Rangataua

Rangataua is a small village in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located at the southern end of both the Tongariro National Park and Rangataua State Forest, adjacent to the southwestern slopes of the active volcano Mount Ruapehu. Part of the Manawatū-Whanganui region, the town is 5 kilometres east of Ohakune, 75 kilometres northeast of Wanganui, and 20 kilometres west of Waiouru.

The village's permanent population work in the nearby region with much of the seasonal population working at the Turoa Skifield. When the timber industry was at its peak, Rangataua had a population of 957 in 1914.

Rangataua contains many properties that are owned as holiday villas or baches usually used for skiing at the nearby Turoa Skifield.

Transportation
State Highway 49 runs immediately adjacent to the village, as does the North Island Main Trunk railway. There is no station and all passenger rail traffic uses the railway station at Ohakune.

History
The name Rangataua comes from two Māori words: Ranga - to parade in ranks; to fall in, and taua - war party. Rangataua was the site of a Māori village. In the mid seventeenth century this village was attacked and subsequently destroyed. The survivors of the attack established a Pā on the site of present-day Ohakune.

The town grew rapidly after the railway opened. A 1909 report said a billiard room, hair-dressing saloon, stationery shop and bakery were open, or being built. Marino and Piwari Streets were nearing completion and Miharo was expected to be a business street. A skating rink opened in 1911.

The Raetihi Forest Fire of March 19–20, 1918 almost destroyed Rangataua. Many houses and sawmills were burnt down. Fires had previously threatened the town in January 1914.

Demographics
Rangataua is described by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement. It covers 0.77 km2 and had an estimated population of as of  with a population density of  people per km2. It is part of the larger Tangiwai statistical area, which covers 2696.63 km2.

Rangataua had a population of 132 at the 2018 New Zealand census, unchanged since the 2013 census, and an increase of 12 people (10.0%) since the 2006 census. There were 51 households, comprising 63 males and 69 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.91 males per female. The median age was 33.6 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 36 people (27.3%) aged under 15 years, 24 (18.2%) aged 15 to 29, 66 (50.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 9 (6.8%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 88.6% European/Pākehā, 29.5% Māori, 2.3% Pacific peoples, and 2.3% Asian. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 70.5% had no religion, 15.9% were Christian, 2.3% had Māori religious beliefs, 2.3% were Buddhist and 2.3% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 12 (12.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 15 (15.6%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $25,000, compared with $31,800 nationally. 9 people (9.4%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 57 (59.4%) people were employed full-time, 12 (12.5%) were part-time, and 6 (6.2%) were unemployed.

Conservation areas
To the immediate east of the village is the 6710 hectare Rangataua Conservation Area, which is contiguous with the UNESCO World Heritage Site Tongariro National Park on its northern boundary. Rangataua is bounded to the north by the 58 hectare Rangataua Scenic Reserve, and to the immediate southeast by the 77 hectare Mangaehuehu Scenic Reserve.