Evansdale, New Zealand facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Evansdale
Locality
Evansdale Location in New Zealand
Country	New Zealand
Region	Otago
Territorial authority	Dunedin City Council
Local iwi	Ngāi Tahu

Evansdale is a small place located about 25 kilometers (15 miles) north of Dunedin, New Zealand. It sits near the northwest part of Blueskin Bay, right along State Highway 1.

This area is also known for a special type of cheese called Evansdale Cheese. The name 'Evansdale' is also used for a larger area that helps New Zealand count its population. In 2013, about 1,482 people lived in this wider Evansdale area.

History of Evansdale

Evansdale started as a small group of houses and a hotel, called the Blueskin Hotel. These buildings were built around a bridge that crossed Careys Creek. The bridge was very important because it was on a main road heading north. People even had to pay a small fee, called a toll, to cross it.

Two early settlers, William Evans and David Carey, both wanted to name the area after themselves. In the end, the creek was named after David Carey, but the settlement became Evansdale, after William Evans.

Evansdale as a Railway Stop

When the Main South Line railway was built from Dunedin, Evansdale became an important stop. The station, first called Whaitiripaku, was a place where goods and people could switch from trains to horse-drawn carts to travel further north.

Because of the railway, Evansdale grew quickly. It soon had a post office and a school. Later, the railway line was extended all the way to Christchurch. This made the Evansdale station less important. The community then started to get smaller. The school closed in 1928, and both the school and post office moved to Warrington.

The hotel stayed open and later became a busy gas station called the Glenhouse Service Station. This happened as more people started using cars and trucks.

Changes to the Main Road

In the early 1970s, State Highway 1 (the main road) was made wider and straighter through Evansdale. This big project meant that about half a dozen houses had to be removed. A large building for the New Zealand Ministry of Works was also built nearby. This building was used to help with major road improvements over a place called the Kilmog.

Recent Changes in Evansdale

From the 1980s to the 2000s, Evansdale faced some tough times. Changes in the economy led to the closing of the Works depot, the railway stop, and the service station. The old depot became a sawmill and landscaping business. The service station is slowly being turned into shops and places to eat.

A new and exciting business that started during this time was the Evansdale Cheese factory. They made special handmade cheeses. Even though the cheese factory was very successful, it later moved to Hawksbury, about 15 kilometers (9 miles) north.

Why the Name Evansdale Can Be Confusing

Sometimes, the name "Evansdale" can cause a bit of confusion.

Evansdale as a Census Area

In 2005, the Dunedin City Council shared results from a survey. Many people were listed as living in "Evansdale," which surprised some. This happened because the council was using the same large area that Statistics New Zealand uses to count people for the census. So, "Evansdale" can mean both the small village and a much larger area used for counting people.

Evansdale Cheese Factory's Move

When the Evansdale Cheese factory moved to Hawksbury, it kept its big "Evansdale Cheese" signs. Because of these signs, some people mistakenly started calling Hawksbury "Evansdale."

Evansdale Today

In the 2000s, Evansdale has seen a small increase in new homes. The number of houses grew by about 10% in just a few years. It's easy for people living here to travel to Dunedin for work or school. There are also several empty building plots available with electricity and water already connected.