Hamilton, New Zealand: Difference between revisions
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===Rail=== |
===Rail=== |
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Hamilton is the railway junction of the [[East Coast Main Trunk Railway|East Coast Main Trunk]] |
Hamilton is the railway junction of the [[East Coast Main Trunk Railway|East Coast Main Trunk]] and the [[North Island Main Trunk Railway|North Island Main Trunk]]. This junction is the busiest in New Zealand, and is home to the Te Rapa Marshalling Yard and locomotive depot. This facility marks the northernmost extent of the 25kV AC 60hZ electrification between Hamilton and Palmerston North. |
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The original Hamilton Railway Station was a large island station, in later years with two large signalboxes, standing just north of the locomotive depot, which stood in the junction between the ECMT and NIMT. Due to the increase in rail traffic in the 1970s and the end of steam operation in the North Island in 1968 saw the old station closed and a new one opened on the site of the locomotive depot in 1975. The former Frankton South End signalbox was relocated to the Hamilton Miniature Engineers' site at Minogue Park in Te Rapa, directly opposite the new Te Rapa loco depot, while the station building ended up near Waikato University as a cafe. |
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Hamilton also has an underground station in the central city located in a tunnel which runs from the Claudelands Rail Bridge through to Ward Park. The station is currently disused and is only accessible from the tunnel entrance. Up until the 1960s, the railway cut across Victoria Street, disrupting traffic and covering property with oily smoke and fumes.<ref>Source:Waikato museum photo</ref> |
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Today, passenger services in Hamilton are limited to the new [[Northern Explorer]], which replaced [[The Overlander]] in 2012. Previous services include the [[Kaimai Express]] and [[Geyserland Express]] railcars which ran to Tauranga and Rotorua (Koutu) respectively and were cancelled in 2002, and the overnight [[Northerner]], which ceased operation in 2004 under Toll Rail. In recent years, the canopy over Platform One (NIMT) has been reduced, while Platform Two (ECMT) is only used by excursion trains. |
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Up until 1964, the ECMT cut across the central city and crossed what is now the Claudelands Bridge. This proved a problem with growing traffic congestion at the city level crossings, and although various plans were mooted for the lowering of the rails, this did not take place until 1964 when a new low-level line and railway bridge over the Waikato River was built.<ref>Source:Waikato museum photo</ref> |
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As part of this, a new low level station was constructed. In later years part of this line was enclosed in a tunnel. |
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The Hamilton Central railway station was enclosed under the new NZR Road Services bus terminal that was built in the late 1960s, but was later closed and the entrance blocked off with a slab of concrete. With the closure of the bus station and its demolition to make way for a new Warehouse store, the entrance was blocked up by the new foundations of the store and its underground carpark. |
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The station platform still exists, but access is only from the entrance of the railway tunnel. The platform and its walls have been heavily graffitied since their closure in the 1970s. It was mooted to return the station to working order for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, but this did not take place, in part due to the potential costs of restoring the station to a useable state and reopening the former blocked-up entrance-way, which was sealed when the Warehouse was completed in 2005/6. |
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Recently there have been moves to re-introduce daily commuter train services to Auckland, with various studies supporting the economic and environmental benefits.<ref>http://www.ew.govt.nz/PageFiles/2322/hamiltonToAucklandCommuterRailStudy.pdf</ref> However, recent Government decisions have prioritised the completing the proposed Waikato Expressway over new train services. |
Recently there have been moves to re-introduce daily commuter train services to Auckland, with various studies supporting the economic and environmental benefits.<ref>http://www.ew.govt.nz/PageFiles/2322/hamiltonToAucklandCommuterRailStudy.pdf</ref> However, recent Government decisions have prioritised the completing the proposed Waikato Expressway over new train services. |
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The City of Hamilton also has two locomotives on display as reminders of its rail heritage: |
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* Ex-NZR [[NZR F class]] 230 was donated by Ellis & Burnand, the central North Island sawmillers, in 1956 for static display. Formerly used as the yard engine at their Mangapehi sawmill, it was placed on display at Lake Rotoroa and its boiler filled with concrete. This engine has become a 0-4-2ST in later years following the loss of her rear coupling rod. |
