Whakatu is a rural community in the Hastings District and Hawke's Bay Region of New Zealand's North Island.

[3] A large industrial area is enclosed by a bend in the Clive River, and the closure of the freezing works in Whakatu in 1986 cost the region 2000 full-time and seasonal jobs.

Richard Tucker (1856–1922) was a notable resident of Whakatu; he owned the largest wool-scouring plant in the Hawke's Bay Region.

[5] Statistics New Zealand describes Whakatu as a rural settlement, which covers 2.71 km2 (1.05 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 680 as of June 2024,[2] with a population density of 251 people per km2.

[6] Before the 2023 census, the settlement had a larger boundary, covering 3.73 km2 (1.44 sq mi).