Selwyn District
Encyclopedia
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 the country by horse, foot, boat and canoe, leaving in his wake a sprinkling of locations that now bear his name.
and a council of 10 members, elected simultaneously every 3 years. The last election took place on 13 October 2007.
The mayor is elected on a First Past the Post basis.
The 10 councillors are elected from four ward
s on a multi-member First Past the Post basis; the total number of votes a candidate receives are considered. 2 councillors are elected from Ellesmere ward, 2 from Malvern, 3 from Selwyn Central, and 3 from Springs.
Malvern and Selwyn Central wards also have Community Boards, which have powers delegated to them by the Council.
The Selwyn District is within the Canterbury region
so Canterbury Regional Council
has responsibilities for regional planning, and water, air, discharge and river bed resource consent
s.
The Selwyn District has powers delegated to it by the Government of New Zealand, and carries out its duties with regard to laws such as the Local Government Act 2002 and the Resource Management Act
.
In national politics, Selwyn is represented in the Selwyn
electorate. Amy Adams
of the National Party
is the incumbent MP.
, and occupies a central position in the South Island
.
Boundaries: On the Canterbury Plains
, the Waimakariri River
forms the northern boundary; in the hill country the border with the Hurunui District
is more arbitrary. The eastern boundary comprises (from north to south) the city of Christchurch
, Banks Peninsula
, and the South Pacific Ocean. The southern boundary is the Rakaia River
, beyond which lies Ashburton District. The western boundary is the main divide of the Southern Alps
.
Geographical Features: Selwyn District contains within it two distinct regions: the plains and the high country. The plains, where most of the population lives and the majority of activity takes place, form an expanse of low-lying, flat, and comparatively dry grassland. The extreme south-east is dominated by Lake Ellesmere (Te Waihora)
, an expanse of water surrounded by marshes, formed by the out-flow of the Selwyn River. The tributaries of the Selwyn River include the Waianiwaniwa River
, the Hororata River and the Hawkins River.
The high country is a sparsely-populated region, mainly consisting of hill and mountain ranges and narrow river valleys. Most of the high country is grassland, including some tussocklands; areas of beech forest remain within the Craigieburn Forest Park
and the Arthurs Pass National Park.
Population: The total population of Selwyn District was Approximately half the population lives in the various towns and villages in the district, while the remainder are on farms. 95% of the population live on the plains. The largest towns are Darfield
, Leeston
, Lincoln
and Rolleston
. The towns of Springfield
and Sheffield
are on State Highway 73, where the foothills start to rise from the Canterbury Plains
.
Climate: The plains have a temperate climate, characterised by warm, dry summers and cool winters. The Southern Alps
are responsible for the relatively low rainfall, and also lead to a foehn wind, the "Canterbury Nor'Wester". This strong, hot and dry wind is most common in spring and summer, and on occasion reaches damage-causing strength. In the mountain country of the Southern Alps, conditions are much colder and wetter.
The services in the small towns primarily serve the surrounding community. The major exception would be in the town of Lincoln, home to a University and a number of Crown Research Institutes
and other organisations concerned with scientific research.
The Selwyn District Council owns 11% shareholding in Orion
, the local electricity distribution company.
, whose local marae (meeting house) is at Taumutu near the exit of Lake Ellesmere (Te Waihora).
In the late 19th century, European (chiefly British) colonists arrived and carved the area up into farmland. This has remained the predominant pattern ever since.
The Selwyn District as a unit of government was formed in 1989 from a legislated merger of the Malvern and Ellesmere counties, along with a portion of Paparua County.
Since this time, the district has enjoyed a stable and prosperous existence. Recent years have seen above-average population growth (more than 3% per year between the 2001 and 2006 censuses), making it the fastest-growing local authority in New Zealand in 2008-2009.
Most of Selwyn's new residents have moved from Christchurch to settle on small "lifestyle" farms and in Selwyn's small towns which are within easy commuting distance of the city (e.g. Rolleston, Prebbleton, Lincoln, West Melton, Kirwee). Rolleston, which also attracts immigrants from overseas, notably from Britain, is the fastest growing of these towns. It grew from 1,536 to 5,073 in the decade to 2006.
Selwyn District, along with Christchurch
and Waimakariri District
, was heavily damaged by the 2010 Canterbury earthquake
. The earthquake epicentre was located just outside of Darfield
.
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...
's 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...
. It is named after the Selwyn River, which is in turn named after Bishop George Selwyn
George Augustus Selwyn
George Augustus Selwyn was the first Anglican Bishop of New Zealand. He was Bishop of New Zealand from 1841 to 1858. His diocese was then subdivided and Selwyn was Primate of New Zealand from 1858 to 1868. He was Bishop of Lichfield from 1868 to 1878...
, the first Anglican bishop of New Zealand who, in 1843 and 1844, travelled the length of the country by horse, foot, boat and canoe, leaving in his wake a sprinkling of locations that now bear his name.
Government
The district is governed by an elected mayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
and a council of 10 members, elected simultaneously every 3 years. The last election took place on 13 October 2007.
