Purau is a small town in Canterbury, New Zealand, facing Lyttelton Harbour.

Purau is located on Banks Peninsula, one of the southern bays forming Lyttelton Harbour.

Purau has a long history of Māori settlement. Ngāti Māmoe lived here prior to Ngāi Tahu settling the bay. There are many Māori burial sites in the area.^[3]

European occupation started in 1843, when the Greenwood brothers started a farm here. They sold to the Rhodes brothers in 1847 (William Barnard and George, with the latter taking over management of the station).^[4][5] When Robert Heaton Rhodes, another of the Rhodes brothers, came to New Zealand in 1850, he took over Purau.^[6]

Purau is described by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement, and covers 0.21 km² (0.081 sq mi).^[1] It had an estimated population of 70 as of June 2022 with a population density of 333 people per km². It was part of the Eastern Bays-Banks Peninsula SA2 statistical area in 2018,^[7] and part of Diamond Harbour in 2023.^[8]

Purau had a population of 69 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 18 people (35.3%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 6 people (9.5%) since the 2006 census. There were 33 households, comprising 33 males and 33 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.0 males per female. The median age was 52.5 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 9 people (13.0%) aged under 15 years, 6 (8.7%) aged 15 to 29, 39 (56.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 15 (21.7%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 95.7% European/Pākehā, 13.0% Māori, and 4.3% Pasifika. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 47.8% had no religion, 26.1% were Christian and 4.3% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 18 (30.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 6 (10.0%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $32,500, compared with $31,800 nationally. 9 people (15.0%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 27 (45.0%) people were employed full-time, 12 (20.0%) were part-time, and 3 (5.0%) were unemployed.^[9]

• Panorama of Purau Bay
• A house in Purau
• Beach
• Bridge across Purau Stream