Rototuna

Carbon dating of 1550 to 1625 was put on charcoal from a cultivation ground, which was uncovered on the corner of Hukanui Road and Wairere Drive in 1999. Until around 1915 it had been largely drained. It lay to the north of Rototuna, in Horsham Downs. and the lake bed was given to surrounding farms in 1928. It remained as Lake E, more recently given its original name of Lake Tunawhakapeka, where the peat deposits date back over 17,000 years. The remaining lake is a metre deep and covers . Lake Tunawhakapeka is said to have been . Like most of western Waikato the land at Rototuna was confiscated following the 1863 invasion of the Waikato. It was surveyed into 50-acre parcels as grants to militiamen of the Fourth Waikato Regiment. By 1880 enough farmers had settled to be worth forming a school committee for the 30 children, which opened as Kirikiriroa School in 1881. The school was renamed Rototuna in 1907 and enlarged in 1914. More development came in the 1900s, with a post office and a church in 1907, a store in 1910, a casein factory in 1913 and a grocery and butcher in 1914. Rototuna Road was gravelled in 1909, but it was still muddy enough to cause a death in 1916 and complaints were still being made in 1920. Electricity came to the area about 1922. The post office was replaced by rural delivery before 1926. and a hall was open at about the same time. The school closed between 1944 and 1963. The old dairy factory was used as a chocolate factory until 2017. == Geography ==

Rototuna is mainly in the Kirikiriroa Stream valley. It ranges from to above sea level. == Demographics ==

Rototuna covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2. Rototuna had a population of 12,213 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 2,184 people (21.8%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 3,195 people (35.4%) since the 2013 census. There were 5,928 males, 6,255 females and 33 people of other genders in 3,927 dwellings. 2.6% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 36.6 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 2,781 people (22.8%) aged under 15 years, 2,259 (18.5%) aged 15 to 29, 5,463 (44.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,713 (14.0%) aged 65 or older. Rototuna's population has risen rapidly, from 453 in 1996 to 12,213 in 2023. Its median income remains above the national median, but the median age in the northern areas is below the national median age of 38.1 years in 2023. For censuses prior to 2018 Rototuna was formed of census areas for Rototuna (in 2018 largely renamed Rototuna South) and Horsham Downs (in 2018 forming Rototuna North and Central). Growth was initially to the south, then the north. == Facilities and Attractions ==

Rototuna has three shopping centres including Rototuna Shopping Centre and St James Shopping Centre. The recently completed mixed-use development called Rototuna Village is a mixture of retail, hospitality, office and high end apartments. Future plans for a Rototuna "town-centre" is included in council planning. This is to be located at the corner of Resolution Drive & Borman Road. It is likely to include community facilities such as a library and possibly a pool - although both of these may be shared with the High Schools. $24m was proposed for library, pool and sports fields in the 2018 plan. Completion is planned by 2022. Parks Four large parks are being developed. Mangaiti Park, Te Manatu Park, Hare Puke Park and Rototuna Sports Parks. Construction started at the Sports Park in 2018. It was renamed Korokori Park in 2019 and officially opened in 2020. It will have 5 pitches by 2021. Plans for Mangaiti Park Te Manatu Park were developed in 2015 There are also smaller parks at Eden Park Reserve, Moonlight Drive Reserve, Rototuna Park, Te Awa O Katapaki Esplanade, Te Toe Toe Reserve and Wiltshire Drive Reserve. == Infrastructure ==

Roads Rototuna roads have been enlarged from the previous country lane network since 2001, when the southern part of Resolution Drive was gazetted. Extension to Borman Road cost $1.4m in 2004. To be completed in 2021, Resolution Drive extension will link Rototuna to the Waikato Expressway to the north and the ring road at Wairere Drive to the south. The extension will cost $9.8m and a benefit–cost ratio of 4.1% is expected. East–west links are being provided by extension of Borman Rd (in 2006 it cost $840,000 to extend it to Cate Road) All have two lanes and roundabouts. Buses Buses on the Orbiter route serve Rototuna at 15 minute intervals. The Rototuna Circular bus has provided a half hourly service since 2018. Bus 16 has linked Rototuna to the Transport Centre on a circuitous route via Callum Brae, at half hourly intervals, since 2018. Prior to 2009 that route was largely served by a Northerner bus from Chartwell. School routes to St Paul's, Southwell, Peachgrove Intermediate, Hamilton Boys' High and Sacred Heart were added in 2016. Cycleways wide shared paths are being built beside Resolution Drive and Borman Rd == Education ==

Rototuna Primary School and Te Totara Primary School are contributing primary schools (years 1–6) with rolls of and students respectively. Rototuna Primary opened in 2003 and Te Totara opened in 2008. Rototuna Junior High School opened in early 2016 for the start of the school year which serves Years 7 to 10. It cost $40m to build the school for 1,200 pupils. Rototuna Senior High School opened in early 2017 for the start of the school year which serves Years 11 to 13. Hamilton Christian School is a state-integrated non-denominational composite school for years 1 to 13 with a roll of . All these schools are coeducational. Rolls are as of There are also many early childhood centres throughout the suburb. ==See also==