July 2025.^[12][13][14] It opened in 1875.^[15]

From 1902 to 1959 Mākaraka had a railway station on the Moutohora Branch and, from 1915 to 1931, was the junction for the Ngātapa Branch. It is now the mothballed Makaraka Industrial Line^[16] and also has the East Coast Museum of Technology station building (from Matawhero) and museum on the former station site.^[17]