Mount Somers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mount Somers
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Rural settlement
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Mount Somers General Store
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Canterbury |
| Territorial authority | Ashburton District |
| Ward | Western |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.60 km2 (1.00 sq mi) |
| Population
(2018 Census)
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| • Total | 147 |
| • Density | 56.54/km2 (146.4/sq mi) |
Mount Somers, also known as Māori: Te Kiekie in Māori, is a small town in Canterbury, New Zealand. It is located at the base of the Southern Alps mountains. In 2021, about 160 people lived here. Because it is so beautiful, many people have built holiday homes in the area.
Unlike many other country towns in New Zealand, Mount Somers has not relied only on farming. People have mined coal, clay, sand, and limestone from the hills behind the town. From 1885 to 1968, a railway line called the Mount Somers Branch helped transport these goods. It connected the town to the main railway network. There was also a private bush tramway that went into the hills. You can still see parts of these old railway and tramway lines today.
Mount Somers is also known in the world of experimental music. This is because Peter King runs his special record-cutting business here. Peter uses an old BBC machine to cut records by hand onto plastic. He also uses his own homemade tools to create these unique records.
Who Lives in Mount Somers?
Mount Somers is considered a rural settlement by Statistics New Zealand. It covers an area of about 2.60 square kilometers.
In the 2018 New Zealand census, Mount Somers had 147 residents. This was an increase of 12 people since 2013. There were 63 households in the town. The population included 75 males and 72 females. The average age of residents was 45.4 years. About 22% of the people were under 15 years old.
Most people in Mount Somers, about 95.9%, identify as European/Pākehā. Some people also identify as Māori (8.2%) or Pacific peoples (2.0%). When asked about religion, 53.1% said they had no religion. About 38.8% were Christian.
Education in Mount Somers
Mt Somers Springburn School is a primary school for students in years 1 to 8. It has 81 students as of February 2024. . The school first opened its doors in 1876.
