Waikanae

Waikanae
Medium urban area
Kapiti Island seen from Waikanae Beach
Coordinates: 40°52′30″S 175°03′50″E / 40.87500°S 175.06389°E / -40.87500; 175.06389
Country	New Zealand
Region	Wellington Region
Territorial authority	Kāpiti Coast District
Ward	Waikanae Ward
Community	Waikanae Community
Electorates	Ōtaki Te Tai Hauāuru (Māori)
Government
• Territorial Authority	Kāpiti Coast District Council
• Regional council	Greater Wellington Regional Council
• Kāpiti Coast Mayor	Janet Holborow
• Ōtaki MP	Tim Costley
• Te Tai Hauāuru MP	Debbie Ngarewa-Packer
Area [1]
• Total	19.59 km2 (7.56 sq mi)
Population  (June 2024)[2]
• Total	13,150
• Density	670/km2 (1,700/sq mi)

Waikanae (English: /ˌwaɪkəˈnaɪ/, Māori pronunciation: [ˈwaikaˈnaɛ]) is a town on the Kāpiti Coast, 60 km (37 mi) north of the Wellington, New Zealand.^[3] The name is a Māori word meaning "waters" (wai) "of the grey mullet".^[4]

The area surrounding the town is notable for its 2.4-kilometre-long (1.5 mi) beach, the Waikanae River estuary, the Kapiti Marine Reserve, and Kapiti Island, which lies 4 km (2.5 mi) offshore in the Tasman Sea. The town is considered one of the top retirement destinations in the Wellington Region, because of its year-round mild temperatures, moderate rainfall, and less wind than Wellington.^[3]

The town is 8 km (5.0 mi) northeast of Paraparaumu, and 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Ōtaki. The Waikanae railway station, is the northernmost station in the Metlink passenger rail network linking with Wellington railway station in Central Wellington.