Last updated October 2026
Maraenui is a residential suburb on the southern side of Napier. The land was part of the Te Whanganui-ā-Orotū lagoon and swamp until the 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake uplifted the area by around 2.7 metres.
Subdivision began in the mid-1930s, with major growth in the 1960s as Māori families moved from rural Hawke’s Bay. The suburb has a significant Māori population and is home to Pukemokimoki Marae at 191 Riverbend Road. The name Maraenui translates as “great marae,” reflecting its cultural identity.
Official Suburb Facts
- Population (2023 Census)
- About 3,780, up 8% since 2018
- Land area
- 1.04 km²
- Location
- 2.6 km south of central Napier
- Council
- Napier City Council
- Ward or local board
- Nelson Park Ward (Napier City Council)
- Nearby landmarks
- Pukemokimoki Marae
Who Lives in Maraenui
About 3,780 residents in 1,030 households. From the 2023 Census, with the New Zealand figure alongside for comparison.
Schools in Maraenui
Two schools sit inside the Maraenui boundary.
Also zoned for Maraenui
Show all 5 zoned schools
Zones change, so confirm with the school before relying on one.
Bin Day in Maraenui
by 7am on collection day
Streets near a suburb edge can differ, so check the council lookup if unsure.
Streets in Maraenui
41 streets are in Maraenui. Search any street in Napier to see which suburb it is in.
Show all 41 streets in Maraenui
- A
- Accessway
- Accessway
- Accessway
- Accessway
- Accessway
- Accessway
- Accessway
- Accessway
- B
- Barnard Avenue
- Bestall Street
- Bisson Place
- Bledisloe Road
- Bright Crescent
- C
- Charles Corner Crescent
- D
- Darwin Crescent
- F
- Fitzgerald Place
- Fleming Crescent
- G
- Geddis Avenue
- Gilray Avenue
- H
- Hillary Crescent
- Hurst Avenue
- K
- Kelvin Place
- Kelvin Road
- L
- Lister Crescent
- Lister Place
- Lodge Road
- Longfellow Avenue
- M
- Masefield Avenue
- Mason Avenue
- Maxwell Place
- Moore Avenue
- N
- Nobel Road
- P
- Percy Spiller Avenue
- R
- Richmond Street
- Riverbend Road
- Rochfort Road
- S
- Service Lane
- Service Lane
- Service Lane
- Shackleton Street
- W
- Wordsworth Crescent
A long road is listed in each suburb it runs through.
Safety and Hazards
About the Napier average for the number of people who live here. Another 14 reports were at shops and businesses.
Buses from Maraenui
10 bus stops inside the suburb.
Typical weekday daytime frequency.
Handy Facilities
Weather and Rent at a Glance
Weather is city-wide; rent is for this suburb.
In Maraenui
Places and businesses inside the official Maraenui boundary.
Places
About Maraenui
Maraenui sits on land that was not solid ground until the 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake.
Maraenui sits on land that was not solid ground until the 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake. The pre-quake landscape formed part of Te Whanganui-ā-Orotū, a large coastal lagoon. The magnitude 7.8 earthquake uplifted approximately 2.7 metres of the lagoon area, draining the swamp and creating flat land for later residential development.
Subdivision of the area began in the mid-1930s. Growth accelerated in the early 1960s when many Māori families relocated from rural Hawke’s Bay as part of the wider urban Māori migration. The suburb developed a distinct character with a mix of owner-occupied and state housing, a strong Māori community, and a notably young population that continues today.
The suburb has a lower socio-economic profile. Recent decades have seen ongoing community development, with Pukemokimoki Marae serving as the cultural and community anchor.
Pukemokimoki Marae
Pukemokimoki Marae is the cultural heart of Maraenui and serves the urban Māori community of southern Napier.
Pukemokimoki Marae is the cultural heart of Maraenui and serves the urban Māori community of southern Napier. The marae was established to meet the needs of families who relocated from rural areas from the early 1960s.
