Clarkville, New Zealand facts for kids

Clarkville is a small country town located in the Waimakariri District in New Zealand. It's a quiet place where many people live. As of 2023, about 1,400 people call Clarkville home.

Clarkville's Past: A River Story

Clarkville was once known as Kaiapoi Island. This was because it sat between two large parts of the Waimakariri River. Because of this, the area often flooded. The river was very unpredictable!

How the River Changed

In the 1860s, local farmers decided to do something about the flooding. They dug a new path for the river. They also blocked off the northern part of the river. This turned it into a small stream. Today, this stream is called Silverstream.

A New Name for the Town

In 1880, the town's name changed from Kaiapoi Island to Clarkville. This was to honor Joseph Clark. He generously gave land for the local school.

The Clarkville Peace Hall

In 1919, a group called The Clarkville Hall Association, Incorporated built a community hall. It was named the Clarkville Peace Hall. This hall is still standing today. It was made bigger in 1970.

Learning in Clarkville

Clarkville has one school, called Clarkville School. It first opened in 1874. It's a school for both boys and girls, teaching students from younger ages up to around 13 years old. As of 2023, about 250 students attend Clarkville School.

Who Lives in Clarkville?

The Clarkville area covers about 30 square kilometers. As of 2023, about 1,400 people live here. This means there are about 46 people living in each square kilometer.

Population Growth Over Time

Clarkville's population has grown steadily.

• In 1901, there were 253 people.
• By 2006, the population grew to 1,122.
• In 2013, it was 1,320.
• By 2018, the population reached 1,401 people.

People and Families

In 2018, there were 471 homes in Clarkville. There were slightly more males than females. The average age was 46.1 years old. About 18.8% of the people were under 15 years old.

Different Backgrounds

Most people in Clarkville are of European background (92.9%). About 7.9% are Māori. There are also smaller groups of Pasifika and Asian people. About 14.1% of people in Clarkville were born outside New Zealand.

Clarkville's Weather

Clarkville has warm summers and cool winters.

• The average temperature in summer is 16.6 °C.
• The average temperature in winter is 6.4 °C.

Monthly Temperatures

Here's a look at the average temperature for each month: