Ngāruawāhia (Māori pronunciation: [ŋaːɾʉaˈwaːhia]) is a town in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand.

It is located 20 kilometres (12 mi) north-west of Hamilton at the confluence of the Waikato and Waipā Rivers, adjacent to the Hakarimata Range.

[4] The name Ngāruawāhia means "the opened food pits", which derives from a great feast in the 17th century.

Peace was established between the tribes, and Te Ngaere shouted "Wāhia ngā rua" (break open the food pits).

[13] A 100 hp (75 kW)[14] gas power station[15] was built in Herschell St in 1913 by the Town Board for lighting.

[19] Officers from the United States visited Ngāruawāhia during World War II and would share food at hāngī.

[24] In March 1998, a freight train derailed on the local North Island Main Trunk line's rail bridge across the Waikato River.

[25] In April 1923 a reticulation scheme was opened, supplied by a dam on the Quarry Creek[26] (now Mangarata Stream),[27] 3⁄4 mile (1.2 km) away, in the Hakarimatas.

[32] The broadcaster later accepted a challenge to visit the town[33] and an article relating to the incident appeared on a Waikato Times front page.

[35] In June 2016, local mayor Allan Sanson said du Plessis-Allan spent around three hours in the town, apologizing to residents.

[39] However, by the 1900s road[40] and rail traffic was increasing, averaging 20 trains,[41] 275 pedestrians, 43 equestrians, 29 light vehicles, 18 milk carts, 6 wagons, and 55 stock a day in 1910.

[44] The Ngāruawāhia Town Board and Waikato, Waipa, and Raglan County Councils agreed to share the cost in 1914.

[60] Single lane traffic was reinstated for a few months in 1936 to allow a 40 ft (12 m) truss on the 1921 bridge to be replaced.

[65] Ngāruawāhia's history is reflected in the number of its Listed Buildings – Category 1 Turangawaewae House built in 1912–1919 as Te Kauhanganui building in a fusion of Arts and Crafts and traditional Māori styles;[66] Category 2 – Band Rotunda,[67] Delta Tavern,[68] Doctor's House, former bakery,[69] former Flourmill Store,[70] former Māori pā – Puke i Ahua,[71] Grant's Chambers,[72] 13 Lower Waikato Esplanade,[73] 2 Old Taupiri Rd,[74] Pioneer Gun Turret,[75] Riverdale,[76] St Paul's Church,[77] War Memorial.

[32] The first Māori King, Pōtatau Te Wherowhero, was crowned at Ngāruawāhia in 1858 and was living there when he died two years later.

The current Māori Queen is Ngā Wai Hono i te Pō; she obtained the throne at Tūrangawaewae Marae following the death of her father in 2024.

[80][81] A local gang is Tribal Huk, who have been seen as heroes by the community for providing lunches to schoolchildren in Ngāruawāhia, Hamilton and Huntly.

[84] In October 2016, Tribal Huk president Jamie Pink started a movement against methamphetamine, known in New Zealand as "P".

[84] Waikato District Mayor Allan Sanson supported Pink's message to Ngāruawāhia methamphetamine dealers to either leave the town within 24 hours or "visits" would begin.

[88] There is additionally concern Pink has damaged the work that Tribal Huk did feeding a thousand Waikato schoolchildren.

Early games were played on varying venues, for instance Taupiri paddock and Paterson Park.

The first major match for the town was held in August 1911 when they lost to Auckland 22 – 36 at the Caledonian Ground in Frankton.

[92] Ngāruawāhia is the home of the rugby league team Turangawaewae RLC, which is named after the marae opposite the clubrooms.

[93] During the centennial regatta in March 1996, over 48,000 people visited the town to see thousands of performers from a number of countries.

[99] An army camp was built on the mission site in the 1920s,[100] including its own water supply, ammunition dumps and a railway siding.

[117] Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Bernard Fergusson is a co-educational Māori-language state primary school,[118][119] with a roll of 172.