to Huia, and then by tramway to the dam site. The dam was completed in 1929, leading to an exodus of families who worked on the dam leaving the area. The tramway remained operational until the 1960s. After the construction of the dam, the area became popular with holidaymakers and retirees. As the Huia valley began to reforest, this fueled a movement to develop the ranges as a regional park. The Centennial Memorial Park, a portion of which would later become the modern Waitākere Ranges, opened in 1940. In the mid-1950s, a whale stranded at Huia. An attempt was made to explode the whale using gelignite, however this was mostly unsuccessful. By the 1960s, a community of artists and poets had developed at Huia. In 1971, the Lower Huia Dam was constructed adjacent to the township. Demographics Huia is described by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement, and covers . It is part of the Waitākere Ranges South SA2 statistical area. Huia had a population of 639 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 51 people (8.7%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 93 people (17.0%) since the 2006 census. There were 264 households. There were 315 males and 324 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.97 males per female, with 123 people (19.2%) aged under 15 years, 93 (14.6%) aged 15 to 29, 360 (56.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 69 (10.8%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 94.4% European/Pākehā, 19.7% Māori, 4.7% Pacific peoples, 3.3% Asian, and 0.9% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 70.4% had no religion, 19.2% were Christian, 0.5% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.9% were Buddhist and 2.3% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 141 (27.3%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 63 (12.2%) people had no formal qualifications. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 297 (57.6%) people were employed full-time, 78 (15.1%) were part-time, and 12 (2.3%) were unemployed. Features The Huia Store, the sole local general store and cafe, opened in 1886. Huia is also served by the Huia Volunteer Fire Brigade. On the shores of Huia Bay is Huia Reserve, there are picnic tables, a BBQ, a small playground, basketball half-court and a half pipe for skating. It is close