Colville, New Zealand
Encyclopedia
Colville is a small town in the north of the Coromandel Peninsula
in the North Island
of New Zealand
. It lies 26 kilometres north of Coromandel
and is the northernmost town of any note on the peninsula. Beyond it lies 28 kilometres of rough road leading to the small settlement of Port Jackson
, close to the peninsula's northwesternmost point, Cape Colville
and 20 km to Port Charles
on the northeastern side.
The town is the service and social centre for the area with a Co-operatively-owned General Store, Postal Delivery Centre, Volunteer Fire Brigade, School, Community Halls and several houses. Just beyond the town is the beginning of the Te Moehau Range
, which forms the bulk of the northern end of the Coromandel Peninsula, and contains valuable ecological areas, including a population of the threatened
North Island Brown Kiwi
.
Colville the town was named after the cape, which itself was named by Captain James Cook
on November 18, 1769, after Rear Admiral
Lord Colville, who Cook had previously served under in the Royal Navy
. Colville was also known as Cabbage Bay, thought to be in reference to the cabbage trees in the bay.
Colville township grew following the construction of a General Store with a Motor Garage alongside. This was built by Richard (Dick) Goudie, a local man whose grandparents had settled in Cabbage Bay. Dick Goudie later ran a taxi service from the town, being the first to drive a motor vehicle across the new bridge at Papa Aroha which opened up the northern peninsula from Coromandel. Fossicking
for semi-precious stones such as carnelian
and kauri gum are popular activities among tourists in the town.
Another member of the Goudie family, John, developed a motor camp a few kilometres north of the town some years later.
The Motukawao Islands
lie five kilometres off the coast to the southwest of Colville.
of 4 and a roll of 35.
Coromandel Peninsula
The Coromandel Peninsula lies in the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of the Waikato Region and Thames-Coromandel District and extends 85 kilometres north from the western end of the Bay of Plenty, forming a natural barrier to protect the Hauraki Gulf and the Firth of Thames in the west...
in the North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It lies 26 kilometres north of Coromandel
Coromandel, New Zealand
Coromandel is the name of a town and harbour on the western side of the Coromandel Peninsula, which is on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand...
and is the northernmost town of any note on the peninsula. Beyond it lies 28 kilometres of rough road leading to the small settlement of Port Jackson
Port Jackson
Port Jackson, containing Sydney Harbour, is the natural harbour of Sydney, Australia. It is known for its beauty, and in particular, as the location of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge...
, close to the peninsula's northwesternmost point, Cape Colville
Cape Colville
Cape Colville is the northernmost point of the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand's North Island. It lies 85 kilometres north of Thames, and 70 kilometres northeast of the city of Auckland, on the other side of the Hauraki Gulf....
and 20 km to Port Charles
Port Charles
Port Charles was a daytime soap opera which aired on ABC from June 2, 1997 to October 3, 2003. It is a spin-off of the serial General Hospital, which has been running since 1963 and takes place in the fictional city of Port Charles, New York...
on the northeastern side.
The town is the service and social centre for the area with a Co-operatively-owned General Store, Postal Delivery Centre, Volunteer Fire Brigade, School, Community Halls and several houses. Just beyond the town is the beginning of the Te Moehau Range
Moehau Range
The Moehau Range is the northernmost range on the Coromandel Peninsula, extending from the settlement of Colville northwards to the tip of the peninsula. Mt Moehau is the highest point of the range, at 892m above sea level.-Physical Geography:...
, which forms the bulk of the northern end of the Coromandel Peninsula, and contains valuable ecological areas, including a population of the threatened
Threatened species
Threatened species are any speciesg animals, plants, fungi, etc.) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future.The World Conservation Union is the foremost authority on threatened species, and treats threatened species not as a single category, but as a group of three categories,...
North Island Brown Kiwi
North Island Brown Kiwi
The North Island Brown Kiwi, Apteryx mantelli, Apteryx australis or Apteryx bulleri before 2000 , is a species of kiwi that is widespread in the northern two-thirds of the North Island of New Zealand and, with about 35000 remaining, is the most common kiwi.-Taxonomy:Until 2000, the Brown Kiwi was...
.
Colville the town was named after the cape, which itself was named by Captain James Cook
James Cook
Captain James Cook, FRS, RN was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy...
on November 18, 1769, after Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
Lord Colville, who Cook had previously served under in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. Colville was also known as Cabbage Bay, thought to be in reference to the cabbage trees in the bay.
Colville township grew following the construction of a General Store with a Motor Garage alongside. This was built by Richard (Dick) Goudie, a local man whose grandparents had settled in Cabbage Bay. Dick Goudie later ran a taxi service from the town, being the first to drive a motor vehicle across the new bridge at Papa Aroha which opened up the northern peninsula from Coromandel. Fossicking
Fossicking
Fossicking is a term found in Cornwall, Australia and New Zealand referring to prospecting, especially in more recent times, when carried out as a recreational activity. This can be for gold, precious stones, fossils, etc. by sifting through a prospective area. In Australian English and New...
for semi-precious stones such as carnelian
Carnelian
Carnelian is a brownish-red mineral which is commonly used as a semi-precious gemstone. Similar to carnelian is sard, which is generally harder and darker...
and kauri gum are popular activities among tourists in the town.
Another member of the Goudie family, John, developed a motor camp a few kilometres north of the town some years later.
The Motukawao Islands
Motukawao Islands
The Motukawao Islands are the northernmost of several small groups of islands that lie in the Hauraki Gulf off the west coast of the Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand. They lie some to the southwest of Colville, and are uninhabited. The largest of the islands are Motuwi and Ngamotukaraka Islands;...
lie five kilometres off the coast to the southwest of Colville.
Education
Colville School is a coeducational full primary (years 1-8) school with a decile ratingSocio-Economic Decile
Decile, Socio-Economic Decile or Socio-Economic Decile Band is a widely used measure in education in New Zealand used to target funding and support to more needy schools....
of 4 and a roll of 35.