Kawerau
Kawerau | |
|---|---|
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Bay of Plenty |
| Territorial authority | Kawerau District |
| Established | 1953 |
| Electorates | Rotorua (general) Waiariki (Māori) |
| Government | |
| • MP | Todd McClay (general) Te Ururoa Flavell (Māori) |
| • Mayor | Malcolm Campbell |
| • Deputy Mayor | Bernie Joyes |
| Area | |
| • Total | 21.94 km2 (8.47 sq mi) |
| Population (2006 census) | |
| • Total | 6,921 |
| • Density | 320/km2 (820/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+12 (NZST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+13 (NZDT) |
| Postcode | 3127 |
| Area code | 07 |
Kawerau is a town in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is situated 100 km south-east of Tauranga and 58 km east of Rotorua.[1] It is the seat of, and the sole town in, the Kawerau District Council.
Kawerau is a small community, with an economy that is largely driven by the nearby Norske Skog Tasman pulp and paper mill. It is located along State Highway 34, southwest of Onepu, and is the terminus of the East Coast Main Trunk Railway, and the commencing point of the Murupara Branch railway.
Kawerau was one of the worst-affected towns in the 1987 Edgecumbe earthquake.
History
Kawerau is one of the youngest towns in New Zealand. It was founded in 1953 as a mill town for the new Tasman pulp and paper mill. The site for the mill was chosen because of the ready availability of geothermal energy, water from the Tarawera River and the large supply of pine timber from the nearby Kaingaroa forest.[2] Unlike most other towns of its size, Kawerau was carefully planned before construction. The town was built with an impressive number of facilities, to accommodate a multinational specialist workforce. The mill continues to drive the local economy and greatly influences the fortunes of the town. The town's population peaked in the early 1980s (8718 in the 1981 census) but has declined significantly since then due to the restructuring of the mill and associated industries.
In 2012 mill owner Norske Skog said it would be shutting one of the two newsprint machines at the mill.[3] In January 2013 it was confirmed nearly half the mill's jobs would be lost.[4] Local MP Te Ururoa Flavell said it would drive residents overseas to Australia.[5]
The New Zealand Government refused to step in, minister Stephen Joyce saying there was no point in saving the mill.[6]
The job losses came only a few months after Mayor Malcolm Campbell said he wanted to ban unemployed people from living in Kawerau.[7]
Demographics
The total population of the Kawerau District was 6,921 at the time of the 2006 census. 47.4% of people (3,144) in the Kawerau District said they belong to the European ethnic group. 61.1% of people (4,047) in the Kawerau District said they belong to the Māori ethnic group. The population of the Kawerau District contains a smaller proportion of Pacific Island peoples (3.8%) and smaller proportion of Asian people (1.8%) compared with the whole of New Zealand.[8]
Geography
The 820 m volcanic cone of Mount Edgecumbe/Putauaki lies 3 km to the east of Kawerau, and is easily visible from the town. The Tarawera River straddles Kawerau to the east and continues north to the Bay of Plenty. Water is supplied to the town from two natural springs. Kawerau's water was judged the best-tasting in New Zealand in 2003 and 2004.[9]
Kawerau has access to vast geothermal resources. There are a number of geothermal hot springs in the surrounding bush owned and operated by local families. The Kawerau geothermal field provides steam power for the paper mill, and a 90 MW geothermal power station is currently under construction.[10]
The District has a land area of 21.9357 km² (8.4694 sq mi), making it the smallest territorial authority in New Zealand in terms of land area. It is completely surrounded by the Whakatane District.
Climate
During summer (December to February), the average daily maximum temperature in Kawerau is 23.7 °C. In January 2008, the temperature exceeded 30 °C on five days. In winter (July to August) crisp early morning frosts are usually followed by clear, sunny days, and the average daily maximum temperature is around 15.6 °C.[11]
Rainfall is spread throughout the year, though it is not uncommon to experience a drought during summer.
Events
Kawerau hosts a number of events each year, including the National Woodskills Festival, 'King of the Mountain' race and the Tarawera 100 motorcycle endurance race. Kawerau is also growing as an event venue for white water rapid competitions such as kayaking and rafting.
Kawerau Woodfest & National Woodskills Competition
The National Woodskills Festival is a competition that encompasses a broad spectrum of wood craftsmanship and wood art. Some of the competitors are professionals but many are amateurs. The Woodskills Festival was first held in Kawerau in 1989 as a local competition. By 1991, the event had become such a popular annual competition that it was developed into a national event, attracting exhibitors from throughout New Zealand. The competition has now developed into a broader range of attractions which captivates many skills from the Forestry Industry and now takes over the town for the weekend, in what is known as Kawerau Woodfest.
The annual Kawerau Woodfest attracts hundreds of visitors from around the country making it the town's largest event and as a result is the highest economic beneficial event in Kawerau. As well as the Woodskills Festival there is an Arts & Crafts Festival with displays open on Saturday and Sunday at various venues around Kawerau.
Notable residents
- John Rowles: New Zealand singer
- Ria van Dyke: Miss New Zealand 2010
- Sarah Walker: Women's BMX world champion
- Danielle Hayes: Winner, Cycle 2. New Zealand's Next Top Model.
- Ian Jones: Drummer, Supergroove
See also
References
- ^ Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand: Kawerau
- ^ Kawerau District Council: Information
- ^ "Kawerau paper mill job losses confirmed". Radio New Zealand. January 9, 2013.
- ^ "Job losses confirmed at Kawerau mill". 3 News NZ. January 9, 2013.
- ^ "Mill workers may leave for Australia". 3 News NZ. January 10, 2013.
- ^ "Joyce: No point in saving newsprint". 3 News NZ. September 11, 2012.
{{cite news}}: Text "urlhttp://www.3news.co.nz/Joyce-No-point-in-saving-newsprint-mill/tabid/423/articleID/268854/Default.aspx" ignored (help) - ^ "Kawerau mayor wants unemployed banned". Radio New Zealand. September 25, 2012.
- ^ Quickstats about Kawerau District
- ^ Kawerau District Council: Water Supply
- ^ New Zealand Geothermal Association: Geothermal fields
- ^ Kawerau District Council: About Our District