Riversdale, New Zealand
Encyclopedia
Riversdale is a small town in the Southland region
of New Zealand
. The population of Riversdale in the 2006 Census was 393, an increase of 30 people, or 8.3%, since the 2001 Census.
and the Mataura River
in the heart of the Waimea Plains
, and is roughly equidistant between Gore
and Lumsden
on State Highway 94
, the main road linking Gore with the tourist destination of Milford Sound
.
In terms of climate, Riversdale has a temperate oceanic climate grading onto a continental climate more commonly found in Central Otago
, with cold, wet winters and warm summers. The Riversdale region is one of the few areas in Southland prone to drought during the summer months.
was opened; it linked Gore on the Main South Line
with Lumsden on the Kingston Branch and passed through Riversdale. The line was an important economic link for many years, and the original Kingston Flyers
that gave their name to today's Kingston Flyer tourist train
in Kingston
passed through Riversdale on their way to Gore or Dunedin
from the 1890s through to Easter 1957.
With the improvement of road transportation and changes in government regulations, the railway lost its profitability, and in 1971, most of the line was closed, including the section through Riversdale.
Southland Region
Southland is New Zealand's southernmost region and is also a district within that region. It consists mainly of the southwestern portion of the South Island and Stewart Island / Rakiura...
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...
. The population of Riversdale in the 2006 Census was 393, an increase of 30 people, or 8.3%, since the 2001 Census.
Geography
Riversdale is located between the Hokonui HillsHokonui Hills
The Hokonui Hills, also known as The Hokonui Mountains or simply The Hokonui, are a range of hills in northern Southland, New Zealand. They rise to 600 metres above the surrounding Southland Plains, of which the hills mark a northern extremity....
and the Mataura River
Mataura River
The Mataura River is in the Southland Region of the South Island of New Zealand. It is 190 kilometres in length.The river's headwaters are located in mountains to the south of Lake Wakatipu. From there it flows southeast towards Gore, where it turns southward...
in the heart of the Waimea Plains
Waimea Plains
The Waimea Plains is the name of two areas of land at opposite ends of the South Island of New Zealand.-Waimea Plains, Tasman:The northern area with this name is a small but fertile area of low-lying land south of the city of Nelson...
, and is roughly equidistant between Gore
Gore, New Zealand
Gore is a town, surrounding borough, and district in the Southland region of the South Island of New Zealand.-Geography:The Gore District has a land area of 1,251.62 km² and a resident population of...
and Lumsden
Lumsden, New Zealand
Lumsden is a town in Southland, New Zealand. Lying in a gap in the surrounding hills, it is the location of a major junction halfway along the north-south road from Queenstown to Invercargill, where it is crossed by the east-west road from Gore to Te Anau. The town had a population of 453 as of the...
on State Highway 94
New Zealand State Highway 94
State Highway 94 is a New Zealand State Highway connecting the large Southland town of Gore with one of New Zealand's most popular destinations Milford Sound. It also passes the significant townships of Lumsden and Te Anau as well going through the Homer Tunnel...
, the main road linking Gore with the tourist destination of Milford Sound
Milford Sound
Milford Sound is a fjord in the south west of New Zealand's South Island, within Fiordland National Park, Piopiotahi Marine Reserve, and the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site...
.
In terms of climate, Riversdale has a temperate oceanic climate grading onto a continental climate more commonly found in Central Otago
Central Otago
Central Otago is the inland part of the New Zealand region of Otago in the South Island. The area commonly known as Central Otago includes both the Central Otago District and the Queenstown-Lakes District to the west....
, with cold, wet winters and warm summers. The Riversdale region is one of the few areas in Southland prone to drought during the summer months.
Railway
In 1880, the Waimea Plains RailwayWaimea Plains Railway
The Waimea Plains Railway was a secondary railway line that linked the towns of Lumsden and Gore in northern Southland, New Zealand...
was opened; it linked Gore on the Main South Line
Main South Line
The Main South Line, sometimes referred to as part of the South Island Main Trunk Railway, is a railroad line that runs north and south from Lyttelton in New Zealand through Christchurch and along the east coast of the South Island to Invercargill via Dunedin...
with Lumsden on the Kingston Branch and passed through Riversdale. The line was an important economic link for many years, and the original Kingston Flyers
Kingston Flyer (train)
The Kingston Flyer was a passenger express train operated by the New Zealand Railways Department between the 1890s and 1957. It operated to Kingston from multiple other termini: Gore, Invercargill, and less commonly, Dunedin.-Introduction:...
that gave their name to today's Kingston Flyer tourist train
Kingston Flyer
The Kingston Flyer is a vintage steam train operating in the South Island of New Zealand at the southern end of Lake Wakatipu. It uses 14 kilometres of preserved trackage that once formed a part of the Kingston Branch.-History:...
in Kingston
Kingston, New Zealand
Kingston is a small town at the southernmost end of Lake Wakatipu on the border of Otago and Southland, in New Zealand's South Island. It is 47 kilometres south of Queenstown by a road which winds between the lake to the west and The Remarkables mountains to the east...
passed through Riversdale on their way to Gore or 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...
from the 1890s through to Easter 1957.
With the improvement of road transportation and changes in government regulations, the railway lost its profitability, and in 1971, most of the line was closed, including the section through Riversdale.