Ravensbourne, New Zealand
Encyclopedia
Ravensbourne is a suburb of the New Zealand
city of Dunedin
. It is located on the steep southeastern slopes of Signal Hill
above the Otago Harbour
. It lies on the harbour's northern shore, 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi) east-northeast of the city centre. Ravensbourne's 2001 population was 1,269.
Rail and road links between central Dunedin and Port Chalmers
run through Ravensbourne on the narrow strip of land between the hill slopes and harbour. A cycleway also links the suburb with the main part of the city, which lies to the west on the far side of a bluff partly occupied by the Logan Point Quarry. One of the older harbourside suburbs, it has a distinct identity from the rest of the city's inner suburbs.
The suburb is mainly residential, but is dominated by two large industrial plants, the Logan Point Quarry and the Ravensdown Fertiliser factory, which is located at the harbour's edge at the southern end of the suburb. The Forsyth Barr Stadium at University Plaza is under construction to the south of Ravensbourne, close to the entrance to the quarry. Construction of this stadium will see alterations to the route between the suburb and central Dunedin.
Ravensbourne contains a significant number of smaller homes, quite a number of which are occupied as flats by students from the University of Otago
and Otago Polytechnic
, which lie 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) to the west. The suburb consists mainly of the Dunedin-Port Chalmers highway, State Highway 88
, and numerous narrow winding roads which climb the hill to its northwest. Above the suburb is Burns Park Scenic Reserve, which occupies much of the upper slopes of Signal Hill.
The suburb, along with the nearby suburbs of Maia, Burkes, and Saint Leonards, are often collectively referred to as West Harbour. Under this name, the area was a separate borough for many years from 1877 until amalgamation with the city of Dunedin in 1963.
The suburb takes its name from the property of the first mayor of West Harbour, Thomas De Lacy, who was mayor from 1877 to 1878. The name was due to the profusion of weka
in the area of De Lacy's property, whose cockiness reminded De Lacy of the raven
s in his native Scotland
. The Maori
name for the area is Kaitaki Tamariki, though this is rarely used today.
The smaller settlements of Maia and Burkes lie on the coast of the harbour immediately to the northeast of Ravensbourne. Maia, basically a suburb of Ravensbourne, lies 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) to the northeast. Its name and the pronunciation of it mean that it is often mistaken for a Maori
name, though it was actually named for the Greek mythological daughter of Atlas
, one of the Pleiades
.
Burkes lies to the northeast of Maia, and consists of one long narrow road running roughly parallel with and above the highway. The most notable feature of Burkes is that the South Island Main Trunk railway crosses a series of causeways spanning some of the small bays which run along the harbour's edge.
North of Burkes is the larger settlement of Saint Leonards, which was named by early settler David Carey for the English town of St Leonards-on-Sea
, on the Sussex coast, which had been the birthplace of his wife.
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...
city of Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
. It is located on the steep southeastern slopes of Signal Hill
Signal Hill, New Zealand
Signal Hill is a prominent landform in the city of Dunedin, New Zealand. It is located close to, and due north of, the head of the Otago Harbour and reaches an elevation of 393 m . The suburbs Ravensbourne, St. Leonards, and Opoho lie on its southern, eastern, and northwestern flanks, respectively...
above the Otago Harbour
Otago Harbour
Otago Harbour is the natural harbour of Dunedin, New Zealand, consisting of a long, much-indented stretch of generally navigable water separating the Otago Peninsula from the mainland. They join at its southwest end, from the harbour mouth...
. It lies on the harbour's northern shore, 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi) east-northeast of the city centre. Ravensbourne's 2001 population was 1,269.
Rail and road links between central Dunedin and Port Chalmers
Port Chalmers
Port Chalmers is a suburb and the main port of the city of Dunedin, New Zealand, with a population of 3,000. Port Chalmers lies ten kilometres inside Otago Harbour, some 15 kilometres northeast from Dunedin's city centre....
run through Ravensbourne on the narrow strip of land between the hill slopes and harbour. A cycleway also links the suburb with the main part of the city, which lies to the west on the far side of a bluff partly occupied by the Logan Point Quarry. One of the older harbourside suburbs, it has a distinct identity from the rest of the city's inner suburbs.
