Waimumu is a rural settlement in the Gore District and Southland Region of New Zealand's South Island. It is located southwest of Gore, about 14 kilometres from the main township.^[3]

The settlement hosts the Southern Field Days, a biennial agricultural trade show.^[3] It is held across a 57-hectare (140-acre) site, attracting about 700 exhibitors and 40,000 attendees.^[4]

Europeans began farming either side of the Waimumu Stream in the 19th century. By 1901, the Waimumu Hundreds settlement had 608 people, and a public school with 21 students which held Presbyterian church services every month.^[5]

Gold was also discovered by boring, leading to the establishment of a steady gold-dredging industry. By 1906, some farming paddocks had been completely destroyed through gold dredging.^[5]

The Southern Field Days began in 1982, on a local farm, with 60 exhibitors.^[4]

In 2002, the New Zealand Government provided funding to the protect the unlogged area of the Māori-owned Hokonui-Waimumu block.^[6] In 2005, the Waimumu Trust, which administers the land, unsuccessfully challenged a ban on exporting timber from the forest through the Waitangi Tribunal.^[7]

Waimumu is in an SA1 statistical area which covers 48.09 km² (18.57 sq mi).^[1] The SA1 area is part of the larger Waimumu-Kaiwera statistical area.

The SA1 statistical area had a population of 204 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 6 people (3.0%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 33 people (19.3%) since the 2006 census. There were 75 households, comprising 108 males and 93 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.16 males per female. The median age was 43.7 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 39 people (19.1%) aged under 15 years, 30 (14.7%) aged 15 to 29, 105 (51.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 30 (14.7%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 98.5% European/Pākehā, 2.9% Māori, 1.5% Pasifika, and 1.5% Asian. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 35.3% had no religion, and 55.9% were Christian.

Of those at least 15 years old, 24 (14.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 24 (14.5%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $44,600, compared with $31,800 nationally. 42 people (25.5%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 111 (67.3%) people were employed full-time, 24 (14.5%) were part-time, and 3 (1.8%) were unemployed.^[2]

Waimumu School operated from 1888 to 1996.^[10]