Pirongia
Pirongia | |
|---|---|
Village | |
A view of Pirongia village, taken from the slopes of Mount Pirongia | |
| Coordinates: 38°00′S 175°12′E / 38.000°S 175.200°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Waikato |
| District | Waipā District |
| Ward | Pirongia-Kakepuku General Ward |
| Electorates | |
| Government | |
| • Territorial Authority | Waipā District Council |
| • Regional council | Waikato Regional Council |
| • Mayor of Waipa | Susan O'Regan |
| • Taranaki-King Country MP | Barbara Kuriger |
| • Hauraki-Waikato MP | Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke |
| Area | |
• Territorial | 3.27 km2 (1.26 sq mi) |
| Population (June 2024) | |
• Territorial | 1,340 |
| • Density | 410/km2 (1,100/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+12 (NZST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+13 (NZDT) |
Pirongia is a small town in the Waipā District of the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. It is 12 kilometres to the west of Te Awamutu, on the banks of the Waipā River, close to the foot of the 962 metre Mount Pirongia, which lies in Pirongia Forest Park to the west of the town.
Pirongia was originally named Alexandra, after the English Princess of Wales, but to avoid confusion with the town of that name in the South Island the name was changed to Pirongia. Some of the village's businesses and organisations such as the Alexandra Hotel and the Alexandra Racing Club retain the earlier name. Alexandra Racing Club, established in 1866 or 1872, was put into recess in 2019.