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* Ex-NZR D<sup>SA</sup> 230 (TMS DSA 359), a 0-6-0DM diesel shunting locomotive built by English Electric on the behalf of the Drewry Car Company, was withdrawn in 1986 and placed on display at Frankton minus its Gardner 8L3 diesel engine and transmission. It was moved sometime in the early 2000s with its shelter to Minogue park, where it was united with an open seating wagon built on the underframe of wagon W 960, built in 1946 and converted to Way & Works wagon E 7784 in April 1966. |
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In the Frankton business area, there is a former McKenzie & Holland 'Home' signal and an old motor trolley on display. |
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===The railway settlement=== |
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From the arrival of the railway in Hamilton, Frankton was a railway town. Into the 1920s, the suburb became even more railway-orientated after the new Railways sawmill was opened, producing the famous railway houses which are now sought-after pieces of real estate. The sawmill also produced everything else such as signal masts and boxes, bridges, sleepers, and even furniture for railway stations. This factory closed in the 1990s, and is now home to a range of businesses. |
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Frankton also was home to the Way and Works depot, still in operation as the KiwiRail Network depot. This was connected to the main line by a short siding that ran past the factory; this line was last used in 1997 when a shunting locomotive retrieved two flat wagons from the Way and Works depot. Most of the original formation could still be seen until the realignment of Norton Road in 2011. |
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The railway workers' community was centred largely around the W&W depot and sawmill, containing some 200 houses and a Railways Social Hall. Many of the houses are still in place, the majority being the classic 90sq<sup>2</sup> three-bedroom design used as standard across New Zealand for railway staff.<ref>There were two sizes of Railway houses, the classic 90sq<sup>2</sup> and the larger 100sq<sup>2</sup> which was for management only. All were three-bedroom structures, and came with a choice of six different front porches.</ref> |
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==Education== |
==Education== |
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Revision as of 23:41, 9 December 2012
Hamilton
Kirikiriroa (Māori) | |
|---|---|
| Hamilton City / Lake Rotoroa / Waikato River Hamilton City / Lake Rotoroa / Waikato River | |
| Nickname(s): | |
 Location of the Hamilton Territorial Authority | |
| Country |  New Zealand |
| Island | North Island |
| Region | Waikato Region |
| Territorial authority | Hamilton City |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Julie Hardaker |
| • Deputy Mayor | Gordon Chesterman |
| Area | |
| • Territorial | 98 km2 (38 sq mi) |
| Population (June 2018)[3] | |
| • Territorial | 165,900 |
| • Density | 1,700/km2 (4,400/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 241,200 |
| • Demonym | Hamiltonian |
| Time zone | UTC+12 (NZST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+13 (NZDT) |
| Area code | 07 |
| Local iwi | Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Raukawa, Tainui |
| Website | http://www.hamilton.co.nz http://www.ew.govt.nz |
Hamilton (Kirikiriroa in Māori) is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately 130 km (81 mi)* south of Auckland. It sits at a major road and rail nexus in the centre of the Waikato basin, on both banks of the Waikato River.
Initially an agricultural service centre, it now has a growing and diverse economy and is the second fastest growing urban area in New Zealand.[4] Education and research and development play an important part in Hamilton's economy, as the city is home to approximately 40,000 tertiary students and 1,000 PhD scientists.[5]
History
The area now covered by the city was originally the site of a handful of Māori villages (kāinga), including Pukete, Miropiko and Kirikiriroa ("long stretch of gravel'), from which the city takes its Māori name. Local Māori were the target of raids by Ngāpuhi during the Musket Wars,[6] and several pā sites from this period can still be found beside the Waikato River.In December 2011 several rua or food storage pits were found near the Waikato River bank, close to the Waikato museum. Missionaries such as Gorst, estimated that Kirikiriroa had a population of about 78 before the Waikato Kingitanga wars of 1863-64. The government estimated the Waikato area had a Maori population of 3,400 at the same time. By the time British settlers arrived after 1863, most of these villages had been abandoned as the inhabitants were away fighting with the Kingitanga rebels further west in the battlefields of the upper Waipa river. Missionaries arrived in the area in the 1830s.[7] At the end of the Waikato Campaign in the New Zealand Wars the four regiments of the Waikato Militia were settled as a peace-keeping force across the region.[7] The 1st Regiment was at Tauranga, the 2nd at Pirongia, the 3rd at Cambridge and the 4th at Kirikiriroa.[7][8] The settlement was founded on 24 August 1864 and named by Colonel William Moule after Captain John Fane Charles Hamilton,[9] the popular Scottish commander of HMS Esk, who was killed in the battle of Gate Pā, Tauranga.
The road from Auckland reached Hamilton in 1867 and the railway in December 1877. That same month, the towns of Hamilton West and Hamilton East merged under a single borough council.[10] The first traffic bridge between Hamilton West and Hamilton East, known as the Union Bridge, opened in 1879. It was replaced by the Victoria Bridge in 1910.
