Putorino (Māori: Pūtōrino) is a small farming community in northern Hawke's Bay, on the east side of New Zealand's North Island. It is located on State Highway 2 between Tutira and Mohaka, on the Hastings side of the line between Hastings and Wairoa.

Pūtōrino was first a Māori settlement at the mouth of the Waikari River, a place where canoes stopped. It became a European settlement in the 1860s and moved inland to the main Napier to Wairoa Road in the early 1900s. The modern village includes a hotel and sports center.

Flooding during Cyclone Gabrielle damaged the State Highway 2 (SH2) bridge over the river at Putorino. It was replaced by a Bailey bridge. In August-September 2025, the Bailey bridge was replaced by a wider and stronger Acrow bridge.

Demographics

Putorino and the area around it cover 124.21 square kilometers, which is about 47.96 square miles. It is part of the Puketitiri-Tutira census area.

In the 2023 New Zealand census, Putorino had a population of 78 people, which was the same as in the 2018 census. This number decreased by 21 people, or 21.2%, since the 2013 census. There were 42 males and 36 females living in 30 homes. The average age of the population was 39.2 years, which is higher than the national average of 38.1 years. Among the residents, 12 people (15.4%) were under 15 years old, 15 people (19.2%) were between 15 and 29 years old, 42 people (53.8%) were between 30 and 64 years old, and 12 people (15.4%) were 65 years or older.

People could choose to identify with more than one ethnic group. The results showed that 96.2% of residents were European (Pākehā), and 19.2% were Māori. English was the only language spoken by residents. The percentage of people born outside New Zealand was 7.7%, compared to 28.8% nationally.

The only religion reported by people was Christianity, with 23.1% identifying as Christian. About 69.2% of people said they had no religion, and 7.7% did not answer the religion question on the census.

Of those 15 years or older, 9 people (13.6%) had a bachelor’s degree or higher, 36 people (54.5%) had a certificate or diploma after high school, and 18 people (27.3%) had only a high school qualification. The average income for residents was $35,200, which is lower than the national average of $41,500. Among people 15 years or older, 36 (54.5%) worked full-time, and 15 (22.7%) worked part-time.

Education

Putorino School is a government-funded primary school that serves students in Years 1 through 8. It is open to both boys and girls. As of October 2025, the school has 21 students. The school was established in 1916.