Parnassus | |
|---|---|
Locality | |
 The former supermarket at Parnassus | |
 | |
| Coordinates: 42°43′S 173°18′E / 42.717°S 173.300°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Canterbury |
| Territorial authority | Hurunui District |
| Ward | East Ward |
| Electorates | |
| Government | |
| • Territorial Authority | Hurunui District Council |
| • Regional council | Environment Canterbury |
| • Mayor of Hurunui | Marie Black |
| • Kaikōura MP | Stuart Smith |
| • Te Tai Tonga MP | Tākuta Ferris |
| Time zone | UTC+12 (New Zealand Standard Time) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+13 (New Zealand Daylight Time) |
Parnassus is a locality in the Canterbury region's Hurunui District on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island. It is located on the north bank of the Waiau River.
It takes its name from a local sheep run owned by a classical scholar, Edward Lee. He saw a likeness between a local hill and the Greek Mount Parnassus, mythical home of the god Apollo and the Muses.[1]
State Highway 1 passes through the town on its route from Cheviot to Kaikōura, and the Main North Line railway from Christchurch to Picton also runs through the town. At one stage, the Waiau Branch was intended to be the main line north and a branch line diverged from the Waiau route in Waipara to service coastal communities. This line was opened to Parnassus in 1912 and was known as the Parnassus Branch at that stage. However, the decision was made to use the Parnassus route as the main line, relegating the route from Waipara through the Weka Pass to Waiau to the status of branch line. The Main North Line was completed in 1945 and continues to serve Parnassus today.
The epicentre of the 1901 Cheviot earthquake was at Parnassus.
- ^ Te Ara The Encyclopedia of New Zealand Cheviot district