Ranfurly, New Zealand facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ranfurly
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Settlement
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The main street of Ranfurly
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Otago |
| Territorial authority | Central Otago District |
| Ward | Maniototo Ward |
| Community | Maniototo Community |
| Electorates |
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| Area | |
| • Urban area | 3.86 km2 (1.49 sq mi) |
| Population
(June 2023)
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| • Urban area | 780 |
| • Density | 202.1/km2 (523/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+12 (NZST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+13 (NZDT) |
Ranfurly is a small town in the Central Otago District of Otago, New Zealand. It is about 110 kilometers (68 miles) north of Dunedin. The town sits on the dry, flat land of Maniototo, high up at about 430 meters (1,410 feet) above sea level. A small stream, which flows into the Taieri River, is nearby.
Ranfurly is a service town. This means it provides shops and services for the local farmers. The town was once called Eweburn. This was one of many "farmyard names" given by an early surveyor, John Turnbull Thomson, to places in the area. The name Ranfurly honors the Fifth Earl of Ranfurly. He was the Governor of New Zealand from 1897 to 1904. This was when the railway line reached the town. Ranfurly is famous for its Art Deco buildings, like its hotel and local dairy (shop).
Contents
History of Ranfurly
Gold Rush Days
In the 1860s, New Zealand had a big Otago gold rush. Gold was found in several places near Ranfurly. Important gold sites were at Kyeburn and Naseby. These places are close to the Kakanui Range mountains.
Growth and the Railway
After the gold rush ended, Ranfurly grew bigger than Naseby. This was because the railway arrived in 1898. The train line closed in 1989, and the tracks were removed. But the old railway path became a popular walking and cycling trail. This trail is called the Otago Central Rail Trail. It brings many tourists to the area. The old railway station is now a museum.
Art Deco Buildings
Ranfurly became an important center for the farming community. Many new buildings were built in the 1930s. The town has many Art Deco buildings from that time. These buildings have been kept in good condition. An annual festival used to celebrate Ranfurly's Art Deco style every February.
Filming Location
The nearby Ida Valley was used for filming parts of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movies. These movies were made between 2001 and 2003. The wide, open plains of the Ida Valley looked like Rohan from the films.
Ranfurly's Climate
Ranfurly has an oceanic climate, but it also has some features of a continental climate. This means it has big changes in temperature between day and night, and between summer and winter.
Temperature Extremes
In summer, the average high temperature is around 22°C (72°F). Some days can get as warm as 30°C (86°F). In winter, the average high is about 7°C (45°F). The coldest nights can drop below -5°C (23°F). The lowest temperature ever recorded in New Zealand was in Ranfurly in 1903. It was -25.6°C (-14.1°F)! Heavy frosts are common in winter.
Rainfall and Wind
Mountains to the west protect the town from most rain. A dry wind called the Nor'wester is common. Because of this, Ranfurly gets only about 400 to 500 millimeters (16 to 20 inches) of rain each year.
| Climate data for Ranfurly, elevation 450 m (1,480 ft), (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1897–1922, 1975–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 33.7 (92.7) |
33.5 (92.3) |
30.8 (87.4) |
27.8 (82.0) |
22.7 (72.9) |
18.6 (65.5) |
17.6 (63.7) |
23.0 (73.4) |
23.6 (74.5) |
26.8 (80.2) |
29.2 (84.6) |
32.3 (90.1) |
33.7 (92.7) |
| Mean maximum °C (°F) | 30.4 (86.7) |
29.7 (85.5) |
27.2 (81.0) |
22.9 (73.2) |
18.7 (65.7) |
15.8 (60.4) |
14.9 (58.8) |
16.8 (62.2) |
20.1 (68.2) |
23.2 (73.8) |
25.9 (78.6) |
28.6 (83.5) |
31.6 (88.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 22.0 (71.6) |
21.9 (71.4) |
19.7 (67.5) |
15.7 (60.3) |
11.8 (53.2) |
8.2 (46.8) |
7.9 (46.2) |
10.3 (50.5) |
13.5 (56.3) |
15.7 (60.3) |
17.9 (64.2) |
20.5 (68.9) |
15.4 (59.8) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 15.1 (59.2) |
14.7 (58.5) |
12.5 (54.5) |
9.2 (48.6) |
6.1 (43.0) |
3.0 (37.4) |
2.6 (36.7) |
4.6 (40.3) |
7.2 (45.0) |
9.2 (48.6) |
11.2 (52.2) |
13.7 (56.7) |
9.1 (48.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 8.1 (46.6) |
7.4 (45.3) |
5.4 (41.7) |
2.7 (36.9) |
0.4 (32.7) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
−2.6 (27.3) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
1.0 (33.8) |
2.8 (37.0) |
4.6 (40.3) |
6.9 (44.4) |
2.8 (37.0) |
| Mean minimum °C (°F) | 1.3 (34.3) |
1.0 (33.8) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
−3.6 (25.5) |
−6.0 (21.2) |
−7.9 (17.8) |
−8.2 (17.2) |
−6.6 (20.1) |
−4.9 (23.2) |
−3.7 (25.3) |
−1.7 (28.9) |
0.6 (33.1) |
−9.0 (15.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −2.8 (27.0) |
−3.3 (26.1) |
−8.9 (16.0) |
−10.6 (12.9) |
−14.5 (5.9) |
−15.0 (5.0) |
−25.6 (−14.1) |
−18.3 (−0.9) |
−12.2 (10.0) |
−8.9 (16.0) |
−5.6 (21.9) |
−3.9 (25.0) |
−25.6 (−14.1) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 57.1 (2.25) |
44.7 (1.76) |
35.1 (1.38) |
37.0 (1.46) |
34.0 (1.34) |
33.1 (1.30) |
23.3 (0.92) |
23.0 (0.91) |
28.0 (1.10) |
37.2 (1.46) |
42.2 (1.66) |
61.2 (2.41) |
455.9 (17.95) |
| Source: NIWA | |||||||||||||
People of Ranfurly
Ranfurly is a rural settlement. In 2018, about 726 people lived there. This was an increase of 60 people since 2013. Most people living in Ranfurly are of European (Pākehā) background. Some are also Māori, Pasifika, or Asian.
| Historical population | ||
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| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 2006 | 714 | — |
| 2013 | 666 | −0.99% |
| 2018 | 726 | +1.74% |
Sports in Ranfurly
Ranfurly is a key area for curling in New Zealand. The local curling club has even represented New Zealand in World Championships. Some members of the club also played for New Zealand in the 2006 Winter Olympics.
Ranfurly is also the hometown of several players for New Zealand's women's field hockey team.
Education in Ranfurly
- Maniototo Area School is a school for students from Year 1 to Year 13. It is a state school, meaning it is funded by the government. The school has been around since 1879.
- St John's School is a Catholic primary school. It is for students from Year 1 to Year 8. This school opened in 1945.
Famous People from Ranfurly
Many talented people have come from Ranfurly:
- Sean Becker, a curler
- Shane Collins, a field hockey player
- John Grenell, a country singer
- Andrew Hore, an All Black (New Zealand rugby player)
- Robert Logan, a military leader and politician
- Warren McSkimming, a cricketer
- Peter Petherick, a cricketer and lawn bowls player
- Mandy Smith, a field hockey player
- Isobel Thomson, a field hockey player
- David Kilgour, a musician
