Waipu is a small coastal town on SH1 in Northland, around 35 km south of Whangarei and 130 km north of Auckland. It sits between Bream Bay (east) and the Brynderwyn hills (west).

Waipu Cove is a sheltered swimming beach 11 km east of Waipu township, popular for family swimming, surfing and camping. Camp Waipu Cove on the foreshore is one of Northland's better-known holiday parks.

What are Waipu Caves?

Waipu Caves are a series of limestone caves 15 minutes' drive west of Waipu, with glowworms in the deeper sections. Free public access daily, no facilities; bring a torch and sturdy shoes for the wet rocky floor.

When are the Waipu Highland Games?

The Waipu Highland Games are held annually on 1 January. Running since 1871, they're one of the oldest continuous Highland Games in New Zealand, with pipe bands, caber tossing and traditional Scottish events.

Why is Waipu's heritage Scottish?

Around 800 Scottish Gaelic-speaking Presbyterians arrived in Waipu in 1853 under Reverend Norman McLeod, after migrating from the Scottish Highlands via Nova Scotia and Adelaide. Their descendants have shaped the town's character ever since.

Which schools are in zone for Waipu?

Children living in Waipu are in zone for Waipu School, Bream Bay College, Otamatea High School. Living in a school's home zone gives a guaranteed right to enrol.

How do I check my school zone in Waipu?

Use the School Zone Checker on this page — enter your address to check your school zone and see which schools you have a guaranteed right to enrol at.

Waipu, Northland | Schools, Lifestyle & Local Guide

Living in Waipu

Waipu is a small coastal town around 35 km south of Whangarei on State Highway 1, between Bream Bay and the Brynderwyn hills. Population around 1,800 and a settlement story you don't hear often: in 1853, around 800 Scottish Gaelic-speaking Presbyterians arrived under the leadership of Reverend Norman McLeod, after a 38-year migration that took them from the Scottish Highlands to Nova Scotia to Adelaide before finally landing here.

That Scottish heritage is still alive. The Waipu Museum on The Centre tells the story properly. The Waipu Highland Games on 1 January each year, running since 1871, are one of the oldest continuous Highland Games in the country: pipe bands, caber tossing, the lot. Worth the trip.

Beyond the heritage, the area has Waipu Cove (a sheltered swimming beach 11 km east with Camp Waipu Cove, a well-known holiday park), Waipu Caves (limestone caves with glowworms, free entry, 15 minutes west), and the Waipu Golf Club. The town itself runs along The Centre, with cafés, the Waipu Tavern and small heritage shops.

Schools include Waipu Primary School. Most secondary kids attend Bream Bay College in Ruakaka. Population doubles in summer with the Cove campers.

Is Waipu a good place to live?

Waipu is home to roughly 3,261 people. On Suburb's overall livability scale, Waipu scores 66 out of 100, with a safety score of 70/100 and 49% green space.

Schools: Waipu has 3 schools in or near the suburb, spanning early-childhood through to secondary education. See the Schools tab below for the full list.

Housing: The estimated median value is around $934K, and weekly rent typically sits around $435.

Lifestyle: Waipu has cafés, shops and things to do nearby. The current temperature is 14.4°C. See the Weather tab for monthly averages.

Whether Waipu is right for you depends on what you’re looking for. Use the data and community tips below to decide if it suits your lifestyle, family and budget.

Map

Livability Breakdown

Safety70
Amenities100
Schools59
Housing Affordability40
Green space100
Community56
Transport13

Property & Economics

Est. Median Value: $934K
Median Weekly Rent: $435/wk
Median HH Income: $90K/yr
Pop. Growth (5yr): +13.3%
Data Year: 2023

Key Financial Indicators (NZD)

† Est. Median Value is suburb.co.nz's own estimate, modelled from available public data. We aim for accuracy, but where data is limited, estimates may be imprecise.

Nearby Suburbs

Browse all suburbs in Whangarei District →

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Waipu?: Waipu is a small coastal town on SH1 in Northland, around 35 km south of Whangarei and 130 km north of Auckland. It sits between Bream Bay (east) and the Brynderwyn hills (west).
What is Waipu Cove?: Waipu Cove is a sheltered swimming beach 11 km east of Waipu township, popular for family swimming, surfing and camping. Camp Waipu Cove on the foreshore is one of Northland's better-known holiday parks.
What are Waipu Caves?: Waipu Caves are a series of limestone caves 15 minutes' drive west of Waipu, with glowworms in the deeper sections. Free public access daily, no facilities; bring a torch and sturdy shoes for the wet rocky floor.
When are the Waipu Highland Games?: The Waipu Highland Games are held annually on 1 January. Running since 1871, they're one of the oldest continuous Highland Games in New Zealand, with pipe bands, caber tossing and traditional Scottish events.
Why is Waipu's heritage Scottish?: Around 800 Scottish Gaelic-speaking Presbyterians arrived in Waipu in 1853 under Reverend Norman McLeod, after migrating from the Scottish Highlands via Nova Scotia and Adelaide. Their descendants have shaped the town's character ever since.

