Leeston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leeston
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Town
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Island | South Island |
| Region | Canterbury |
| Territorial authority | Selwyn District |
| Ward | Ellesmere |
| Electorates |
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| Area | |
| • Total | 2.44 km2 (0.94 sq mi) |
| Population
(June 2023)
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| • Total | 2,430 |
| • Density | 996/km2 (2,579/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+12 (NZST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+13 (NZDT) |
| Postcode(s) |
7632
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| Local iwi | Ngāi Tahu |
Leeston (called Karumata in Māori) is a town in the South Island of New Zealand. It's found on the Canterbury Plains, about 30 kilometres southwest of Christchurch. The town sits between Lake Ellesmere / Te Waihora and the Rakaia River. Leeston has many useful places for its growing community. You can find schools, a supermarket, cafes, and even a gym here. There are also churches, a medical centre, and a post office. The Selwyn District Council has an office in Leeston too.
Contents
Leeston's Growing Population
Leeston is a small but growing town. In 2018, about 2,208 people lived here. This was a big jump from 2013, showing that more and more people are choosing to live in Leeston. The town covers an area of about 2.44 square kilometres.
Who Lives in Leeston?
Leeston is a diverse place. Most people are of European (Pākehā) background. However, about 10% of residents are Māori. There are also smaller groups of Pasifika and Asian people. About 15% of the people living in Leeston were born outside of New Zealand.
What About Beliefs?
When asked about their religious beliefs, many people in Leeston said they had no religion. About 35% of people identified as Christian. A small number of people followed Māori religious beliefs or other religions like Hinduism, Islam, and Buddhism.
Fun Things to Do in Leeston
Leeston offers many cool activities for everyone. From enjoying nature to exciting local events, there's always something happening.
Explore Harts Creek
Harts Creek is a beautiful nature spot just a short drive from Leeston. It's a great place for walks, picnics, and watching birds. The water here is super clear! Many different birds live at Harts Creek, including:
- mute swans
- black swans
- pūkeko
- spotted shag
- Canada geese
- various types of ducks
- white heron
- pied stilts
- crested grebe
- Australasian bittern
The Ellesmere A&P Show
The Ellesmere A&P Show is a huge annual event in Leeston. It's been happening for over 147 years! Held in October, it brings in thousands of visitors. You can see farm animals, craft stalls, and even watch sheep shearing. There are also fun fair rides, live music, and face painting. It's a fantastic day out for the whole family!
Camping Adventures
If you love camping, Leeston is a great base. There are three campsites nearby. Two are by the Selwyn River, and one is on the edge of Lake Ellesmere / Te Waihora.
- Coes Ford Camp Ground: You can camp here for free for up to 28 days. It's perfect for fishing, picnics, and enjoying nature. Toilets are available, but bring your own drinking water. It's open all year.
- Chamberlains Ford Camp Ground: This is another free camping spot. It has a good swimming hole. Toilets are available, but no drinking water. You can camp here any time of year.
- Lakeside Domain Camp Ground: This campsite is right on the shores of Lake Ellesmere. It's New Zealand's fifth-largest lake! It's great for bird watching and water sports. This is also a free campsite with toilets, but no drinking water.
Other Activities in Town
Leeston has its own community art gallery, which opened in 2017. It's a cool place to see local art. The town also has many sports clubs. You can join teams for rugby, netball, tennis, soccer, and cricket. There's even a weekly running club! Leeston also has a gym that's open almost all day, every day.
Schools in Leeston
Leeston has great schools for students of all ages.
Ellesmere College
Ellesmere College is a high school for students from Year 7 to Year 13. It opened in 1981, replacing an older school called Southbridge District High School. It currently has about 349 students.
Leeston Consolidated School
Leeston Consolidated School is a primary school for younger students, from Year 1 to Year 6. It first opened way back in 1865! It got the name "Consolidated" in the 1930s when it joined with other primary schools from nearby areas like Lakeside, Irwell, Doyleston, and Brookside. It has about 341 students.
Leeston's Climate
Leeston has a mild climate. Here's a quick look at the average temperatures and rainfall throughout the year:
| Climate data for Leeston (1991–2020) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 23.7 (74.7) |
23.7 (74.7) |
21.1 (70.0) |
18.0 (64.4) |
15.4 (59.7) |
12.2 (54.0) |
11.9 (53.4) |
13.2 (55.8) |
15.6 (60.1) |
18.1 (64.6) |
20.1 (68.2) |
22.2 (72.0) |
17.9 (64.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 17.6 (63.7) |
17.6 (63.7) |
15.5 (59.9) |
12.5 (54.5) |
10.1 (50.2) |
7.1 (44.8) |
6.7 (44.1) |
8.0 (46.4) |
10.1 (50.2) |
12.2 (54.0) |
14.0 (57.2) |
16.3 (61.3) |
12.3 (54.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 11.6 (52.9) |
11.4 (52.5) |
9.9 (49.8) |
7.1 (44.8) |
4.8 (40.6) |
2.0 (35.6) |
1.5 (34.7) |
2.7 (36.9) |
4.6 (40.3) |
6.3 (43.3) |
7.9 (46.2) |
10.3 (50.5) |
6.7 (44.0) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 45.8 (1.80) |
39.2 (1.54) |
46.7 (1.84) |
55.5 (2.19) |
63.7 (2.51) |
68.2 (2.69) |
52.3 (2.06) |
55.5 (2.19) |
43.9 (1.73) |
45.3 (1.78) |
42.7 (1.68) |
51.3 (2.02) |
610.1 (24.03) |
| Source: NIWA | |||||||||||||
