Pirongia

Pirongia
Village
A view of Pirongia village, taken from the slopes of Mount Pirongia
Coordinates: 38°00′S 175°12′E / 38.000°S 175.200°E / -38.000; 175.200
Country	New Zealand
Region	Waikato
District	Waipa District
Ward	Pirongia Ward
Electorates	Taranaki-King Country Hauraki-Waikato
Government
• Territorial Authority	Waipa District Council
• Regional council	Waikato Regional Council
Area [1]
• Territorial	3.27 km2 (1.26 sq mi)
Population  (June 2023)[2]
• Territorial	1,360
• Density	420/km2 (1,100/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+12 (NZST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+13 (NZDT)

Pirongia is a small town in the Waipa District of the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. It is 12 kilometres to the west of Te Awamutu, on the banks of the Waipā River, close to the foot of the 962 metre Mount Pirongia, which lies in Pirongia Forest Park to the west of the town.

Pirongia was originally named Alexandra, after the English Princess of Wales, but to avoid confusion with the town of that name in the South Island the name was changed to Pirongia. Some of the village's businesses and organisations such as the Alexandra Hotel and the Alexandra Racing Club retain the earlier name. Alexandra Racing Club, established in 1866, is reputed to be the second oldest racing club in New Zealand.^{[citation needed]}