- Waitati
"'Waitati (Waitete)"' Urban Area Population 504 (2007 estimate) Territorial
AuthorityName Dunedin City Council Population 118 683 (2006 census [http://www.stats.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/1C9467CD-1363-499A-BB2B-0597B6F7A590/0/DunedinCity.xls] ) Extent Dunedin City includes the towns of Waikouaiti ,Karitane
Warrington ,Port Chalmers ,Mosgiel Regional
CouncilName Otago Regional Council Waitati is a small seaside settlement in
Otago ,New Zealand , within the city limits ofDunedin . It is located close to the tidal mudflats ofBlueskin Bay , 19 kilometres north of the Dunedin city centre. The smallWaitati River flows through the Bay to the sea.State Highway 1 skirts the western edge of the settlement, which marks the northern limit of the stretch known as the Dunedin Northern Motorway. 3 km to the north of here the highway ascends the notorious
Kilmog hill. TheMain South Line railway curves from east to north through Waitati and a tourist train, the Seasider, travels through here between Dunedin and Palmerston once or twice a week. The old station yard remains as a train crossing loop and parts of the old station building are used by rail maintenance workers.Waitati is the site of a school, a branch of the Dunedin Public Libraries, a garden centre, a cafe and a general store. There are several holiday homes.
Alternative lifestylers and activism
For many years the settlement has been known for its appeal to
alternative lifestyle rs. TheWaitati Militia , apacifist warfare group, was founded here, and the village featured in the history of theValues Party ,Mushroom magazine and antiVietnam war andAramoana aluminium smelter protestsIan Church "Blueskin Days "Waitati 2007] , as well as the development in New Zealand ofEnvironmental education 'Sustainable Waitati' in "The Star ", Dunedin, 27 September 2007] .Waitati has no
sewerage system, and has become a centre in New Zealand for the development ofcomposting toilet s and other alternativesewage disposal systems. Some villagers areedible garden andalternative energy enthusiasts.Waitati has become an arrival point for German immigrants to New Zealand and has a high proportion of
Germans and German-Kiwis Fact|date=July 2007.Doctors Point Beach, a beautiful sandy southern beach that often has little blue penguins nesting there, amongst other wildlife that can be seen. Sometimes seals come up to sleep on the beach.
Waitati Film Society screens films every second Tuesday night during most of the year (every Tuesday night in the middle of winter).
The
Orokonui Ecosanctuary wildlife project is under construction in an area of native bush here.Waitati is part of the
Transition Towns Aotearoa cite web|url=http://www.transitiontowns.org.nz/waitati| title=Transition Towns Aotearoa/Waitati | accessdate=2008-07-24] initiative, using someTransition Towns techniques and patterns forenergy descent .References
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