The first railway bridge, the Claudelands Bridge, was opened in 1884. It was converted to a road traffic bridge in 1965.[11] Hamilton reached 1,000 people in 1900, and the town of Frankton merged with the Hamilton Borough in 1917.[8] Between 1912 and 1936, Hamilton expanded with new land in Claudelands (1912), Maeroa (1925), and Richmond – modern day Waikato Hospital and northern Melville (1936).[12] Hamilton was proclaimed a city in 1945.[7]
The city is near the southernmost navigable reach (by the settlers steam boats) of the Waikato River, amidst New Zealand's richest and now fertile agricultural land that was once largely Raupo and Kahikatea swamp[13]
Hamilton today
Hamilton Central, on the Waikato River, is a bustling retail precinct. The entertainment area is quite vibrant due to the large student population. The 2008 Lonely Planet guide states that "the city's main street has sprouted a sophisticated and vibrant stretch of bars and eateries that on the weekend at least leave Auckland's Viaduct Harbour for dead in the boozy fun stakes."[14] Many of the city's venues and attractions are located on the old Town Belt, including Hamilton Gardens, Waikato Stadium, Seddon Park, Founders Theatre and the Hamilton Lake Domain.
As of 2012, the city continues to grow rapidly. Development is focused on the northern end of the city although in 2012 the council made a decision to balance the city's growth by approving an urban development to the south . Traffic congestion is increasing due to population growth, though the council has undertaken many road development projects to try to keep up with the rapid growth.[15] State Highway 1 runs directly through the city, which contributes to congestion. The Hamilton section of the Waikato Expressway, which aims to reduce congestion in the city, has a target completion date of 2019.[16]
The rapid growth of Hamilton has brought with it the side effects of urban sprawl especially to the north east of the city in the Rototuna area. Further development is planned in the Rototuna and Peacocke suburbs.[17] There has been significant development of lifestyle blocks in the Hamilton Urban Area, in particular Tamahere, Matangi and Horsham Downs.
List of suburbs
- Western suburbs
Beerescourt; Crawshaw; Deanwell; Dinsdale; Fitzroy; Forest Lake; Frankton; Glenview; Grandview Heights; Hamilton Central; Hamilton North; Hamilton West; Livingstone; Maeroa; Melville; Nawton; Peacocke; Pukete; Rotokauri; St Andrews; Stonebridge; Te Rapa; Temple View; Thornton; Western Heights; Whitiora.
- Eastern suburbs
Ashmore; Callum Brae; Chartwell; Chedworth Park; Claudelands; Enderley; Fairfield; Fairview Downs; Flagstaff; Hamilton East; Harrowfield; Hillcrest; Huntington; Magellan Rise; Queenwood; Ruakura; Riverlea; Rototuna; Silverdale; Somerset Heights; St James Park; St Petersburg.
- Towns/Suburbs in the Hamilton Urban Area
Cambridge, Te Awamutu, Ngaruawahia, Taupiri, Horotiu, Huntly, Mikos, Lemington, Gordonton, Ohaupo, Ngahinapouri, Te Kowhai, Whatawhata, Tamahere, Matangi, Flutos, Tauwhare, Rukuhia, Kihikihi.
Geography
 |
The landscape of Hamilton was formed by the last eruption of the Lake Taupo volcano complex 1800 years ago which sent waves of volcanic debris northwards and changed the path of the Waikato River to its present path. With the exceptions of the many low hills such as those around the University of Waikato, Hamilton Lake, Beerescourt, Sylvester Road, Pukete and to the west of the city, and an extensive network of gullies, the terrain of the city is relatively flat. In some areas such as Te Rapa, one old path of an ancient river can be traced. The relatively soft and unconsolidated soil material is still being actively eroded by rain and runoff.
In its natural state, Hamilton and environs was very swampy in winter with many of the 30 small lakes overflowing into surrounding peat swamps. Early photos of Hamilton East show carts buried up to their axles in thick mud. The site had about small lakes, most of which have now been drained. Up until the 1880s it was possible to row and drag a dinghy from the city to many outlying farms to the North East. This swampy, damp environment was ideal breeding ground for the TB bacillus, which was a major health hazard in the pioneering days. The first Hamilton hospital was constructed on a hill to avoid this problem. One of the reasons why population growth was so slow in Hamilton until the 1920s was the great difficulty in bridging the many arms of the deep swampy gullies that cross the city.
In the 1930s, Garden Place Hill, one of the many small hills sometimes referred to as the Hamilton Hills, was removed by unemployed workers working with picks and shovels and model T Ford trucks. The Western remains of the hill are retained by a large concrete wall. The original hill ran from the present Wintec site eastwards to the old post office (now casino). The earth was taken 4 km north to partly fill the Maeroa gully adjacent to the Baptist Church on the main road. Lake Rotoroa (Hamilton Lake) began forming about 20,000 years ago. Originally it was part of an ancient river system that was cut off by deposition material and became 2 small lakes divided by a narrow peninsula. With higher rainfall and drainage from the extensive peat land to the west, the water level rose so the narrow peninsula was drowned so forming one larger lake. To the north the lake is 8m deep and in the southern (hospital) end 6m deep. The old dividing peninsula, the start of which is still visible above water on the eastern side, is only 2m below the surface.
