Bunnythorpe
This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(June 2015) |
Bunnythorpe | |
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village | |
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Coordinates:40°17′S175°38′E/ 40.283°S 175.633°E | |
Country | New Zealand |
Region | Manawatū-Whanganuiregion |
Territorial authority | Palmerston North City |
Ward |
|
Named for | Henry Bunny |
Electorates | |
Government | |
• Territorial Authority | Palmerston North City Council |
• Regional council | Horizons Regional Council |
Area | |
• Total | 4.26 km2(1.64 sq mi) |
Population (June 2023)[2] | |
• Total | 740 |
• Density | 170/km2(450/sq mi) |
Area Code | 06 |
Bunnythorpeis a village in theManawatū-Whanganuiregion of New Zealand'sNorth Island,10 km (6 mi) north of the region's major city,Palmerston North.Dairy farmspredominate the surrounding area but the community facilities include Bunnythorpe School, with a roll of about 80 pupils as of 2010, as well as a rugby football club, country club and several manufacturing plants. The population was 687 in the 2018 census.[3]
History
[edit]TheNorth Island Main TrunkRailway passed over government owned land, which was subdivided and later became Bunnythorpe. The village takes its name from Henry Bunny, the Secretary-Treasurer of theWellington Provincial Council,which functioned from 1853 to 1876.
On the other side of the rail line, the town ofMugby Junctionwas to be established. It was proposed in 1878, that the link between the North Island Main Trunk and the Napier line would be here.[4]However plans changed and the junction was located at Palmerston North.[5]The building of Mugby Junction never eventuated.[6]
Bunnythorpe gave birth to the Glaxo company and its products. In 1904 Joseph Nathan and Sons founded a baby-food manufacturer which processed local milk into a baby food named Glaxo (sold in the 1930s under the sloganGlaxo builds bonny babies). As of 2010[update],still visible on the main street of Bunnythorpe is the factory for drying and processing cows' milk into powder, with the original Glaxo logo clearly visible, but nothing to indicate the birthplace of a major multinational. Products were made in Bunnythorpe until 1973. As of 2010[update]the building is commercially owned.
The Glaxo company became a majorpharmaceuticalmanufacturer and after a series of mergers it became part of the United Kingdom'sGlaxoSmithKlinein 2000. In 1979 the Glaxo factory was transformed into the Pantha BMX manufacturing plant, which was the first BMX plant in New Zealand and also the home of the first BMX track.
The Bunnythorpeelectrical substationwas established in 1924, with the electricity transmitted fromMangahao Power Stationstepped down to supply the Palmerston North Municipal Electricity Department and the Manawatu-Oroua Electric Power Board. It shortly afterwards became a major switching point, with transmission lines extending from Bunnythorpe to Napier-Hastings, Whanganui, and Masterton. Today, the substation is owned by national grid operatorTranspower,and continues to be the main switching point for the lower-central North Island.
Geography
[edit]Bunnythorpe is about midway between theManawatūregion's main city ofPalmerston Northand its second largest settlement,Feilding.To the east of the village liesAshhurst,and Kairanga sits to the west. Bunnythorpe is part of the Manawatu Plains and is on relatively flat land, with few rolling hills in surrounding farming properties. Several small streams run through the town: theMangaone Streamand Jack's Creek run parallel towards the south-west through Palmerston North. Several smaller waterways merge with these streams, passing through Bunnythorpe's south.
Demographics
[edit]Bunnythorpe is defined by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement. It covers 4.26 km2(1.64 sq mi)[1]and had an estimated population of 740 as of June 2023,[2]with a population density of 174 people per km2.It is part of the largerNewburystatistical area.[7]
Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
---|---|---|
2006 | 645 | — |
2013 | 675 | +0.65% |
2018 | 687 | +0.35% |
Source:[3] |
Bunnythorpe had a population of 687 at the2018 New Zealand census,an increase of 12 people (1.8%) since the2013 census,and an increase of 42 people (6.5%) since the2006 census.There were 264 households, comprising 342 males and 345 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.99 males per female, with 135 people (19.7%) aged under 15 years, 123 (17.9%) aged 15 to 29, 333 (48.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 87 (12.7%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 90.4% European/Pākehā,17.5%Māori,0.4%Pacific peoples,2.6%Asian,and 1.7% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 55.9% had no religion, 33.2% wereChristian,0.9% hadMāori religious beliefs,0.4% wereHindu,0.9% wereMuslimand 1.3% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 75 (13.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 126 (22.8%) people had no formal qualifications. 81 people (14.7%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 324 (58.7%) people were employed full-time, 72 (13.0%) were part-time, and 24 (4.3%) were unemployed.[3]
Climate
[edit]Bunnythorpe has a very similar temperate climate to Palmerston North, but temperatures tend to be slightly lower in winter and can be significantly lower during the summer months of December to February. The average summer temperature is 20.6 C and the average temperature during the coldest months of June–August is 11.2 C.
