Rangiora facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rangiora
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Secondary urban area
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Rangiora's town hall in 2018.
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Canterbury |
| Territorial authority | Waimakariri District |
| Ward | Rangiora-Ashley Ward |
| Community | Rangiora-Ashley Community |
| Electorates |
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| Area | |
| • Total | 17.70 km2 (6.83 sq mi) |
| Population
(June 2023)
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| • Total | 19,600 |
| • Density | 1,107.3/km2 (2,868/sq mi) |
| Postcode(s) |
7400
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Rangiora is the biggest town in the Waimakariri District in Canterbury, New Zealand. It's about 29 kilometers (18 miles) north of Christchurch. Rangiora is part of the larger Christchurch area. With an estimated population of 19,600 (as of June 2023), it is the 30th largest urban area in New Zealand. It's also the fifth-largest in the Canterbury region.
Contents
Exploring Rangiora's Location
Rangiora is located 29 kilometers (18 miles) north of Christchurch's Cathedral Square. It's only a 20-minute drive from Christchurch International Airport. The town is near the northern end of Canterbury's Inland Scenic Route. This route follows the inner edge of the Canterbury Plains. It runs southwest to Timaru through Oxford and Geraldine. The Ashley River / Rakahuri flows just north of the town.
Rangiora's Weather: What's the Climate Like?
Rangiora has an oceanic climate. This means it has warm summers and mild winters. The average temperature in Rangiora is 11.5°C (52.7°F). The average high is 17.1°C (62.8°F). The average low is 6.0°C (42.8°F).
January is the warmest month. Its average temperature is 16.7°C (62.1°F). The average high in January is 22.1°C (71.8°F). July is the coolest month. Its average temperature is 6.1°C (43.0°F). The average low in July is 0.6°C (33.1°F).
Rangiora gets about 575.1 mm (22.6 inches) of rain each year. This is spread over 83 rainy days. April is the wettest month. It receives 58.0 mm (2.28 inches) of rain. September is the driest month. It gets 34.1 mm (1.34 inches) of rain.
The town enjoys 2191.7 hours of sunshine annually. November is the sunniest month with 232.0 hours. June is the least sunny with 125.0 hours.
The highest temperature ever recorded in New Zealand was in Rangiora. It was 42.4°C (108.3°F) on 7 February 1973.
| Climate data for Rangiora (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1965–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 35.9 (96.6) |
42.4 (108.3) |
35.5 (95.9) |
29.9 (85.8) |
28.3 (82.9) |
22.9 (73.2) |
22.6 (72.7) |
23.3 (73.9) |
26.4 (79.5) |
29.0 (84.2) |
31.7 (89.1) |
32.8 (91.0) |
42.4 (108.3) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 22.1 (71.8) |
21.9 (71.4) |
20.2 (68.4) |
17.5 (63.5) |
15.1 (59.2) |
12.3 (54.1) |
11.6 (52.9) |
12.9 (55.2) |
15.2 (59.4) |
16.8 (62.2) |
18.5 (65.3) |
20.6 (69.1) |
17.1 (62.8) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 16.7 (62.1) |
16.5 (61.7) |
14.6 (58.3) |
11.9 (53.4) |
9.4 (48.9) |
6.7 (44.1) |
6.1 (43.0) |
7.5 (45.5) |
9.5 (49.1) |
11.2 (52.2) |
12.9 (55.2) |
15.3 (59.5) |
11.5 (52.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 11.4 (52.5) |
11.1 (52.0) |
9.0 (48.2) |
6.2 (43.2) |
3.7 (38.7) |
1.2 (34.2) |
0.6 (33.1) |
2.1 (35.8) |
3.9 (39.0) |
5.6 (42.1) |
7.4 (45.3) |
9.9 (49.8) |
6.0 (42.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 3.3 (37.9) |
1.6 (34.9) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
−3.1 (26.4) |
−5.6 (21.9) |
−6.6 (20.1) |
−7.6 (18.3) |
−5.8 (21.6) |
−4.2 (24.4) |
−3.0 (26.6) |
−2.1 (28.2) |
0.4 (32.7) |
−7.6 (18.3) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 44.8 (1.76) |
42.8 (1.69) |
37.6 (1.48) |
58.0 (2.28) |
54.4 (2.14) |
51.6 (2.03) |
54.0 (2.13) |
49.0 (1.93) |
34.1 (1.34) |
55.5 (2.19) |
46.0 (1.81) |
47.3 (1.86) |
575.1 (22.64) |
| Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 6.2 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 6.8 | 7.1 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 7.2 | 6.3 | 7.2 | 6.9 | 7.1 | 83.0 |
| Average relative humidity (%) (at 9am) | 63.7 | 69.0 | 69.3 | 71.6 | 72.8 | 73.8 | 74.1 | 71.8 | 67.4 | 65.7 | 63.6 | 63.6 | 68.9 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 228.4 | 202.5 | 183.9 | 153.4 | 147.7 | 125.0 | 139.1 | 161.8 | 181.1 | 220.4 | 232.0 | 216.4 | 2,191.7 |
| Source: NIWA (humidity 1972–2015, precipitation days 1965–2015) | |||||||||||||
Who Lives in Rangiora?
