Rolleston, New Zealand
Encyclopedia
Rolleston is a town in the Selwyn District
of Canterbury, New Zealand
.
It is located next to State Highway 1, 22 km south-west of Christchurch
on the Canterbury Plains
in the South Island
of New Zealand
. The town uses the slogan
"The Town of the Future". The Selwyn District Council has its headquarters in the town.
Rolleston originated as a railway terminus in 1866, and is named after the Canterbury statesman William Rolleston
. Rolleston , who was born in Yorkshire in 1831 and died in 1903, served as Superintendent of the Province of Canterbury
from 1868 until 1876 (when central government abolished the New Zealand provinces). He also served as a Member of Parliament, holding various Cabinet portfolios.
Rolleston is the site of the railway junction between the Midland line
to Greymouth
and the Main South Line
. The town served as a major railway junction point from the 1880s until the late 1980s, when the New Zealand government deregulated the railways, and Rolleston became a stop only for the tourist-oriented TranzAlpine
rail service. passengers wanting to board the Tranzalpine at Rolleston must specify this when booking. In 1993 Rolleston saw one of the country's worst level-crossing accidents when a concrete truck ran into the side of a passenger train and killed 3 train passengers.
Until 1990 the town had only a few sealed streets and a population of just under 1,000. The current expansion was begun in the 1990s. Rolleston had a population of 1,974 as of the 2001 census, and 3,822 in the 2006 census. The projected population for Rolleston within the next 10 years is 14,000.
The radiata-pine plantations which once formed a feature of this part of Canterbury have largely been replaced by more water-intensive grazing land to take advantage of the "dairy boom" of the early 21st century
. Shelter belts of radiata, another significant earlier feature of the Plains (and very effective at mitigating the desiccating effects of the nor'west wind
have also been removed as they formed a barrier to the huge central-pivot irrigators that now litter the area. Rolleston is very exposed on the Canterbury Plains
and is therefore slightly drier, with a more continental climate
than nearby Christchurch. There are many vineyards in the area.
Rolleston is home to the RYAG (Rolleston youth action group) which is a group formed for Rolleston youth to have a say about what they want in their town. Thanks to some determined youth, Rolleston is building a new skate park and holding frequent discos and youth cafes.
Rolleston is the site of Rolleston Prison.
Rolleston is also the home of the Rolleston Volunteer Fire Brigade.
There are no secondary schools in Rolleston - the nearest is Lincoln High School
, 12 km away in the nearby town of Lincoln.
but suffered low damage due to its underlying stones and stable rock. Only a few houses have been condemned and demolished from earthquake damage
Selwyn District
The Selwyn District is a predominantly rural area in central Canterbury, on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island. It is named after the Selwyn River, which is in turn named after Bishop George Selwyn, the first Anglican bishop of New Zealand who, in 1843 and 1844, travelled the length of...
of Canterbury, New Zealand
Canterbury, New Zealand
The New Zealand region of Canterbury is mainly composed of the Canterbury Plains and the surrounding mountains. Its main city, Christchurch, hosts the main office of the Christchurch City Council, the Canterbury Regional Council - called Environment Canterbury - and the University of Canterbury.-...
.
It is located next to State Highway 1, 22 km south-west of Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
on the Canterbury Plains
Canterbury Plains
The Canterbury Plains are an area in New Zealand centred to the south of the city of Christchurch in the Canterbury Region. Their northern extremes are at the foot of the Hundalee Hills in the Hurunui District, and in the south they merge into the plains of North Otago beyond the Waitaki...
in the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
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 town uses the slogan
Slogan
A slogan is a memorable motto or phrase used in a political, commercial, religious and other context as a repetitive expression of an idea or purpose. The word slogan is derived from slogorn which was an Anglicisation of the Scottish Gaelic sluagh-ghairm . Slogans vary from the written and the...
"The Town of the Future". The Selwyn District Council has its headquarters in the town.
Rolleston originated as a railway terminus in 1866, and is named after the Canterbury statesman William Rolleston
William Rolleston
William Rolleston was a New Zealand politician, public administrator, educationalist and Canterbury provincial superintendent.-Early life:...
. Rolleston , who was born in Yorkshire in 1831 and died in 1903, served as Superintendent of the Province of Canterbury
Province of Canterbury
The Province of Canterbury, also called the Southern Province, is one of two ecclesiastical provinces making up the Church of England...
from 1868 until 1876 (when central government abolished the New Zealand provinces). He also served as a Member of Parliament, holding various Cabinet portfolios.
