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Waimate is a town in Canterbury, New Zealand, and the seat of Waimate District. It is situated just inland from the eastern coast of the South Island. The town is reached via a short detour west when travelling on State Highway One, the main north/south road. Waimate is 45.7 km south of Timaru, Canterbury's second city, 20 km north of the Waitaki River, which forms the border between Canterbury and the Otago province to the south, and 47.5 km north of Oamaru, the main town of the Waitaki District.
Waimate is well known for its population of Bennett's wallabies. These marsupials were introduced from Australia and now live wild in the countryside surrounding the town. It is also recognised for the White Horse Monument, which is a silhouette of a white horse that can be seen on the hills behind the town. It commemorates the Clydesdale horses that helped breaking in the land in earlier days. Visitors to the monument's lookout are rewarded with panoramic views of the town and the district's green plains out towards the Pacific Ocean.
The Waihao River, which starts in the Hunter Hills catchment area runs eastwards on the southern side of the Waimate township joining with the Waimate Creek. They both eventually end up discharging very close to the sea into the Wainono Dead Arm, which then flows into the Wainono Lagoon near Studholme.
Waimate had a population of 3,456 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 171 people (5.2%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 168 people (5.1%) since the 2006 census. There were 1,602 households, comprising 1,638 males and 1,815 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.9 males per female, with 474 people (13.7%) aged under 15 years, 465 (13.5%) aged 15 to 29, 1,374 (39.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,143 (33.1%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 94.4% European/Pākehā, 7.6% Māori, 0.8% Pasifika, 1.7% Asian, and 1.5% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 12.0, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 49.0% had no religion, 37.8% were Christian, 0.5% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.3% were Buddhist and 2.1% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 243 (8.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 1,005 (33.7%) people had no formal qualifications. 213 people (7.1%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,056 (35.4%) people were employed full-time, 405 (13.6%) were part-time, and 99 (3.3%) were unemployed.
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Waimate Main School and Waimate Centennial School are contributing primary schools for students in years 1 to 6, with rolls of and students, respectively. Waimate Main opened in 1867 as Waimate Primary. Waimate Centennial opened in 1955 and catered for years 1 to 8 until 1982, when it reduced to years 1 to 6.
Waituna Creek School is a rural full primary about 6 kilometres northwest of Waimate. It caters for students in years 1 to 8 and has a roll of . It was established in 1879.
St Patrick's School is a Catholic state-integrated full primary for years 1 to 8 with a roll of students. The school website says it was first opened in the late 1880s, and the school celebrated 125 years of Catholic education in Waimate in 2005. The New Zealand Tablet reported that St Patrick's School opened during 1881.
Waimate High School is a secondary school for years 7 to 13 with a roll of students. Waimate District High School opened in 1883. It became Waimate High on a new site in 1929, and in 1982 it expanded to also take year 7 and 8 students.
St Patrick's Basilica Catholic Church, located on Timaru Rd, was designed in 1908 by Francis Petre and is considered his most original design. St. Augustine's Anglican Church, located on John Street in Waimate, was designed in 1872 by Benjamin Mountfort.
Waihao marae, a marae (tribal meeting ground) of Ngāi Tahu and its Te Rūnanga o Waihao branch, is located in the Waimate district. It includes Centennial Memorial Hall, a wharenui (traditional meeting house).
Waimate Museum, located in Shearman St, was designed in 1878 by P.M.F. Burrows. Arcadia Theatre was originally built as Quinn's Arcade in 1906.
The White Horse Monument, built in 1968, is located at Centrewood Park, on a hill overlooking the town. The monument was created by farmers Norman and Betty Hayman to commemorate the contribution of Clydesdale horse and Shire horse horses to the district’s farming economy.
Waimate Golf Club is on the outskirts of the town.
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