It was officially opened on 6 October 2007 after community fundraising and support from the Napier City Council, the Eastern & Central Community Trust, and the Lotteries Marae Heritage and Facilities Fund.
The marae operates as a pan-iwi urban facility, hosting tangi, hui, cultural events, and community programmes. The name Pukemokimoki refers to a former hill and pā site in the area where the scented mokimoki fern once grew.
As with any marae, visits require prior arrangement and adherence to tikanga. It functions as a working community facility rather than a tourist attraction.
Near Maraenui
Just outside Maraenui, within 5 km of its centre, nearest first.
Places
Show 2 more places
Businesses
Where to Learn More
Pukemokimoki Marae: official marae site with history, kaupapa and contact channels.
Wikipedia, Maraenui: encyclopedic background on the suburb’s development history and demographics.
Napier City Council, Napier’s development: official council page covering the post-1931 development of the southern suburbs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people live in Maraenui?
About 3,780 people lived in Maraenui at the 2023 Census, up 8% since 2018. See Who Lives in Maraenui
What school zones cover Maraenui?
The zones of Napier Boys' High School and St Joseph's Maori Girls' College cover all of Maraenui. Marewa School, Onekawa School and Te Awa School have zones covering part of it. Zones change, so check an address with the school. See Schools in Maraenui
When is bin day in Maraenui?
Tuesday (recycling Monday). Bins go out by 7am on collection day. Streets near the edge of the suburb can differ, so check the council lookup if unsure. See Bin Day in Maraenui
Which buses serve Maraenui?
Route 3, about hourly. There are 10 stops in the suburb. See Buses from Maraenui
Is Maraenui in a flood zone?
About 20% of the land in Maraenui is in the council's mapped flood areas. Check a street on the council map before you buy. See Safety and Hazards
What suburbs border Maraenui?
What does the name Maraenui mean?
"Great marae," reflecting the suburb's strong cultural identity and significant Māori community.
When was Maraenui developed?
Subdivision began in the mid-1930s after the 1931 earthquake. Major growth came in the early 1960s with urban Māori migration from rural Hawke's Bay.
What is Pukemokimoki Marae?
The cultural and community marae at 191 Riverbend Road, officially opened on 6 October 2007. It serves the urban Māori community of southern Napier as a pan-iwi facility.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.
Explore Napier only lists suburbs officially recognised by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), and Maraenui is one of them. Suburb boundary: LINZ, CC BY 4.0.
Sources and data notes 9
- Official Suburb Facts: Boundary, area and neighbours: LINZ, CC BY 4.0. Population: Stats NZ 2023 Census usually resident population, CC BY 4.0, summed from the statistical areas inside the boundary.
- Who Lives in Maraenui: Stats NZ 2023 Census, CC BY 4.0. Figures are summed from the census areas inside the official Maraenui boundary. Percentages are of the people or homes that answered each question; a figure is left out when fewer than 100 answered.
- Schools in Maraenui: Ministry of Education school directory and enrolment zones (CC BY 4.0 and CC BY 3.0 NZ), October 2026.
- Bin Day in Maraenui: Napier City Council collection areas.
- Streets in Maraenui: LINZ NZ Addresses road data, CC BY 4.0.
- Safety and Hazards: NZ Police victimisation data, CC BY 4.0, September 2025 to August 2026 (crimes inside homes are only published for burglary); Hawke's Bay tsunami evacuation zone (August 2026); Hawke's Bay Regional Council flood risk areas.
- Buses from Maraenui: goBay (Hawke's Bay Regional Council) timetable data, CC BY 4.0.
- Handy Facilities: Napier City Council public toilets; NZTA EVRoam charging sites.
- Weather and Rent at a Glance: NIWA climate averages 1991-2020 (via Figure.NZ); Tenancy Services rental bond data (new bonds in the suburb’s Stats NZ areas), July 2025 to June 2026, CC BY 3.0 NZ.