Rolleston is the site of the railway junction between the Midland line
Midland Line, New Zealand
The Midland line is a 212 km section of railway between Rolleston and Greymouth in the South Island of New Zealand. The line features five major bridges, five viaducts and 17 tunnels, the longest of which is the Otira tunnel.-Freight services:...
to Greymouth
Greymouth
Greymouth is the largest town in the West Coast region in the South Island of New Zealand, and the seat of the Grey District Council. The population of the whole Grey District is , which accounts for % of the West Coast's inhabitants...
and 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...
. The town served as a major railway junction point from the 1880s until the late 1980s, when the New Zealand government deregulated the railways, and Rolleston became a stop only for the tourist-oriented TranzAlpine
TranzAlpine
The TranzAlpine Express is a passenger train operated by Tranz Scenic in the South Island of New Zealand. This trip is often regarded to be one of the world's great train journeys for the scenery through which it passes . The journey is one-way, taking about four and a half hours...
rail service. passengers wanting to board the Tranzalpine at Rolleston must specify this when booking. In 1993 Rolleston saw one of the country's worst level-crossing accidents when a concrete truck ran into the side of a passenger train and killed 3 train passengers.
Until 1990 the town had only a few sealed streets and a population of just under 1,000. The current expansion was begun in the 1990s. Rolleston had a population of 1,974 as of the 2001 census, and 3,822 in the 2006 census. The projected population for Rolleston within the next 10 years is 14,000.
The radiata-pine plantations which once formed a feature of this part of Canterbury have largely been replaced by more water-intensive grazing land to take advantage of the "dairy boom" of the early 21st century
Dairy farming in New Zealand
Dairy farming in New Zealand began from small beginnings during the early days of colonisation by Europeans. The income from dairy farming is now a major part of the New Zealand economy, becoming an NZ$11 billion industry by 2010.-History:...
. Shelter belts of radiata, another significant earlier feature of the Plains (and very effective at mitigating the desiccating effects of the nor'west wind
Nor'west arch
The Nor'west arch is a weather pattern peculiar to the east coast of New Zealand's South Island. For this reason, it is also often referred to as the Canterbury arch. It is shown in an apparent arch of high white cloud in an otherwise clear blue sky over the Southern Alps, and is accompanied by a...
have also been removed as they formed a barrier to the huge central-pivot irrigators that now litter the area. Rolleston is very exposed on the Canterbury Plains
Canterbury Plains
The Canterbury Plains are an area in New Zealand centred to the south of the city of Christchurch in the Canterbury Region. Their northern extremes are at the foot of the Hundalee Hills in the Hurunui District, and in the south they merge into the plains of North Otago beyond the Waitaki...
and is therefore slightly drier, with a more continental climate
Continental climate
Continental climate is a climate characterized by important annual variation in temperature due to the lack of significant bodies of water nearby...
than nearby Christchurch. There are many vineyards in the area.
Amenities
Rolleston has a large community centre and library, a supermarket, medical centre, dental surgery (G&E Dental), veterinary service, coffee shops and restaurants and various other service industries befitting a rapidly growing, but still rural, community.Rolleston is home to the RYAG (Rolleston youth action group) which is a group formed for Rolleston youth to have a say about what they want in their town. Thanks to some determined youth, Rolleston is building a new skate park and holding frequent discos and youth cafes.
Rolleston is the site of Rolleston Prison.
Rolleston is also the home of the Rolleston Volunteer Fire Brigade.
Education
There are two full primary (Years 1-8) schools in Rolleston. Rolleston School is the larger of the two, with a roll of 615 students. Clearview Primary School opened in 2010, and has a roll of 360 students.There are no secondary schools in Rolleston - the nearest is Lincoln High School
Lincoln High School (New Zealand)
Lincoln High School is a multi-course, co-educational state secondary school in Lincoln, New Zealand. For fifty years it has served a large number of communities on the southern and western borders of Christchurch...
, 12 km away in the nearby town of Lincoln.
Christchurch Earthquake
Rolleston was close to the epicentre of the 2010 Canterbury earthquake2010 Canterbury earthquake
The 2010 Canterbury earthquake was a 7.1 magnitude earthquake, which struck the South Island of New Zealand at 4:35 am on local time ....
but suffered low damage due to its underlying stones and stable rock. Only a few houses have been condemned and demolished from earthquake damage