Climate
Hamilton has a temperate, damp climate, with about 1,184 mm (46.6 in) of rainfall annually. Daily maximum temperatures range from about 22° to 26 °C (72°–79 °F) in January and February to 10° to 15 °C (50°–59 °F) in July and August. Summer occasionally sees temperatures of more than 28 °C (82 °F), while on clear winter mornings temperatures may drop to as low as −3 °C (27 °F). Ground frosts are common and snow is extremely rare. The only recorded snowfall in modern times was light snow flakes in mid August 2011 during a prolonged cold period that saw 75mm of snow fall as far north as Dargaville. Typically summers are warm and dry and winters cool and wet. On average, Hamilton sees 2000 hours of sunshine each year. [citation needed] Thick fog is common on winter mornings, and often lasts until late morning. Fog is most common near the river, the extensive gully system and rural areas. Frost is also a common sight during winter. The absence of large-bodied water means that Hamilton is colder during the night than places like Auckland and Tauranga, despite its low elevation. Hamilton has the lowest wind speed averages for a city in New Zealand, due to its inland and low-altitude location of 20m above sea level. The highest temperature recorded in Hamilton was 35 degrees (95F), and the city holds the record for the coldest temperature experienced by a main New Zealand city with -10 degrees (14F).[citation needed]
| Climate data for Hamilton, New Zealand | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 24 (75) |
24 (75) |
23 (73) |
20 (68) |
17 (63) |
14 (57) |
14 (57) |
15 (59) |
16 (61) |
18 (64) |
20 (68) |
22 (72) |
18.9 (66.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 13 (55) |
13 (55) |
12 (54) |
9 (48) |
7 (45) |
5 (41) |
4 (39) |
5 (41) |
7 (45) |
8 (46) |
10 (50) |
12 (54) |
8.7 (47.7) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 85 (3.3) |
71 (2.8) |
87 (3.4) |
95 (3.7) |
102 (4.0) |
119 (4.7) |
126 (5.0) |
117 (4.6) |
102 (4.0) |
96 (3.8) |
93 (3.7) |
95 (3.7) |
1,184 (46.6) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 11 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 177 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 217 | 196 | 186 | 150 | 124 | 90 | 124 | 120 | 155 | 186 | 210 | 217 | 1,975 |
| Source: NIWA[18] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
Hamilton is growing annually, with populations of 241,200 for the urban area and 165,900 for the territorial authority (June 2018s).[3]
According to official census figures,[19] Hamilton's population is 65.3% Pākehā/European, 19.9% Māori, 10.6% Asian, 4.2% Pacific Peoples and 1.5% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African. More than 80 ethnic groups are represented within Hamilton’s population. The main area of population growth is in the Flagstaff-Rototuna area. With its large tertiary student population at Wintec and Waikato University, approximately 40,000 tertiary students, Hamilton has a significant transient population.[20] Hamilton is the second fastest growing population centre after Auckland.
Government and politics
Local government
Hamilton is located in the administrative areas of the Hamilton City Council. The council consists of thirteen councillors and a mayor (currently Julie Hardaker), elected in 2010. Council elections are held every three years.
The current council members are:-
| Mayor | Julie Hardaker |
| Deputy Mayor | Gordon Chesterman |
| Councillors – East Ward | Daphne Bell Peter Bos Gordon Chesterman Margaret Forsyth Roger Hennebry Pippa Mahood |
| Councillors – West Ward | Martin Gallagher John Gower Dave Macpherson Angela O'Leary Maria Westphal Ewan Wilson |
Hamilton City is itself part of the Waikato Region, controlled administratively by the Waikato Regional Council.
Central government
Hamilton has three electorate MPs in the Parliament of New Zealand. Both Hamilton East and Hamilton West electorates are considered bellwether seats.
The electorates are currently represented by:
General electorates:
Hamilton based List MPs:
Economy
Education and research are important to the city, through the University of Waikato and the Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec). Research at the Ruakura research centres have been responsible for much of New Zealand's innovation in agriculture. Hamilton's main revenue source is the dairy industry, due to its location in the centre of New Zealand's largest dairying area – the Waikato region.
Hamilton annually hosts the National Agricultural Fieldays at Mystery Creek, the southern hemisphere's biggest agricultural trade exhibition. Mystery Creek is the country's largest event centre and hosts other events of national importance, such as the National Car Show and the National Boat Show.
Manufacturing and retail are also important to the local economy, as is the provision of health services through the Waikato Hospital. The city is home to New Zealand's largest aircraft manufacturer, Pacific Aerospace, which manufactured its 1,000th aircraft in August 2009, and Micro Aviation NZ which manufactures and exports high-quality microlight aircraft. It also has its largest concentration of trailer-boat manufacturers such as Buccaneer.
