Peacocke, New Zealand

Peacocke is a semi-rural suburb in southern Hamilton in New Zealand. Peacocke was brought into the city boundaries in 1989. It is one of the future urban zones of Hamilton, along with Rotokauri.

Development
The Peacocke Structure Plan of 2007 provided for development on 620 ha over about 25 years. Two consent applications were made in 2018 proposing an 'Amberfield' development of 862 sections on 105 ha between Peacockes Rd and the Waikato River. By 2020 the granting of the consent had been appealed to the Environment Court, a major issue being protection of habitats for endangered long tailed bats. An August 2023 council meeting had a report that the area will provide up to 7,400 homes for up to 20,000 people by 2070 and that 405 sections were in progress, 1303 sections had subdivision consent, 91 homes had building consent and 334 were ready. As well as Amberfield, 650 homes are planned at Aurora, 230 at Qestral retirement village, 39 at Corbourneview and 71 at Saxbys. A 14 ha Adare block and .5 ha Koppen’s block will form a sports park. The Peacocke bridge and sewage projects were set back by Cyclone Gabrielle and other storms, delaying completion to early 2024, with extra cost also expected. The 2023 report also said a north-south wastewater pipeline and shared pathway were being built, including 2 gully bridges over the Mangakootukutuku Stream, and that Whatukooruru Drive will link Hall Road with Ohaupo Road (SH3)).

History
Nukuhau Pā is one of the best preserved pā sites on the Waikato. It is at the south end of Peacocke, beside the river. Ngāti Mahuta may have been occupied it around 1700, after which Ngati Raukawa conquered it, or it may have belonged to Ngāti Ruru and been taken back by Ngāti Māhanga. It was reported as abandoned about 1830, at the time of the musket wars. After the 1863 invasion of the Waikato it was confiscated.

The land was acquired in 1868 by Colonel de Quincy, who named it “Weston Lea” after his grandmother’s English home, near Bath. In 1887, Fitzroy Peacocke, a son of Captain Peacocke, bought the land from the Colonel, who was step-father of his wife, Florence Henrietta. However, they didn't move there until 1889 and the farm was for sale 3 years later. Their son, Egerton Peacocke, took on the farm in 1905 and cleared much of the bush to form a dairy farm. His brother Noel, an architect, designed a new homestead, built in 1912.

Demographics
The statistical area, which was called Peacockes for the 2018 Census and renamed Peacocke for 2023, covers 6.93 km2 and had an estimated population of as of  with a population density of  people per km2.

Peacockes had a population of 348 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 21 people (6.4%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 57 people (19.6%) since the 2006 census. There were 138 households, comprising 168 males and 183 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.92 males per female. The median age was 44.8 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 63 people (18.1%) aged under 15 years, 57 (16.4%) aged 15 to 29, 150 (43.1%) aged 30 to 64, and 78 (22.4%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 90.5% European/Pākehā, 12.9% Māori, 1.7% Pacific peoples, 7.8% Asian, and 2.6% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 18.1, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 49.1% had no religion, 41.4% were Christian, 0.9% were Buddhist and 1.7% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 84 (29.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 51 (17.9%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $38,200, compared with $31,800 nationally. 63 people (22.1%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 135 (47.4%) people were employed full-time, 48 (16.8%) were part-time, and 9 (3.2%) were unemployed.