Awakino

Awakino is a settlement in the south of Waitomo District, in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located on State Highway 3 at the mouth of the Awakino River, five kilometres north of Mōkau. It is 79 km southwest of Te Kūiti, and 98 km northeast of New Plymouth.^[1]

Awakino
Village
Awakino in 1951
Coordinates: 38°39′S 174°38′E
Country	New Zealand
Region	Waikato region
Territorial authority	Waitomo District
Ward	Rural
Electorate	Taranaki-King Country
Population  (2018 census)
• Territorial	51
Time zone	UTC+12 (NZST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+13 (NZDT)

North of Awakino, State Highway 3 turns inland, and the coast is largely unpopulated. Beyond Awakino there are no settlements of any size on the coast south of the Kawhia Harbour.

The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "bad creek" for Awakino.^[2]

The local Maniaroa Marae and meeting house are affiliated with the Ngāti Maniapoto hapū of Ngāti Rākei, Rungaterangi and Waiora.^[3][4]

Awakino is in meshblocks 1016500 and 1016900, which had a population of 51 people in the 2018 census.^[5]

Awakino County Council

In 1903 Awakino County was formed by splitting the former Kawhia County, but no council was formed for Awakino^[6] for another decade. Awakino County extended along the coast from Awakino to Marokopa and was bounded to the north by Kawhia County, to the east by Waitomo County and to the south by Clifton County.^[7] In 1919 the county population was estimated to be 801.^[8] At least the first five meetings,^[9] from its formation at Awakino on Saturday 22 March 1913, were held on a Saturday close to full moon.^[10] In 1915 the County changed its meeting place from Waitanguru to Piopio, where its last meeting was held on Saturday 20 May 1922, after which Awakino merged into Waitomo County Council,^[11] though Marokopa became a new riding of Kawhia County,^[12] under the Waikato and King Country Counties Act 1922.^[13]