Recent years have seen the firm establishment of the New Zealand base of the British flight training organisation CTC Aviation. CTC trains over one hundred airline pilots a year at its "Crew Training Centre" at Hamilton Airport.
Tainui Group Holdings Ltd, the commercial arm of the Waikato tribe, is one of Hamilton's largest property developers. The Waikato tribe is one of the city's largest landowners. Tainui owns land at The Base, Centre Place, The Warehouse Central, University of Waikato, Wintec, the Courthouse, Fairfield College, and the Ruakura AgResearch centre.[25] The Waikato tribe is a major shareholder of the Novotel Tainui and the Hotel Ibis. It has developed the large retail centre The Base in the old Te Rapa airforce base site which was returned to Tainui, following confiscation in the 1860s, as part of a 1995 Treaty of Waitangi settlement. In mid-2010, The Base was further expanded with Te Awa Mall complex stage 1. Many large retailers such as Farmers have located at Te Awa.[citation needed] In 2011 a further stage was opened, with movie theatres, restaurants, shops and an underground carpark.
Culture
In 2004, Hamilton City Council honored former resident Richard O'Brien with a life-size bronze statue of him as Riff Raff in his space suit, from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The statue was designed by WETA Workshops, who had done the props for The Lord of the Rings films. It stands on the former site of the Embassy Cinema, where Richard watched science fiction-double features.[26]
Several Maori Pa have been part restored at Pukete, Hikuwai and Miropiko along the banks of the Waikato River.
The city is host to a large number of small galleries and the Waikato Museum. The latter includes Te Winika, one of the best-preserved waka (Māori war canoe) from the pre-colonisation era.
Music
Hamilton is host to several large scale music festivals including the Soundscape music festival, which is one of New Zealand's largest street parties,[27][28][29] and the Parachute music festival. The city also hosts the Opus Chamber Orchestra which draws musicians from around the Waikato Region[30] and is the home of the New Zealand Chamber Soloists.[31] An ongoing classical concert series featuring world class musicians[32] is held throughout the year at the Gallagher Concert Chamber, organised by the University of Waikato, Conservatorium of Music.
Events
- January: Parachute music festival, Summer in Garden Place
- February: Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival, Couch Soup Festival of One-Act Plays
- March: Soundscape
- March: Indigo Festival
- April: Armageddon Expo Sci Fi & Comics Convention
- April: Hamilton 400, V8 Supercars street race
- April: Balloons over Waikato hot air ballooning festival
- April: 5 Bridges River Swim
- May: Hamilton Circle Jerk music event
- June: National Agricultural Fieldays
- June: Hamilton Fuel Festival
- July: Soundscape
- August: World Rally Championship
- August: International Festival of Media, Arts and Design
- August: International Film Festival
- September: The Great Race
- September: Hamilton Fringe Festival
- September: Hamilton Underground Film Festival[33]
- November: Bridge to Bridge waterskiing event
Sport
The local rugby union teams are Waikato (ITM Cup) and the Chiefs (Super Rugby). The local colours are red, yellow and black, and the provincial mascot is Mooloo, an anthropomorphic cow. Both teams play at Waikato Stadium. Hamilton is also home to a soccer club, Waikato FC, that competes in the ASB Premiership. The soccer club Hamilton Wanderers that competes in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Premier also are based in Hamilton.
Seddon Park (formerly Westpac Park) is Hamilton's main cricket venue and hosts Test matches and One Day Internationals. It is the home ground of the Northern Districts Cricket Association.
Hamilton is fast becoming a motorsport venue as well. A round of the WRC was held in 2006 and the annual V8 Supercars race on a street circuit started in 2008 and ended in 2012.
Sailing takes place on Hamilton lake for 9 months of the year. The Hamilton Yacht Club has its clubrooms, slipway and ramp on the western side of Lake Rotoroa. Motor boats are not allowed on the lake, with an exception of the Yacht Club rescue boats.
Each year in April, Hamilton supports the '5 Bridges' swimming challenge. The course starts in Hamilton Gardens, and continues for 6 kilometres finishing at Ann St Beach. The swim is assisted by the current, with the full distance typically covered in under an hour. The event celebrated in 71st year on 11 April 2010.[34]
Media
The major daily newspaper is the Waikato Times. Weekly community newspapers include the Hamilton Press, Hamilton News and student magazine Nexus.
Local radio stations include The Breeze, Community Radio Hamilton, Contact FM. The Edge and The Rock, two of New Zealand's most popular radio stations, were originally based in Hamilton.
City facilities and attractions
The Base is New Zealand's largest shopping centre and Hamilton's most popular tourist attraction with over 7.5 million visitors per year to the 190 stores. Te Awa, an enclosed speciality retail mall at The Base, was awarded a silver medal by the International Council of Shopping Centres for the second-best expansion in the Asia Pacific region.[35]
Hamilton Gardens is the region's second most popular tourist attraction and hosts the Hamilton Gardens Summer Festival each year.
