the wider area. In 1962, Muriwai became the location where the COMPAC submarine communications cable connected Auckland to Sydney, and a repeater station was installed 3km from Muriwai Beach. This was used until 5 October 1983, when a cable fault at Sydney caused the system to cease working. Location Muriwai is approximately 17 km west of Kumeū, 42 kilometres northwest of Auckland city, at the southern end of an unbroken 50 kilometre stretch of beach which extends up the Tasman Sea coast to the mouth of the Kaipara Harbour. One of several popular beaches in the area (others include Piha and Karekare), it experiences a population explosion in summer when Aucklanders head to the sea. It is in the Rodney Ward of the Auckland Region. Governance Muriwai is part of the Local Government Rodney Ward of Auckland Council and is part of the Kumeu Subdivision of the Rodney Local Board. Muriwai is in the Kaipara ki Mahurangi electorate. (Previously Helensville electorate.) Demographics Muriwai covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2. Muriwai had a population of 1,248 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 117 people (10.3%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 204 people (19.5%) since the 2006 census. There were 444 households, comprising 636 males and 612 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.04 males per female. The median age was 40.1 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 282 people (22.6%) aged under 15 years, 165 (13.2%) aged 15 to 29, 690 (55.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 111 (8.9%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 94.2% European/Pākehā, 11.1% Māori, 2.6% Pacific peoples, 3.8% Asian, and 3.1% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas was 18.3, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 69.5% had no religion, 18.5% were Christian, 0.2% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.2% were Hindu, 0.2% were Muslim, 0.7% were Buddhist and 3.6% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 333 (34.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 81 (8.4%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $45,700, compared with $31,800 nationally. 294 people (30.4%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 552 (57.1%) people