Ruakaka is a small township in the north of New Zealand approximately 30 kilometres south of Whangarei in the Bream Bay area. Originally a small beachside community, Ruakaka has seen development due to its proximity to the expansion of the country's only oil refinery at Marsden Point during the 1980s. A recently established timber processing plant at Marsden Point has further stimulated growth.The population of the Marsden Point-Ruakaka statistical area was 3,543 in the 2013 Census, an increase of 885 from 2001.GeographyNamingRuakaka is a combination of the two words rua and kākā, rua being a Maori word for "nest" or "two" and kaka a native parrot (Nestor meridionalis).DistrictsThe general area is made up of Ruakaka Beach, Ruakaka Township and Marsden Point. Other Bream Bay localities such as One Tree Point, Takahiwai and even Waipu are often included in general conversation regarding the area.Ruakaka Beach lies near the mouth of the Ruakaka River which boasts a rare bird reserve and popular holiday parks. It is primarily a residential area made up of a mixture of permanent homes and beach shacks.The Ruakaka Township was developed off the back of the Marsden Point Oil Refinery expansion in the 1980s where services were required to support the large influx of workers from all over the world involved in the project. A government requirement for a percentage of revenue invested in the project to be spent on the local community allowed for provision of services not common in communities this size (e.g. squash courts, sports grounds).
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