Chertsey, New Zealand facts for kids

Chertsey is a town in the Ashburton District, of New Zealand's South Island. It is located close to State Highway 1, which bypasses the town to the west, between Ashburton and Rakaia on the Canterbury Plains.

Demographics

The Chertsey statistical area covers 572.51 km² (221.05 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 1,790 as of June 2022, with a population density of 3.1 people per km².

The statistical area had a population of 1,611 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 9 people (0.6%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 189 people (13.3%) since the 2006 census. There were 600 households. There were 867 males and 747 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.16 males per female. The median age was 34.6 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 381 people (23.6%) aged under 15 years, 294 (18.2%) aged 15 to 29, 780 (48.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 156 (9.7%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 83.1% European/Pākehā, 7.3% Māori, 0.9% Pacific peoples, 13.0% Asian, and 1.9% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).

The proportion of people born overseas was 21.4%, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people objected to giving their religion, 45.1% had no religion, 46.6% were Christian, 1.1% were Hindu, 0.2% were Muslim, 0.4% were Buddhist and 2.2% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 210 (17.1%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 228 (18.5%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $42,600, compared with $31,800 nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 735 (59.8%) people were employed full-time, 234 (19.0%) were part-time, and 24 (2.0%) were unemployed.

Sports

Chertsey Domain has held the majority of Chertsey community sports since the late 1800s.

Rugby union was first played in the late 1880s. This continued up until World War 1.

Rugby League is the only current team sport representing Chertsey, the Chertsey Oilers currently play in the Aoraki Rugby League competition.

Softball was played in Chertsey in the late 1990s, with the "Chertsey Chuckers" competing in the Ashburton Softball competition.

Cricket was set up in the 1970s and was a regular feature at the Chertsey domain throughout the 1970s.

Harness racing is a popular sport in the district, and in 1994 Chertsey trainer Colin Calvert won the New Zealand Trotting Cup with Bee Bee Cee, Greyhound racing is also held at the Chertsey domain greyhound track.

Education

Chertsey School is a contributing primary school catering for years 1 to 6. It has 31 students as of April 2023. The school opened in 1878.

Notable residents

• Patrick "Peter" Harvey (3 April 1880 – 29 October 1949), Played rugby union for both the Chertsey and Rakaia clubs. Selected for the All Blacks, gaining a test cap against the touring Great Britain side in 1904.
• Clinton Stringfellow (26 February 1905 – 4 January 1959), born in Chertsey. In 1905 Stringfellow was a member of the New Zealand national side, on their 1929 tour of Australia. On that tour, he played seven matches, including two internationals, scoring 16 points.
• William Lister, 1935 and 1938 New Zealand Light heavyweight champion first winning the title in 1935. Lister again won the title by beating his brother, Tom, in 1938.
• Tom Lister, 1938 New Zealand light heavyweight champion, son Tom Lister was a New Zealand rugby union representative playing 8 test matches for the All Blacks from 1969-1971. Another son, John, was a professional golfer.
• Catherine "Kate" Wilkinson (born 3 August 1957) was a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives for the National Party from 2005 until her retirement in 2014.