Makaraka is an outer suburb of Gisborne, in New Zealand's North Island, located in the west of the city. The suburb features Gisborne's horse-racing circuit, Makaraka Racecourse. It is part of the statistical area of Makaraka-Awapuni, which is covered at Awapuni.
Makaraka was settled by dairy farmers in the 19th century. A dairy factory was built in the settlement in 1899.
The Tarere Marae, located near Makaraka, is a tribal meeting place of Te Whānau a Iwi, a hapū of Te Aitanga ā Māhaki. It includes Te Aotipu meeting house.
Education
Makaraka School is a Year 1–6 co-educational public primary school with a roll of 110 as of February 2024.
Railway station
Mākaraka in 1942, showing the Ngātapa branch diverging west from the Moutohora branch
From 1902 to 1959 Mākaraka had a railway station on the Moutohora Branch and, from 1915 to 1931, was the junction for the Ngātapa Branch. It is now the mothballed Makaraka Industrial Line and also has the East Coast Museum of Technology station building (from Matawhero) and museum on the former station site.
Disused railways
Pātūtahi (Ngātapa Branch) Line and station closed 7.9 km (4.9 mi)
