Waiatarua is a small settlement near the top of the Waitākere Ranges in West Auckland, close to the junction of Scenic Drive, West Coast Road and Piha Road to Piha and runs east until the junction of Scenic Drive and Mountain Road. Surrounded by native bush in the Centennial Memorial Park and the water catchment area, Waiatarua is over 300 metres above sea level and some houses are over 400 metres above sea level (higher than the Auckland Sky Tower). Waiatarua means “song of two waters”, possibly referring to the ability to see both the wild west coast, and the still, sparkling waters of the Manukau and Waitemata harbours from certain points in the area. History The area is within the traditional rohe of Te Kawerau ā Maki, an iwi that traces their ancestry to some of the earliest inhabitants of the Auckland Region. The name Waiatarua originally referred to the upper reaches of the Big Muddy Creek and Nihotupu Stream, likely referencing the dual view of both the Waitematā and Manukau Harbours. During early European settlement, the area was interchangeably referred to as Waiatarua or Nihotupu. Waiatarua became the more popular name due to Scenic Drive resident Frederick Judson. Afterwards, the name Waiatarua was applied to a larger area. Rose Hellaby House is a historic building transformed into a museum. Large Kauri trees were milled in Waiatarua at Mander and Bradley's Mill close to Upper Nihotupu reservoir. At the turn of the century, holidaymakers would travel by coach from Glen Eden to stay at the Waiatarua guest house. Demographics The Waiatarua statistical area, which extends northeast of the settlement, covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2. Waiatarua had a population of 2,148 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 72 people (3.5%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 159 people (8.0%) since the 2006 census. There were 735 households, comprising 1,089 males and 1,062 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.03 males per female. The median age was 43.1 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 387 people (18.0%) aged under 15 years, 360 (16.8%) aged 15 to 29, 1,098 (51.1%) aged 30 to 64, and 300 (14.0%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 88.4% European/Pākehā, 11.7% Māori, 5.0% Pacific peoples, 6.7% Asian, and 2.5% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.