Other local attractions include Hamilton Zoo, the Waikato Museum, the Hamilton Astronomical Society Observatory, the Arts Post art gallery, and the SkyCity casino. Just 20 minutes' drive away is Ngaruawahia, the location of Turangawaewae Marae and the home of Māori King Tuheitia Paki.
Hamilton has six public libraries located throughout the city with the Central Library housing the main reference and heritage collection. Hamilton City Theaters provides professional venue and event management at three theatrical venues in the city: Founders Theater, Clarence St Theater, and The Meteor theater.
St Peter's Cathedral, built in 1916, is the Anglican cathedral in Hamilton, on Cathedral Hill at the southern end of Victoria Street. There is also St Mary's Roman Catholic cathedral on the opposite side of the river.
The Hamilton New Zealand Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is located in Temple View, Hamilton. It was opened along with the Church College of New Zealand, a large high school owned by the church, in the late 1950s. Both the college and the temple were built by labour missionaries. The school was closed in December 2009. Every year, the temple hosts a large Christmas lighting show which attracts large crowds from all over the country.
Hospitals
Hamilton's public hospital is Waikato Hospital with 600 beds and a staff of approximately 2,500 located between Melville and Hamilton West.[36] There are two other major private hospitals in Hamilton City; Braemar Hospital, located in the same area that Waikato Hospital is located, and Southern Cross Hospital, located in Hamilton East. A new cancer hospital is due to open in November 2010 on the previous Braemar Hospital campus. Hamilton also has a two private primary maternity hospitals, which are fully funded by the Waikato District Health Board, Waterford Birth Centre and River Ridge Birth Centre.[37]
Transport
Air
Hamilton International Airport serves as both a domestic and international airport. There are direct flights to Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch and regular flights to other destinations throughout the North Island. The airport also served as a major base for now defunct low-cost airlines Freedom Air and Kiwi Air. As of 1 September 2009, Virgin Australia now offers three international flights a week, to and from Brisbane Airport and Sydney Airport.[38] All international flights have now been discontinued.
Cycling
Hamilton has extensive cycleways which link the city center with the outlying suburbs. These cycleways consist of a mixture of dedicated cycle lanes,which are 1 metre wide strips either coloured green or with a painted outine of a cycle and mixed use cycle/walk ways which are mainly located alongside the Waikato River.[39]
Road
An extensive bus network provides coverage of Hamilton City. Many routes extend radially from the central business district, while two ring routes encompass the central business district and the outer suburbs.
New Zealand's main road artery State Highway 1 runs through several of Hamilton's suburbs and connects with State Highway 3 within the city boundaries.
In January 2011 the 4 laning (from the original 2) of Wairere Drive and the Pukete Bridge began.
Bridges
The six road bridges that cross the river[40] are often the focus of morning and evening traffic delays. The six road bridges within the city are (from north to south):
In addition to the road bridges within the city, the Horotiu bridge is located approximately 10 km north of the city centre and the Narrows Bridge approximately 10 km to the south. The Narrows bridge was closed for reconstruction of its piles in September 2010.[41] In Jan 2011 widening of the 1 km approach road Wairere Drive to Pukete bridge began .The bridge will be expanded to 4 lanes by 2013.
The river is also crossed by a rail bridge and a pedestrian bridge:
- Claudelands Rail Bridge
- Flagstaff Pedestrian Bridge
Rail
Hamilton is the railway junction of the East Coast Main Trunk and the North Island Main Trunk. This junction is the busiest in New Zealand, and is home to the Te Rapa Marshalling Yard and locomotive depot. This facility marks the northernmost extent of the 25kV AC 60hZ electrification between Hamilton and Palmerston North.
The original Hamilton Railway Station was a large island station, in later years with two large signalboxes, standing just north of the locomotive depot, which stood in the junction between the ECMT and NIMT. Due to the increase in rail traffic in the 1970s and the end of steam operation in the North Island in 1968 saw the old station closed and a new one opened on the site of the locomotive depot in 1975. The former Frankton South End signalbox was relocated to the Hamilton Miniature Engineers' site at Minogue Park in Te Rapa, directly opposite the new Te Rapa loco depot, while the station building ended up near Waikato University as a cafe.
Today, passenger services in Hamilton are limited to the new Northern Explorer, which replaced The Overlander in 2012. Previous services include the Kaimai Express and Geyserland Express railcars which ran to Tauranga and Rotorua (Koutu) respectively and were cancelled in 2002, and the overnight Northerner, which ceased operation in 2004 under Toll Rail. In recent years, the canopy over Platform One (NIMT) has been reduced, while Platform Two (ECMT) is only used by excursion trains.
