Whakatu, Hawke's Bay
Whakatu | |
|---|---|
Rural community | |
| Coordinates: 39°36′22″S 176°53′31″E / 39.606°S 176.892°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Hawke's Bay |
| Territorial authority | Hastings District |
| Ward |
|
| Electorates | |
| Government | |
| • Territorial Authority | Hastings District Council |
| • Regional council | Hawke's Bay Regional Council |
| Area | |
• Total | 2.71 km2 (1.05 sq mi) |
| Population (June 2024) | |
• Total | 680 |
| • Density | 250/km2 (650/sq mi) |
Whakatu is a rural community in the Hastings District and Hawke's Bay Region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) north-east of the centre of Hastings. A large industrial area is enclosed by a bend in the Clive River, and the closure of the freezing works in Whakatu in 1986 cost the region 2000 full-time and seasonal jobs. State Highway 2 and the Palmerston North–Gisborne Line pass through Whakatu.
Richard Tucker (1856–1922) was a notable resident of Whakatu; he owned the largest wool-scouring plant in the Hawke's Bay Region.