The mayor is elected on a First Past the Post basis.
The 10 councillors are elected from four ward
Ward (subnational entity)
A ward is a subdivision of a municipality. Wards are usually named after neighbourhoods, thoroughfares, parishes, landmarks, geographical features and in some cases historical figures connected to the area...
s on a multi-member First Past the Post basis; the total number of votes a candidate receives are considered. 2 councillors are elected from Ellesmere ward, 2 from Malvern, 3 from Selwyn Central, and 3 from Springs.
Malvern and Selwyn Central wards also have Community Boards, which have powers delegated to them by the Council.
The Selwyn District is within the Canterbury region
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.-...
so Canterbury Regional Council
Canterbury Regional Council
Canterbury Regional Council is the regional council for Canterbury, the largest region in the South Island of New Zealand. It is part of New Zealand's structure of local government...
has responsibilities for regional planning, and water, air, discharge and river bed resource consent
Resource consent
A resource consent is the authorisation given to certain activities or uses of natural and physical resources required under the New Zealand Resource Management Act . Some activities may either be specifically authorised by the RMA or be permitted activities authorised by rules in plans...
s.
The Selwyn District has powers delegated to it by the Government of New Zealand, and carries out its duties with regard to laws such as the Local Government Act 2002 and the Resource Management Act
Resource Management Act
The Resource Management Act passed in 1991 in New Zealand is a significant, and at times, controversial Act of Parliament. The RMA promotes the sustainable management of natural and physical resources such as land, air and water...
.
In national politics, Selwyn is represented in the Selwyn
Selwyn (New Zealand electorate)
Selwyn is the name of three seats in the New Zealand House of Representatives, based around towns on the outskirts of Christchurch city. In an historical sense, the name refers to an electorate that existed between 1866 and 1919...
electorate. Amy Adams
Amy Adams (politician)
Amy Adams is a member of the New Zealand Parliament. She currently represents the Selwyn electorate and is a member of the National Party.-Private life:...
of the National Party
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
is the incumbent MP.
Geography
The Selwyn District lies in central CanterburyCanterbury, 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.-...
, and occupies a central position 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...
.
Boundaries: 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...
, the Waimakariri River
Waimakariri River
The Waimakariri River is the largest of the North Canterbury rivers, in the South Island of New Zealand. It flows for 151 kilometres in a generally southeastward direction from the Southern Alps across the Canterbury Plains to the Pacific Ocean....
forms the northern boundary; in the hill country the border with the Hurunui District
Hurunui District
The Hurunui District is a political district on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island, north of Christchurch, New Zealand. It forms part of the Canterbury region and stretches from the east coast to the main divide. Its land area is ....
is more arbitrary. The eastern boundary comprises (from north to south) the city 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...
, Banks Peninsula
Banks Peninsula
Banks Peninsula is a peninsula of volcanic origin on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It has an area of approximately and encompasses two large harbours and many smaller bays and coves...
, and the South Pacific Ocean. The southern boundary is the Rakaia River
Rakaia River
The Rakaia River is in the Canterbury Plains in New Zealand's South Island. The Rakaia River is one of the largest braided rivers in New Zealand...
, beyond which lies Ashburton District. The western boundary is the main divide of the Southern Alps
Southern Alps
The Southern Alps is a mountain range extending along much of the length of New Zealand's South Island, reaching its greatest elevations near the island's western side...
.
Geographical Features: Selwyn District contains within it two distinct regions: the plains and the high country. The plains, where most of the population lives and the majority of activity takes place, form an expanse of low-lying, flat, and comparatively dry grassland. The extreme south-east is dominated by Lake Ellesmere (Te Waihora)
Lake Ellesmere
Lake Ellesmere / Te Waihora is located in the Canterbury Region of the South Island of New Zealand. It is actually a broad, shallow lagoon located directly to the west of Banks Peninsula, separated from the Pacific Ocean by a long narrow sandy spit called Kaitorete Spit, or more correctly Kaitorete...
, an expanse of water surrounded by marshes, formed by the out-flow of the Selwyn River. The tributaries of the Selwyn River include the Waianiwaniwa River
Waianiwaniwa River
The Waianiwaniwa River is a river in the Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand.The source is in the foothills of the Southern Alps and it is a tributary of the Selwyn River. The Central Plains Water Trust is seeking approval to dam the river for a contentious irrigation scheme...
, the Hororata River and the Hawkins River.
The high country is a sparsely-populated region, mainly consisting of hill and mountain ranges and narrow river valleys. Most of the high country is grassland, including some tussocklands; areas of beech forest remain within the Craigieburn Forest Park
Craigieburn Forest Park
Craigieburn Forest Park is a protected area in the South Island of New Zealand.One of its boundaries lies in part alongside State Highway 73 and is adjacent to the eastern flanks of the Southern Alps....
and the Arthurs Pass National Park.