Up until 1964, the ECMT cut across the central city and crossed what is now the Claudelands Bridge. This proved a problem with growing traffic congestion at the city level crossings, and although various plans were mooted for the lowering of the rails, this did not take place until 1964 when a new low-level line and railway bridge over the Waikato River was built.[42] As part of this, a new low level station was constructed. In later years part of this line was enclosed in a tunnel.
The Hamilton Central railway station was enclosed under the new NZR Road Services bus terminal that was built in the late 1960s, but was later closed and the entrance blocked off with a slab of concrete. With the closure of the bus station and its demolition to make way for a new Warehouse store, the entrance was blocked up by the new foundations of the store and its underground carpark.
The station platform still exists, but access is only from the entrance of the railway tunnel. The platform and its walls have been heavily graffitied since their closure in the 1970s. It was mooted to return the station to working order for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, but this did not take place, in part due to the potential costs of restoring the station to a useable state and reopening the former blocked-up entrance-way, which was sealed when the Warehouse was completed in 2005/6.
Hamilton's rail network serves as a major hub for the distribution of dairy products to the ports of Auckland and Tauranga. This hub is located on Crawford St, on land that was formerly part of the Te Rapa Marshalling Yard, just north of the locomotive depot.
Recently there have been moves to re-introduce daily commuter train services to Auckland, with various studies supporting the economic and environmental benefits.[43] However, recent Government decisions have prioritised the completing the proposed Waikato Expressway over new train services.
The City of Hamilton also has two locomotives on display as reminders of its rail heritage:
- Ex-NZR NZR F class 230 was donated by Ellis & Burnand, the central North Island sawmillers, in 1956 for static display. Formerly used as the yard engine at their Mangapehi sawmill, it was placed on display at Lake Rotoroa and its boiler filled with concrete. This engine has become a 0-4-2ST in later years following the loss of her rear coupling rod.
- Ex-NZR DSA 230 (TMS DSA 359), a 0-6-0DM diesel shunting locomotive built by English Electric on the behalf of the Drewry Car Company, was withdrawn in 1986 and placed on display at Frankton minus its Gardner 8L3 diesel engine and transmission. It was moved sometime in the early 2000s with its shelter to Minogue park, where it was united with an open seating wagon built on the underframe of wagon W 960, built in 1946 and converted to Way & Works wagon E 7784 in April 1966.
In the Frankton business area, there is a former McKenzie & Holland 'Home' signal and an old motor trolley on display.
The railway settlement
From the arrival of the railway in Hamilton, Frankton was a railway town. Into the 1920s, the suburb became even more railway-orientated after the new Railways sawmill was opened, producing the famous railway houses which are now sought-after pieces of real estate. The sawmill also produced everything else such as signal masts and boxes, bridges, sleepers, and even furniture for railway stations. This factory closed in the 1990s, and is now home to a range of businesses.
Frankton also was home to the Way and Works depot, still in operation as the KiwiRail Network depot. This was connected to the main line by a short siding that ran past the factory; this line was last used in 1997 when a shunting locomotive retrieved two flat wagons from the Way and Works depot. Most of the original formation could still be seen until the realignment of Norton Road in 2011.
The railway workers' community was centred largely around the W&W depot and sawmill, containing some 200 houses and a Railways Social Hall. Many of the houses are still in place, the majority being the classic 90sq2 three-bedroom design used as standard across New Zealand for railway staff.[44]
Education
Hamilton is home to more than 40,000 tertiary students, mostly enrolled in one of the city's three main tertiary institutes; the University of Waikato, Waikato Institute of Technology and Te Wananga o Aotearoa.
As well as state and private primary, intermediate and high schools, it also notably includes a number of Kura Kaupapa Māori primary schools offering education in the Māori language.
The new secondary school proposed for Rototuna in the booming north east of Hamilton has been delayed for several years. The government has announced it is exploring a joint construction and operation with private enterprise whereby the school would be built and managed by a private firm.Currently Rototuna is zoned for Fairfield College which has a roll of 1100.
Notable people
- Craig Baird, racing car driver, born in Hamilton.
- Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand, administrator of the UN Development Programme, born in Hamilton.
- Chanel Cole, Australian Idol contestant and member of Australian band Spook, born in Hamilton.
- Guy Doleman, film actor.
- Chris van der Drift, racecar driver.
- Howden Ganley, former Formula One racing car driver, born in Hamilton.
- Warren Gatland, Most capped Waikato Rugby player in history, Wales International Rugby Coach, born in Hamilton.
- Ashley Lawrence (1934–1990), conductor, born in Hamilton.
- Denis Lill (1942–), actor, known for playing Sir Talbot Buxomly in Blackadder the Third, born in Hamilton.