Schools & Enrolment Zones in Waipu

Schools in zone for Waipu

Children living in Waipu have a guaranteed right to enrol at these schools, based on Ministry of Education home zones.

Waipu School
Contributing · roll 237 · decile 7
Bream Bay College
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 624 · decile 5
Otamatea High School
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 576 · decile 4

Check your school zone

School Zone Checker

Enter your address to check your school zone in Waipu. School enrolment zones (home zones) decide which schools your child has a guaranteed right to enrol at.

Address matching is approximate and based on OpenStreetMap geocoding — confirm an exact result near a zone boundary directly with the school.

Explore Waipu

Things to do(18)

Waipū Caves

Waipu Caves Farm Park

Milky Way Glowworm Cave

Swell Yoga

Barracks Park Waipu, New Zealand

Waipu Gorge Scenic Reserve

Waipu Cove Playground

Waipu Horse Adventures

Waipu Tennis Club

North River Horse & Humanship Centre

Learn 2 Surf Waipu Cove

Waipu Bowling Club

Tuidale Stables

Caledonian Park

Waipu Pickleball Club

Waipu Boat & Fishing Club

The Shred Gym

Waipu Rugby & Squash Football Club

Parks & green spaces(6)

Waipu Caves Farm Park

Milky Way Glowworm Cave

Barracks Park Waipu, New Zealand

Waipu Gorge Scenic Reserve

Waipu Cove Playground

Caledonian Park

Healthcare(3)

Waipu Pharmacy

Month	High (°C)	Low (°C)	Rainfall (mm/day)	Sunshine (hrs/day)
☀️ Jan	22.2	16.88	6.42	9.95
☀️ Feb	22.48	15.77	5.95	10.28
🍂 Mar	20.86	13.47	1.49	10.06
🍂 Apr	19.41	13.97	5.04	8.18
🍂 May	16.82	11.6	3.84	7.93
❄️ Jun	15.28	10.07	3.7	6.76
❄️ Jul	14.41	9.16	4.15	7.51
❄️ Aug	14.48	8.16	2.69	8.14
🌸 Sep	16.25	10.25	3.49	8.95
🌸 Oct	17.19	11.2	3.92	9.95
🌸 Nov	19	12.13	3.04	10.88
☀️ Dec	22.03	15.07	4.74	10.97

Living in Waipu

Is Waipu a good place to live?

Map

Livability Breakdown

Property & Economics

Key Financial Indicators (NZD)

Nearby Suburbs

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools & Enrolment Zones in Waipu

Schools in zone for Waipu

Waipu School

Bream Bay College

Otamatea High School

Check your school zone

School Zone Checker

Explore Waipu

🎯Things to do(18)

Waipū Caves

Waipu Caves Farm Park

Milky Way Glowworm Cave

Swell Yoga

Barracks Park Waipu, New Zealand

Waipu Gorge Scenic Reserve

Waipu Cove Playground

Waipu Horse Adventures

Waipu Tennis Club

North River Horse & Humanship Centre

Learn 2 Surf Waipu Cove

Waipu Bowling Club

Tuidale Stables

Caledonian Park

Waipu Pickleball Club

Waipu Boat & Fishing Club

The Shred Gym

Waipu Rugby & Squash Football Club

🌳Parks & green spaces(6)

Waipu Caves Farm Park

Milky Way Glowworm Cave

Barracks Park Waipu, New Zealand

Waipu Gorge Scenic Reserve

Waipu Cove Playground

Caledonian Park

🏥Healthcare(3)

Waipu Pharmacy

Waipu Medical Centre

Waipu Medical Centre

Eat & Drink in Waipu

🍽️Places to eat & drink(22)

Cove Cafe

Food45 Cafe

McLeod's Pizza Barn

FEOH

Lydia Sushi

Country Bake Waipu

Waipu Citizens and Services Club Inc

Waipu Central

Unit Six

McLeod's Pizza Barn and Brewery

Waipu Bakery

The Bayview Barista

Origin Northland

Blackshed Waipu

Madly Indian

Waipu Pizza Barn

The Cove Cafe

Logan MacLean

OceanView Cafe

Goody Goody

Feoh Espresso & Roastery

Waipu Eatery Indian Cuisine

Tradies & Services in Waipu

🔧Tradies & services(15)

Bream Bay Curtains and Blinds

Breambay Concrete Limited

Brenton Building

COAST 2 COAST Contracting

Cove Civil Construction

Design Metal Roofing

Gremlin-FX

Harding Building Ltd

Things to do(18)

Parks & green spaces(6)

Healthcare(3)

Places to eat & drink(22)

Tradies & services(15)

Shops(20)

Beauty & fitness(23)

Professional services(2)

Places to stay(4)