Rolleston, New Zealand
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| Rolleston | |
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 Rolleston
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| Coordinates: 43°35′S 172°23′E / 43.583°S 172.383°E | |
| Country |  New Zealand |
| Island | South Island |
| Region | Canterbury |
| Territorial authority | Selwyn District |
| Named for | William Rolleston |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.5037 km2 (1.4 sq mi) |
| Population (2006 Census)[1] | |
| • Total | 3,822 |
| • Density | 1,090.8/km2 (2,825.3/sq mi) |
| Time zone | NZST (UTC+12) |
| • Summer (DST) | NZDT (UTC+13) |
| Local iwi | Ngāi Tahu |
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".[2] 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 (pronounced 'Rolston'), 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.
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.[3]
The radiata-pine plantations which once formed a feature of this part of Canterbury have largely been replaced by more water-intensive grazing land to take advantage of the "dairy boom" of the early 21st century.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.
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[edit] Amenities
Rolleston has a large community centre and library, a supermarket, medical centre, dental surgery , 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 as of 2010[update] 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.
[edit] 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, 12 km away in the nearby town of Lincoln.
[edit] Transport
State Highway 1 passes through Rolleston on its route between Christchurch and Timaru. Plans are underway to construct a four-lane expressway/motorway between Rolleston and Addington in Christchurch, with the Addington to Hornby motorway section already under construction.[4]
Two local bus routes serve Rolleston, both being part of Environment Canterbury's Metro system: route 88 (Rolleston) connects Rolleston with central Christchurch via Templeton, Hornby and Riccarton,[5] while route 820 (Burnham to Lincoln) connects Rolleston to the nearby towns of Burnham and Lincoln.[6]
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. As of 2010[update] 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.[7]
[edit] Christchurch Earthquake
Rolleston was close to the epicentre of the 2010 Canterbury earthquake but suffered low damage due to its underlying stones and stable rock. Only a few houses have been condemned and demolished from earthquake damage
[edit] References
- ^ Quickstats about Rolleston
- ^ "Not just a phrase". The Otago Daily Times. 23 January 2010. http://www.odt.co.nz/lifestyle/magazine/90137/not-just-a-phrase. Retrieved 29 January 2010.
- ^ "Selwyn's Izone growing". The Press (Christchurch: Fairfax New Zealand). 18 August 2010. http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/business/your-property/4034626/Selwyns-Izone-growing. Retrieved 20 October 2010. "February 2003: Plan change allows for Rolleston's population to grow from 3000 to 14,000."
- ^ "Christchurch Southern Corridor -- Information Sheet". New Zealand Transport Agency. January 2010. http://www.nzta.govt.nz/network/projects/christchurch-southern-corridor/docs/southern-corridor-infosheet.pdf. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
- ^ "88 Rolleston -- Timetable and Map". Metro Canterbury. http://www.metroinfo.co.nz/timetables-maps/88-rolleston.html?route=88. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
- ^ "820 Burnham to Lincoln -- Timetable and Map". Metro Canterbury. http://www.metroinfo.co.nz/timetables-maps/820-burnham.html?route=820. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
- ^ "Concrete truck in near-miss with TranzAlpine express". The New Zealand Herald. 27 May 2008. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10512777. Retrieved 2010-08-11. "A collision between a concrete truck and the Southerner passenger train at Rolleston in 1993 cost the lives of three passengers [...]"
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Coordinates: 43°35′S 172°23′E / 43.583°S 172.383°E
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