The suburb is mainly residential, but is dominated by two large industrial plants, the Logan Point Quarry and the Ravensdown Fertiliser factory, which is located at the harbour's edge at the southern end of the suburb. The Forsyth Barr Stadium at University Plaza is under construction to the south of Ravensbourne, close to the entrance to the quarry. Construction of this stadium will see alterations to the route between the suburb and central Dunedin.
Ravensbourne contains a significant number of smaller homes, quite a number of which are occupied as flats by students from the University of Otago
University of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
and Otago Polytechnic
Otago Polytechnic
The Otago Polytechnic is a public New Zealand tertiary education institute, centred in Dunedin with campuses throughout the region of Otago including Cromwell, Wanaka and Queenstown....
, which lie 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) to the west. The suburb consists mainly of the Dunedin-Port Chalmers highway, State Highway 88
New Zealand State Highway 88
State Highway 88 is a New Zealand State Highway connecting the city centre of Dunedin with Port Chalmers, which is the location of Dunedin's main port facilities and home of one of New Zealand's major container terminals. It is roughly 18 km long....
, and numerous narrow winding roads which climb the hill to its northwest. Above the suburb is Burns Park Scenic Reserve, which occupies much of the upper slopes of Signal Hill.
The suburb, along with the nearby suburbs of Maia, Burkes, and Saint Leonards, are often collectively referred to as West Harbour. Under this name, the area was a separate borough for many years from 1877 until amalgamation with the city of Dunedin in 1963.
The suburb takes its name from the property of the first mayor of West Harbour, Thomas De Lacy, who was mayor from 1877 to 1878. The name was due to the profusion of weka
Weka
The Weka or woodhen is a flightless bird species of the rail family. It is endemic to New Zealand, where four subspecies are recognized. Weka are sturdy brown birds, about the size of a chicken. As omnivores, they feed mainly on invertebrates and fruit...
in the area of De Lacy's property, whose cockiness reminded De Lacy of the raven
Raven
Raven is the common name given to several larger-bodied members of the genus Corvus—but in Europe and North America the Common Raven is normally implied...
s in his native Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The Maori
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
name for the area is Kaitaki Tamariki, though this is rarely used today.
The smaller settlements of Maia and Burkes lie on the coast of the harbour immediately to the northeast of Ravensbourne. Maia, basically a suburb of Ravensbourne, lies 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) to the northeast. Its name and the pronunciation of it mean that it is often mistaken for a Maori
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
name, though it was actually named for the Greek mythological daughter of Atlas
Atlas (mythology)
In Greek mythology, Atlas was the primordial Titan who supported the heavens. Although associated with various places, he became commonly identified with the Atlas Mountains in north-west Africa...
, one of the Pleiades
Pleiades (Greek mythology)
The Pleiades , companions of Artemis, were the seven daughters of the titan Atlas and the sea-nymph Pleione born on Mount Cyllene. They are the sisters of Calypso, Hyas, the Hyades, and the Hesperides...
.
Burkes lies to the northeast of Maia, and consists of one long narrow road running roughly parallel with and above the highway. The most notable feature of Burkes is that the South Island Main Trunk railway crosses a series of causeways spanning some of the small bays which run along the harbour's edge.
North of Burkes is the larger settlement of Saint Leonards, which was named by early settler David Carey for the English town of St Leonards-on-Sea
St Leonards-on-Sea
St Leonards-on-Sea is part of Hastings, East Sussex, England, lying immediately to the west of the centre. The original part of the settlement was laid out in the early 19th century as a new town: a place of elegant houses designed for the well-off; it also included a central public garden, a...
, on the Sussex coast, which had been the birthplace of his wife.