Rangiora is a medium-sized urban area. It covers about 17.70 square kilometers (6.83 square miles). As of June 2023, its estimated population was 19,600. This means there are about 1107 people per square kilometer.
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 2006 | 12,165 | — |
| 2013 | 15,069 | +3.11% |
| 2018 | 17,841 | +3.43% |
In 2018, Rangiora had 17,841 people. This was a big increase from 2013 and 2006. There were 6,900 households in the town. There were more females than males.
About 18.3% of the people were under 15 years old. About 16.8% were aged 15 to 29. Most people (40.2%) were aged 30 to 64. About 24.6% were 65 or older.
Most people in Rangiora (93.2%) are European/Pākehā. About 7.6% are Māori. There are also smaller groups of Pasifika (1.3%) and Asian (3.4%) people. Some people identify with more than one group.
About 17.4% of people were born outside New Zealand. This is lower than the national average of 27.1%.
When asked about religion, almost half (49.6%) said they had no religion. About 40.5% were Christian. Smaller numbers followed Māori religious beliefs, Hinduism, Islam, or Buddhism.
About 12.7% of people aged 15 or older had a university degree. About 22.9% had no formal qualifications. Many people (44.5%) worked full-time. About 14.7% worked part-time.
Fun Things to Do in Rangiora
Rangiora is a great place to start exploring local wineries. These have become very popular in North Canterbury. You can find many wineries around Rangiora.
The Rangiora Showgrounds hosts an annual "petrol-head" show. It's called Street Machines and Muscle Car Madness. This event features a huge collection of cool vehicles.
In 1956, Rangiora held New Zealand's first traction engine rally. Traction engines are old steam-powered vehicles. This event took place at the Rangiora Showgrounds. In 2006, a special engine from England, Quo Vadis, visited to celebrate this milestone.
Sports in Rangiora
Rangiora Football has grown a lot recently. The Mainpower Oval is a major cricket ground. It has hosted many national cricket matches. It's also the main base for Canterbury Country cricket.
Rangiora High School has produced many talented athletes. They have excelled in rugby, basketball, netball, athletics, and rowing. Famous sports stars like former All Black captain Todd Blackadder and former Silver Fern player Donna Loffhagen went to Rangiora High School.
Rangiora's Culture and Arts
Rangiora has two theatre groups: The North Canterbury Musical Society and The Rangiora Players. There are also several schools for music, dance, and drama in town. One example is the Hartley School of Performing Arts.
The Regent Cinema opened in 1926. It was inside the historic Rangiora Town Hall. It showed movies until the Town Hall closed in December 2012. The larger hall also hosted live shows and youth events.
The radio station Compass FM 104.9 has its studios in Rangiora. It's a community station that covers the North Canterbury region. You can hear it over a large area from a transmitter on Mount Grey.
The Historic Rangiora Town Hall
The Rangiora Town Hall was designed by Henry St. Aubyn Murray. F. Williamson of Christchurch built it. Construction started in 1925. The Hall opened on 27 May 1926. It cost £10,850 NZP to build.
The main hall could seat 600 people. It was made for both movies and live shows. The first Rangiora Public Library was on the first floor.
The building originally housed the Everybodys Theatre. From 1931, it became the Regent Theatre. The old ticket windows are still there. The library moved out in 1967. The Rangiora Borough Council used the space until 1981.
The building has not changed much over time. In the 1970s, the back wall was moved. This reduced the seating to 380. In 1983, the old library became a smaller movie theatre. It opened with the movie Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.
The Town Hall was damaged by an earthquake in September 2010. It was closed for repairs until mid-2011. Luckily, it did not get more damage in the February 2011 earthquake.
The North Canterbury Musical Society was the first group to use the restored hall. They performed Guys and Dolls in June 2011. However, engineers later found the building was not strong enough. It was closed again in December 2011. This also closed the Regent Theatre.
The Regent Theatre moved to the Waikari Town Hall. The Rangiora Town Hall began major renovations in September 2013. The project cost $10.9 million NZD.
The newly renovated Town Hall opened on 7 March 2015. It has a main auditorium with 361 seats. There is also a multi-purpose hall that seats 150. It also has two small cinemas. The cinema part is called "Town Hall Cinemas".