Population: The total population of Selwyn District was Approximately half the population lives in the various towns and villages in the district, while the remainder are on farms. 95% of the population live on the plains. The largest towns are Darfield
Darfield, New Zealand
Darfield is a town in the Selwyn District of the South Island of New Zealand. It is located 35 kilometres west from the outskirts of Christchurch, New Zealand on State Highway 73 and the town is on the Midland railway line, route of the famous TranzAlpine train service...
, Leeston
Leeston
Leeston is a small town on the Canterbury Plains in the South Island of New Zealand. It is located 40 kilometres southwest of Christchurch, between the shore of Lake Ellesmere and the mouth of the Rakaia River...
, Lincoln
Lincoln, New Zealand
Lincoln is a town in the Selwyn District of Canterbury, New Zealand. The town has a population of 2,727.-Location:It is located on the Canterbury Plains to the west of Banks Peninsula, 22 kilometres south of Christchurch.-History:...
and Rolleston
Rolleston, New Zealand
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 towns of Springfield
Springfield, New Zealand
Springfield is a small town in the Selwyn District of Canterbury, in the South Island, of New Zealand. In 2001 it had a population of 219. At the foot of the Southern Alps, west of Christchurch, it is the most westerly town of the central Canterbury Plains...
and Sheffield
Sheffield and Waddington, New Zealand
Sheffield is a small village located in the Selwyn District of the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island, near the Waimakariri Gorge....
are on State Highway 73, where the foothills start to rise from 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...
.
Climate: The plains have a temperate climate, characterised by warm, dry summers and cool winters. The Southern Alps
Southern Alps
The Southern Alps is a mountain range extending along much of the length of New Zealand's South Island, reaching its greatest elevations near the island's western side...
are responsible for the relatively low rainfall, and also lead to a foehn wind, the "Canterbury Nor'Wester". This strong, hot and dry wind is most common in spring and summer, and on occasion reaches damage-causing strength. In the mountain country of the Southern Alps, conditions are much colder and wetter.
Economy
Much of the district's economy is based around farming. Most of this is pastoral: beef cattle and sheep in drier areas, and dairy and deer farming in wetter areas. Some horsebreeding is also done. There is also a substantial amount of cropping; wheat and barley are grown on the plains, along with smaller amounts of grapes and other fruit, vegetables, mushrooms and flowers.The services in the small towns primarily serve the surrounding community. The major exception would be in the town of Lincoln, home to a University and a number of Crown Research Institutes
Crown Research Institutes
In New Zealand, Crown Research Institutes are corporatised Crown entities charged with conducting scientific research.Crown Research Institutes date from 1992, with most formed out of the parts of the former Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and of elements of various government...
and other organisations concerned with scientific research.
The Selwyn District Council owns 11% shareholding in Orion
Orion New Zealand Limited
Orion New Zealand Limited is an electricity distribution company, based in Christchurch, New Zealand.The company was formed under its current name in December 1998.Orion is owned by Christchurch City Council and Selwyn District Council...
, the local electricity distribution company.
History
The first inhabitants of the area were the Māori who first settled New Zealand from the Cook and Society Islands about 700 years ago. The predominant Māori tribe today, in Selwyn and most of the rest of the South Island, is Ngai TahuNgai Tahu
Ngāi Tahu, or Kāi Tahu, is the principal Māori iwi of the southern region of New Zealand, with the tribal authority, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, being based in Christchurch and Invercargill. The iwi combines three groups, Kāi Tahu itself, and Waitaha and Kāti Mamoe who lived in the South Island prior...
, whose local marae (meeting house) is at Taumutu near the exit of Lake Ellesmere (Te Waihora).
In the late 19th century, European (chiefly British) colonists arrived and carved the area up into farmland. This has remained the predominant pattern ever since.
The Selwyn District as a unit of government was formed in 1989 from a legislated merger of the Malvern and Ellesmere counties, along with a portion of Paparua County.
Since this time, the district has enjoyed a stable and prosperous existence. Recent years have seen above-average population growth (more than 3% per year between the 2001 and 2006 censuses), making it the fastest-growing local authority in New Zealand in 2008-2009.
Most of Selwyn's new residents have moved from Christchurch to settle on small "lifestyle" farms and in Selwyn's small towns which are within easy commuting distance of the city (e.g. Rolleston, Prebbleton, Lincoln, West Melton, Kirwee). Rolleston, which also attracts immigrants from overseas, notably from Britain, is the fastest growing of these towns. It grew from 1,536 to 5,073 in the decade to 2006.
Selwyn District, along with 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...
and Waimakariri District
Waimakariri District
The Waimakariri District is a political district of New Zealand, located in the South Island, on the eastern coast of north Canterbury. It is north of Christchurch and the Waimakariri River and is a part of the greater Canterbury region. The name is Māori for cold river.The district was established...
, was heavily damaged by the 2010 Canterbury earthquake
2010 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 ....
. The earthquake epicentre was located just outside of Darfield
Darfield, New Zealand
Darfield is a town in the Selwyn District of the South Island of New Zealand. It is located 35 kilometres west from the outskirts of Christchurch, New Zealand on State Highway 73 and the town is on the Midland railway line, route of the famous TranzAlpine train service...
.