Pleasant Point, New Zealand

Pleasant Point
Motto: 
"The name says it all"
Map
Coordinates: 44°15′40″S 171°7′50″E / 44.26111°S 171.13056°E / -44.26111; 171.13056
CountryNew Zealand
RegionCanterbury
Territorial authorityTimaru District
Community boardPleasant Point Community Board[1]
WardPleasant Point-Temuka
Settled1864[2]
Electorates
Government
 • Territorial authorityTimaru District Council
 • Regional councilEnvironment Canterbury
 • Mayor of TimaruNigel Bowen
 • Rangitata MPJames Meager
 • Te Tai Tonga MPTākuta Ferris
Area
 • Total5.21 km2 (2.01 sq mi)
Elevation
65 m (213 ft)
Population
 (June 2023)[4]
 • Total1,510
 • Density290/km2 (750/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+12 (NZST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+13 (NZDT)
Postcode
7903
Area code03
Local iwiNgāi Tahu

Pleasant Point is a small country town in southern Canterbury, New Zealand, some 19 km (12 mi) inland from Timaru, on State Highway 8. It is a service town for the surrounding farming district. One of its main attractions is the heritage railway, the Pleasant Point Museum and Railway, which operates steam locomotives and one of only two Model T Ford railcar replicas in the world. It attracts about 10,000 people a year. For almost one hundred years, the Fairlie branch line railway passed through the town. It closed on 2 March 1968, and the heritage line utilises 2.5 km (1.6 mi) of track along the branch's old route.

Pleasant Point is also known for glassblowing, taxidermy, blacksmithing and custard squares,[5] and Māori rock art can be viewed nearby. Vineyards have also been established in the area. It also has two primary schools, a preschool and a play centre. Pleasant Point High School was closed by the Labour government in 2004.[6] It has two rivers nearby, the Ōpihi and the TeNgawai; the two rivers meet just to the north of the town.

A 1901 census placed the town's population at 749.[7]

  1. ^ "Pleasant Point Community Board - Timaru District Council". www.timaru.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  2. ^ "Pleasant Point | NZHistory, New Zealand history online". nzhistory.govt.nz. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Area was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Subnational population estimates (RC, SA2), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (regional councils); "Subnational population estimates (TA, SA2), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (territorial authorities); "Subnational population estimates (urban rural), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (urban areas)
  5. ^ Wilson, John (17 July 2015). "Cakes from Pleasant Point". Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand.
  6. ^ "Pleasant Point High School (355) Closure Notice - 2004-go3747 - New Zealand Gazette".
  7. ^ "RESULTS OF A CENSUS OF THE COLONY OF NEW ZEALAND TAKEN FOR THE NIGHT OF THE 31ST MARCH, 1901". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 14 November 2021.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · View on Wikipedia

Developed by Tubidy