Bulls, New Zealand facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bulls
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Minor urban area
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Bulls Town Hall
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Manawatū-Whanganui |
| District | Rangitikei District |
| Wards |
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| Electorates |
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| Area | |
| • Total | 6.83 km2 (2.64 sq mi) |
| Population
(June 2023)
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| • Total | 2,210 |
| • Density | 323.6/km2 (838.0/sq mi) |
| Postcode(s) |
4818
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Bulls (Māori: Pūru) is a small town in the Rangitikei District of New Zealand. It is located in a rich farming area. You can find it where two main roads, State Highway 1 and State Highway 3, meet. Bulls is about 28 km (17 mi) northwest of Palmerston North.
In June 2023, about 2,210 people lived in Bulls. The town is famous for its fun wordplay using its name. For example, you might see signs like "New Zealand gets its milk from Bulls" or the police station sign "Const-a-bull."
Contents
Why is it called Bulls?
The area around Bulls has two old Māori names. One is Te Ara Taumaihi, and the other is Ō-hine-puhiawe. The name Ō-hine-puhiawe refers to the land where the Parewahawaha marae is located.
The modern town name, Bulls, comes from James Bull. He owned the very first general store in the area. The town was first called Bull Town. Later, its name was changed to Clifton. But then, Sir William Fox pushed for it to be renamed back to Bulls.
History and Culture in Bulls
Bulls has an interesting past and a lively culture.
Important Events in Bulls' History
In 1973, a part of the State Highway 1 bridge over the Rangitikei River suddenly broke. This happened while a bus was crossing it. Luckily, no one was hurt, and the broken part was rebuilt.
There was once a large hospital called Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital about 7 km (4.3 mi) north of Bulls. It closed in 1999. This hospital was a big part of the local economy for Bulls and another nearby town called Marton.
Local News and Entertainment
Bulls is covered by the Whanganui Chronicle. This is a daily newspaper that shares news for the Whanganui, Ruapehu, and Rangitīkei areas. It is part of NZ Herald network.
Did you know that parts of the movie X were filmed in Bulls? The indoor scenes of the farmhouse in the movie were actually filmed inside the Bulls town hall!
Parewahawaha Marae
The local Parewahawaha Marae is a special meeting place for the Ngāti Raukawa group called Ngāti Parewahawaha. It is built on land known as Ōhinepuhiawe.
The marae has a meeting house called Parewahawaha. This house was officially opened on April 15, 1967. The Māori Queen, Te Atairangikaahu, was there for the opening. At that time, Te Rangi Pumamao was the leader at Parewahawaha. He finished building the house after earlier builders had passed away.
In October 2020, the New Zealand Government helped upgrade the marae. They gave over $1.2 million from the Provincial Growth Fund. This project also created 69 jobs for people in the area.
Who Lives in Bulls?
Bulls covers an area of about 6.83 km2 (2.64 sq mi). As of June 2023, , it had an estimated population of 2,210 people. This means there are about 324 people living in each square kilometer.
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 2006 | 1,731 | — |
| 2013 | 1,590 | −1.21% |
| 2018 | 1,935 | +4.01% |
| 2023 | 2,055 | +1.21% |
At the 2023 New Zealand census, Bulls had 2,055 people. This was an increase of 120 people since the 2018 census. The average age of people in Bulls was 32.8 years.
About 22.5% of the people were under 15 years old. Also, 21.6% were aged 15 to 29. The largest group, 42.5%, were aged 30 to 64. About 13.4% were 65 or older.
Most people in Bulls are of European/Pākehā background (79.7%). A good number are also Māori (28.3%). Other groups include Pacific peoples (7.2%), Asian (3.9%), and other ethnicities (2.3%). Some people identify with more than one ethnic group.
About 15% of people in Bulls were born outside New Zealand. This is lower than the national average of 28.8%.
When asked about religion, 6.15% said they had no religion. About 25% were Christian. Some people also followed Māori religious beliefs (1.9%) or other religions.
For those aged 15 and older, 8.2% had a university degree or higher. About 20.8% had no formal qualifications. The average household income was $88,000. Most people (57%) worked full-time.
Military Presence in Bulls
Many Air Force members from RNZAF Base Ohakea live in Bulls. In the past, some military houses were sold to regular citizens. This led to fewer service members living in the area. However, a good number still remain.
In 2017, there was talk that the Republic of Singapore Air Force might build a permanent training base for their F-15 fighter jets at Ohakea. This would have brought about 500 Singaporean personnel. It would have meant a big increase in military families in Bulls and nearby areas. However, in December 2018, it was announced that this plan would not go ahead.
In 2018, the government announced they would buy four Boeing P-8 Poseidon aircraft. These planes are used for watching over the ocean. This also meant that No. 5 Squadron RNZAF, the unit that uses these planes, would move to RNZAF Base Ohakea. This move would bring more service personnel to live in the Bulls area. The RNZAF received these new aircraft in 2023.
Schools in Bulls
Bulls has two public primary schools for students in Year 1 to 8.
Bulls School is the oldest school in the Rangitikei District. It was started in 1867. It has about 164 students as of February 2024.
Clifton School opened more recently. It is located at the southern end of the town. It has 159 students.
For high school, students go to Rangitikei College. This school is about 16 km (9.9 mi) away in Marton.
Climate in Bulls
| Climate data for Bulls (RNZAF Base Ohakea) (1971–2000) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 22.3 (72.1) |
22.7 (72.9) |
21.2 (70.2) |
18.4 (65.1) |
15.4 (59.7) |
13.0 (55.4) |
12.5 (54.5) |
13.3 (55.9) |
14.8 (58.6) |
16.5 (61.7) |
18.4 (65.1) |
20.6 (69.1) |
17.4 (63.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 17.8 (64.0) |
18.1 (64.6) |
16.6 (61.9) |
14.1 (57.4) |
11.5 (52.7) |
9.4 (48.9) |
8.7 (47.7) |
9.4 (48.9) |
11.0 (51.8) |
12.7 (54.9) |
14.3 (57.7) |
16.3 (61.3) |
13.3 (56.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 13.3 (55.9) |
13.4 (56.1) |
12.1 (53.8) |
9.8 (49.6) |
7.7 (45.9) |
5.7 (42.3) |
4.8 (40.6) |
5.5 (41.9) |
7.3 (45.1) |
8.9 (48.0) |
10.2 (50.4) |
12.0 (53.6) |
9.2 (48.6) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 63.9 (2.52) |
75.3 (2.96) |
77.0 (3.03) |
61.8 (2.43) |
68.7 (2.70) |
77.9 (3.07) |
82.3 (3.24) |
67.2 (2.65) |
63.8 (2.51) |
73.5 (2.89) |
62.3 (2.45) |
90.1 (3.55) |
863.8 (34) |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 249.8 | 205.8 | 179.1 | 170.4 | 122.5 | 84.2 | 118.7 | 134.4 | 140.2 | 166.8 | 193.1 | 234.6 | 1,999.6 |
| Source: NIWA (rain and sun 1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
Sister City
Bulls has a special connection with another town far away. Its sister city is Cowes, which is in England.
Famous People from Bulls
- Chris Amon, a former Formula One race car driver.
- Travis Banks, a professional wrestler.
- Ormond Wilson, a politician.
- Victoria Ransom, an entrepreneur.
