Leigh, New Zealand
Encyclopedia
Auckland Region
The Auckland Region was one of the sixteen regions of New Zealand, named for the city of Auckland, the country's largest urban area. With one third of the nation's residents, it was by far the biggest population and economy of any region of New Zealand, but the second-smallest land area.On 1...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It lies on the west side of Omaha Cove, a small inlet within Omaha Bay to the south of Cape Rodney. It is 13 km from Matakana
Matakana
Matakana is a small town in the Rodney District of New Zealand. Warkworth is about 9 km to the south-west, Snells Beach the same distance to the south, Omaha is about 7 km to the east, and Leigh is about 13 km to the north-east. The Matakana River flows through the town and into...
, 21 km from Warkworth
Warkworth, New Zealand
Warkworth is a town in the upper North Island of New Zealand, within the Rodney District and lying at the far north of the Auckland Region but just south of the Northland Region...
and approximately 92 km north of Auckland City
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
. It is most noted for being the nearest town to Cape Rodney-Okakari Point Marine Reserve
Cape Rodney-Okakari Point Marine Reserve
Cape Rodney-Okakari Point Marine Reserve is a protected area in the North Island of New Zealand. Goat Island lies within the reserve and Leigh is the closest town. Auckland University operate a marine laboratory at the reserve...
surrounding Goat Island
Goat Island, Auckland
Goat Island is a tiny island in New Zealand located close to the North Island coast, north of Auckland, northeast of Warkworth, and directly west of Little Barrier Island...
. The reserve, the first of its type in New Zealand, is also the location for the University of Auckland
University of Auckland
The University of Auckland is a university located in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest university in the country and the highest ranked in the 2011 QS World University Rankings, having been ranked worldwide...
's Marine Laboratory.
The population was 390 in the 2006 Census
New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings
The New Zealand government department Statistics New Zealand conducts a census of population and dwellings every five years. The census scheduled for 2011 was cancelled due to circumstances surrounding the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, however, and legislation introduced to hold the next...
, a decrease of 33 from 2001.
Recreation
The Leigh district provides several venues for rugby, golf, touch rugby, soccer and other sports. The Rodney district's rugby team, the "Rodney Rams", is based at WhangateauWhangateau
Whangateau is a small coastal settlement on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is situated in Rodney District, part of the Auckland Region, and is on a peninsula stretching out into the Hauraki Gulf, north of Auckland. Whangateau is on the northern shore of Whangateau Harbour...
with clubrooms at Whangateau Reserve. The reserve is also used for local touch rugby tournaments.
There are a number of beaches close to Leigh including Omaha, Goat Island
Goat Island, Auckland
Goat Island is a tiny island in New Zealand located close to the North Island coast, north of Auckland, northeast of Warkworth, and directly west of Little Barrier Island...
, Whangateau and Pakiri
Pakiri
Pakiri is a locality in Auckland, in the former Rodney District of New Zealand. Leigh is about nine km to the south-east. The Pakiri River flows through the area and into the Hauraki Gulf to the north-east.The area is named for the Ngāti Wai chief, Te Kiri....
. There are also numerous fishing spots and seafood hunting areas. Goat Island Marine Reserve provides several organised features including scenic marine observations, glass-bottom boat trips and scuba-diving; fishing is strictly prohibited.
"Daniel's Reef" is the most well known surfing spot in the Leigh area.
Newspapers
The Leigh community newspaper is the Leigh Rag. The Mahurangi Local Matters and Rodney Times newspapers are also delivered in the area.Education
Leigh School is the local primary school. It is a coeducational contributing primary (years 1-6) school with a decile ratingSocio-Economic Decile
Decile, Socio-Economic Decile or Socio-Economic Decile Band is a widely used measure in education in New Zealand used to target funding and support to more needy schools....
of 5 and a roll of 62. The adjacent Leigh Community Preschool accepts children from age 6 months to 5 years. The two schools work together to provide a seamless, minimally stressful transition for children entering school. A large number of children living in Leigh attend the much larger Matakana Primary, 10 km distant. Homeschooling is also popular in the Leigh area.
High school students are served by Mahurangi College in Warkworth
Warkworth
Warkworth may refer to:*Warkworth, Northamptonshire, England*Warkworth, Northumberland, England* Warkworth Castle* Warkworth Hermitage*Warkworth, Ontario, Canada*Warkworth, New South Wales, Australia*Warkworth, New Zealand*John Warkworth...
and Rodney College in Wellsford
Wellsford
Wellsford is a town in the northern North Island of New Zealand. The town is the northernmost major settlement in the Auckland Region, and is 114 kilometres northwest of Auckland City.....
. There are no intermediate schools in the Greater Warkworth District, therefore The Ministry of Education
Ministry of Education (New Zealand)
The Ministry of Education , is the primary state sector organisation of New Zealand responsible for New Zealand's education system...
has referred intermediate students to the nearby colleges.