Waimate facts for kids

Waimate
Waimate
	Town
Country	New Zealand
Island	South Island
District	Waimate District
Regional Council	Canterbury Regional Council
Government
• Mayor	Craig Rowley
Population (2006 census)
• Urban area	2,835
Postcode(s)	7924
Area code(s)	03

This page is about the town in the South Island, New Zealand. For the district, see Waimate District. For the Waimate Mission Station in the North Island, see Te Waimate mission.

Waimate is a town in Canterbury, New Zealand. It is situated just inland from the eastern coast of the South Island. The town is reached via a short detour west when travelling on State Highway One, the main North/South road. Waimate is 45.7 km south of Timaru, Canterbury's second city, and 20 km north of the Waitaki River, which forms the border between Canterbury and the Otago province to the south.

The population of the Waimate District was recorded in the 2006 census as 7,206 people. The district's area of 3,582.19 square kilometres forms the southern section of the agriculturally rich Canterbury Plains.

Waimate is well known for its population of Bennett's wallabies. These marsupials were introduced from Australia and now live wild in the countryside surrounding the town. It is also recognised for the White Horse Monument which is a silhouette of a white horse that can be seen on the hills behind the town. It commemorates the Clydesdale horses that helped breaking in the land in earlier days. Visitors to the monument's lookout are rewarded with panoramic views of the town and the district's green plains out towards the pacific ocean.

History

From 1877 until 1966, Waimate was served by the Waimate Branch, a branch line railway that connected with the Main South Line some seven kilometres east in Studholme. For roughly seventy years ending in 1953, the line ran beyond Waimate to Waihao Downs. When the branch line was closed on 31 March 1966, Waimate became the first major town in New Zealand to lose its railway connection.

Geography

The Waimate District is bounded by the Waitaki River in the south, the Pareora River in the north and the Hakataramea Valley to the west. The district is a very productive agricultural area with a mix of pastoral, cropping, dairy farming, fruit and vegetable growing.

The Waihao River, which starts in the Hunter Hills catchment area runs eastwards on the southern side of the Waimate township joining with the Waimate Creek. They both eventually end up discharging very close to the sea into the Wainono Dead Arm, which then flows into the Wainono Lagoon near Studholme.

Rural communities

Glenavy
Hook
Hunter
Ikawai
Makikihi
Morven
Otaio
Saint Andrews
Studholme
Waihao Downs
Waihaorunga
Waituna

Panorama of the view from the White Horse overlooking Waimate township.

Zealandia

Just off the main street is a statue of Zealandia a female allegorical representation of New Zealand in much the same way as Britannia represents Great Britain. Only two Zealandia statues exist in the whole country; the other is at Palmerston, Otago. Both were erected as Boer War memorials.

Notable places

St. Augustine's Anglican Church, located on John Street in Waimate, was designed in 1872 by Benjamin Mountfort.
St Patrick's Basilica (Catholic), located on Timaru Rd was designed in 1908 by Francis Petre and is considered his most original design.
Waimate Museum, located in Shearman St, was designed in 1878 by P.M.F. Burrows
Waimate White Horse

Events

March Hare Motorcycle Rally, Annually, first weekend of March
Waimate 50 Street Race, October
Waimate Strawberry Fare Annual second weekend in December. www.waimate.org.nz / events
- Waimate Shears October
Waimate Rodeo, Annually 27 December
Claytons Debating Tournament, Annually in July–August
Waimate Museum Bookarama, Annually at Labour Weekend www.waimate.org.nz / attractions
Waimate Edwardian Heritage Celebrations Annually second weekend in March www.waimate.org.nz / events