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Opua is a locality in the Bay of Islands, in the sub-tropical Northland Region of New Zealand. It is notable as the first port for overseas yachts arriving in the country after crossing the Pacific Ocean. In the original 1870s plans for the town, it was named Newport.Myra Larcombe, "Opua" , accessed 3 November 2007. The town of Paihia is nearby, and the small settlement of Te Haumi is in between.
The car ferry across the Bay of Islands, the main tourist access to Russell, runs between Opua and Okiato.
The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "place of the flower" for Ōpua.
The Waimangaro area north-west of Opua is listed on the Ngāpuhi and Te Puni Kōkiri websites as a traditional meeting point of the Ngāpuhi hapū of Te Uri Ongaonga.
Ōpua had a population of 1,248 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 99 people (8.6%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 228 people (22.4%) since the 2013 census. There were 624 males and 621 females in 570 dwellings. 2.4% of people identified as LGBTQ. The median age was 56.2 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 144 people (11.5%) aged under 15 years, 129 (10.3%) aged 15 to 29, 552 (44.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 423 (33.9%) aged 65 or older.
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 86.3% European (Pākehā); 18.8% Māori; 1.4% Pasifika; 4.6% Asian; 0.5% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 1.9% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.1%, Māori language by 4.3%, and other languages by 13.0%. No language could be spoken by 1.9% (e.g. too young to talk). The percentage of people born overseas was 32.0, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 22.8% Christian, 0.7% Hindu, 1.4% Māori religious beliefs, 0.5% Buddhist, 0.5% New Age, and 1.7% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 65.4%, and 7.2% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 186 (16.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 579 (52.4%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 279 (25.3%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $34,500, compared with $41,500 nationally. 93 people (8.4%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 447 (40.5%) people were employed full-time, 147 (13.3%) were part-time, and 24 (2.2%) were unemployed.
The line was then leased to the Bay of Islands Vintage Railway, who have operated tourist services between Opua and Kawakawa, with a break when the Land Transport Safety Authority withdrew the line's operating licence. Part of the line in Opua is now on private land, and restoration by the vintage railway trust is proceeding.
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