- Dame Malvina Major, opera singer, born in Hamilton.
- John Mitchell, former rugby player, and former New Zealand All Blacks coach.
- Richard O'Brien, creator of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, lived in Hamilton.
- Dick Quax, Olympic silver medallist and world record breaking runner, raised and educated in Hamilton.
- Frank Sargeson, author, born in Hamilton.
- Scott Styris, NZ cricketer, raised and educated in Hamilton.
- Daniel Vettori, NZ cricketer, lives in Hamilton.
- Gillian Karawe Whitehead, composer, born in Hamilton.
- Kimbra Johnson, singer/songwriter.
- Stephen Donald, All Black named in the 2011 RWC squad.
- Brendon Julian, Former Australian and WACA Cricketer and Fox Sports Commentator.
- Stan Walker, Australian Idol Winner and singer/songwriter, educated in Hamilton.
Sister cities
Hamilton has four sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International:
References
- ^ a b c Spratt, Amanda (12 March 2006). "'Boring' Hamilton: wish you were here?". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 19 March 2009.
- ^ Hamilton west of the river, Hamilton west of the river
- ^ a b "Subnational Population Estimates: At 30 June 2019". Statistics New Zealand. 22 October 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2020. For urban areas, "Subnational population estimates (UA, AU), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996, 2001, 2006–18 (2017 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. 23 October 2018. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
- ^ "Subnational Population Estimates". Retrieved 23 January 2011.
- ^ "Hamilton's Economy". Retrieved 23 January 2011.
- ^ Crosby, Ron, The Musket Wars – A History of Inter-Iwi Conflict 1806–45, Reed, Auckland, 1999.
- ^ a b c d Wises New Zealand Guide, 7th Edition, 1979. p. 129.
- ^ a b Gibbons, P. J. (1977). Astride the river:a history of Hamilton.
- ^ About Hamilton, Hamilton City Council
- ^ Westwood, L.G. (1962). Hamilton City – Its Establishment and Development.
- ^ "Claudelands Bridge". Hamilton City Council. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
- ^ Street Name Index (Suburbs) – Hamilton Public Library, Hamilton
- ^ Early map of Hamilton, 1864, Waikato Museum.
- ^ "Hamilton Travel Information and Travel Guide". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
- ^ "Access Hamilton". Hamilton City Council. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
- ^ "Hamilton section". New Zealand Transport Authority. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ "City Expansion". Hamilton City Council. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
- ^ "NIWA Climate Data 1971–2000".
- ^ Quickstats about Hamilton City
- ^ "Hamilton Facts". Retrieved 21 September 2010.
- ^ "Official Count Results – Hamilton East". Elections New Zealand. 2 November 2008. Retrieved 11 April 2010.
- ^ "Official Count Results – Hamilton West". Elections New Zealand. 2 November 2008. Retrieved 11 April 2010.
- ^ "Official Count Results – Hauraki-Waikato". Elections New Zealand. 2 November 2008. Retrieved 11 April 2010.
- ^ "Sue Moroney". New Zealand Parliament. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
- ^ Top Investments – http://www.tgh.co.nz/default.asp?sid=4&cid=26&aid=
- ^ riffraffstatue.org:
- ^ "Street party sells out".
- ^ "Soundscape returns to Hamilton".
- ^ "Soundscape set to be central city party zone".
- ^ "Opus Orchestra: Hamilton New Zealand".
- ^ "University of Waikato:FASS: NZ Chamber Soloists".
- ^ "Gallager Concert Chamber Programme 2011" (PDF).
- ^ Hamilton Underground Low-Budget and No-Budget Film Festival
- ^ http://www.whatsonhamilton.co.nz/eventlisting.aspx?id=1654
- ^ "Design medal for Te Awa". The Waikato Times. 18 September 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
- ^ http://www.waikatodhb.govt.nz/page/pageid/2145838660
- ^ http://www.waterfordbc.co.nz Waterford Birth Centre
- ^ http://www.hamiltonairport.co.nz/page/26-Flight-Information+International-Destinations
- ^ "Cycling in Hamilton" (PDF). Cycle Action Waikato.
- ^ "Hamilton City Council & Hamilton, New Zealand-Living Hamilton". Retrieved 27 January 2008.
- ^ "Hamilton SH21Narrows Bridge Closes / NZ Transport Agency". Retrieved 7 January 2010.
- ^ Source:Waikato museum photo
- ^ http://www.ew.govt.nz/PageFiles/2322/hamiltonToAucklandCommuterRailStudy.pdf
- ^ There were two sizes of Railway houses, the classic 90sq2 and the larger 100sq2 which was for management only. All were three-bedroom structures, and came with a choice of six different front porches.
- ^ Ilustre Municipalidad de Chillán: Hamilton, sister of Chillán.
External links