The building also has four "studios". The North Canterbury Academy of Music uses these for teaching music. There is also a function room and a green room.
The Rangiora Town Hall is a very important historic building. It was listed as a Category II historic place in 1984. It also has "Landmark" status from the council.
Rangiora's Heritage Buildings
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High Street in Rangiora is known for its historic buildings. This area is unofficially called a 'heritage precinct'. It stretches from the Town Hall to Ashley Street.
Some famous buildings include:
- The former Junction Hotel (built 1880)
- The Post Office (built 1936)
- The Farmers building (built 1919)
- The Johnston Building (built 1896)
Many of these buildings are listed under the council's heritage scheme.
After the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes, some buildings were damaged. This caused some shops to close. The Lamberts Building was demolished in August 2012. Some items from it were given to the Rangiora Museum.
The fate of other buildings, like the Junction Hotel, was uncertain. The Farmers building was demolished in 2014. More buildings might be demolished. This is because it costs a lot to make them safe again.
Rangiora's Museums
Rangiora has its own museum. It is located at 29 Good Street. The museum is on the upper floor of an old bank building. This building was moved to its current spot in 1967. It holds many historical items from the area.
The Rangiora and Districts Early Records Society runs the museum. They started in 1960. They have collected over 5,000 objects and 11,000 photos. The museum also keeps family histories and documents. These are very valuable for people researching local history.
The society's goal is to collect, study, and show historical items. They want to help people learn about Rangiora's history. They hold monthly meetings at the museum. Members and guests give talks on local history topics.
A second museum, the Northbrook Museum, is east of town. It is a private museum. You can visit by asking ahead and making a donation. The museum has four buildings. One building shows old shop interiors from Rangiora. Another has a large collection of tractors.
The Northbrook Museum also has the old Rangiora Post Office clock tower. This tower was part of the first post office. That building was taken down in 1936. The museum has also received other historic items damaged by the earthquakes. There are plans to build a historic township as part of the museum.
The Herons' Steam Museum is west of Rangiora. It is owned by the Heron family. It has industrial displays and steam machinery. This includes several traction engines. These engines have been restored there. They used to appear at local events.
Getting Around Rangiora: Transport Options
Rangiora is connected by Metro Route B. This bus route links Kaiapoi, Christchurch, and Princess Margaret Hospital. It uses Main North Road and Flaxton Road.
Trains in Rangiora
The Main North Line railway reached Rangiora in 1872. Rangiora was the end of the line for a few years. Then, the line was extended over the Ashley River bridge in 1875.
In 1875, two trains crashed at the Rangiora Station. No one died, but the engines were damaged. In 1878, the railway tracks were changed to a narrower size.
From 1878 to 1959, Rangiora was also a junction for the Oxford Branch line. This line went from Rangiora to Oxford West. It was built to transport timber and farm products. This branch line closed in 1959.
Suburban trains ran between Christchurch and Rangiora. These services stopped on 30 April 1976. This was because fewer people were using them. The old station building has been used as a garden center and a cafe.
In 1945, the Main North Line railway was finished. It connected Christchurch to Picton. This line passes through Rangiora. Since 1945, passenger trains have connected Rangiora with Christchurch and Picton.
Today, the TranzCoastal train (now called the Coastal Pacific) passes through Rangiora. It goes north in the morning and south in the afternoon.
Schools in Rangiora
Rangiora has several primary schools and two secondary schools:
- Ashgrove School: This is a state primary school for Years 1–8. It is in the north-west of town. It has 418 students (as of February 2024). The school opened in 1967.
- Rangiora Borough School: This is a state primary school for Years 1–8. It is in the center of town. It has 370 students (as of February 2024). This school opened in 1873.
- St Joseph's School: This is a state-integrated Catholic primary school for Years 1–8. It is in the center of town. It has 162 students (as of February 2024). It started as a private school in 1887.
- Te Matauru Primary: This is a state primary school for Years 1–8. It is in the south-west of town. It has 225 students (as of February 2024). This school opened in 2020.
- Rangiora High School: This is a state secondary school for both boys and girls. It serves Rangiora and the surrounding area. It has 1,652 students (as of February 2024). The high school opened in 1884.
- Rangiora New Life School: This is a state-integrated Christian school for Years 1–13. It is in the Southbrook area of Rangiora. It opened as a private school in 1979. It has 440 students (as of February 2024).
Rangiora's population has grown a lot since the mid-2000s. This was especially true after the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Because of this, the primary schools started to get very full. Te Matauru Primary opened in 2020 to help with this growth.
Images for kids
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A DXR Class locomotive heading the northbound Coastal Pacific in 2021
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High Street circa 1910s.
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Rangiora Town Hall and Regent Cinema.