Parks and recreation
[edit]Bunnythorpe is popular among younger children as it is a small community and regarded as quite safe. Children often spend weekends and spare time utilising the open access to the primary school's playgrounds and sporting fields. There is also a Rugby Football Club on Raymond St with clubrooms and this is the site of the ANZAC memorial Cenotaph. The Mangaone Stream bridge off Maple Street on Te Ngaio Road is also popular among the children, with eels and fresh watertroutamong the catch.[citation needed]
Transport
[edit]Road
[edit]The main access to Bunnythorpe comes via Railway Road from Palmerston North and Wellington in the south; Ashhurst-Bunnythorpe Road from Ashhurst, Woodville and Hawke’s Bay in the east; Kairanga Bunnythorpe Road from the west; and Campbell Road to the north, serving Feilding.
Air
[edit]Bunnythorpe is less than 10 minutes' drive fromPalmerston North Airportin Milson, where regular flights toAuckland,Wellington,Hamilton,ChristchurchandNelsonare available.
Rail
[edit]TheNorth Island Main TrunkRailway runs through the centre of Bunnythorpe but trains no longer stop in the village, as thestationwas closed in 1985. Freight and passenger trains run from between Wellington and Auckland, though passengers must board these services in Palmerston North.
Bus
[edit]A service operates between Feilding and Palmerston North hourly, which stops in Bunnythorpe. The main stop in Palmerston North is Main Street which is also the main Palmerston North suburban bus terminus, where buses can be caught to other suburbs. Inter-City buses depart from Palmerston North.
Government
[edit]Local
[edit]Bunnythorpe until recently was part of the Manawatu District. In a quest to attract growth to the region, Manawatu District agreed to transfer a portion of its territory to Palmerston North City; Bunnythorpe was a part of this portion.
Central
[edit]Bunnythorpe is represented in theRangitīkeielectorate bySuze Redmayneof theNew Zealand National Party.
Bunnythorpe is represented in theTe Tai HauāuruMāori electorate byDebbie Ngarewa-PackerofTe Pāti Māori.
Education
[edit]Bunnythorpe School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,[8]with a roll of 22 as of February 2024.[9]
References
[edit]- ^ab"ArcGIS Web Application".statsnz.maps.arcgis.Archivedfrom the original on 14 February 2021.Retrieved15 April2021.
- ^ab"Subnational population estimates (RC, SA2), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)".Statistics New Zealand.Retrieved25 October2023.(regional councils);"Subnational population estimates (TA, SA2), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)".Statistics New Zealand.Retrieved25 October2023.(territorial authorities);"Subnational population estimates (urban rural), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)".Statistics New Zealand.Retrieved25 October2023.(urban areas)
- ^abc"Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census".Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7018280–7018284.
- ^"PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT, BY THE MINISTER FOR PUBLIC WORKS, THE HON. RICHARD OLIVER, TUESDAY, 9TH DECEMBER, 1879".paperspast.natlib.govt.nz.Archivedfrom the original on 29 September 2021.Retrieved8 March2021.
- ^"EARLY PALMERSTON NORTH. MANAWATU STANDARD".paperspast.natlib.govt.nz.22 January 1940.Archivedfrom the original on 21 October 2020.Retrieved9 March2021.
- ^Mulgan, Alan (1939).The City of the Strait: Wellington and its province.Wellington: Reed. p. 283.
- ^2018 Census place summary: Newbury
- ^"Bunnythorpe School Ministry of Education School Profile".educationcounts.govt.nz.Ministry of Education.Archivedfrom the original on 12 April 2020.Retrieved12 April2020.
- ^"Bunnythorpe School Education Review Office Report".ero.govt.nz.Education Review Office.Archivedfrom the original on 12 April 2020.Retrieved12 April2020.
External links
[edit]- Manawatu related website with information on Bunnythorpe
- "Bunnythorpe".NZETC (1897 article in Cyclopedia of New Zealand). 1897.
- GlaxoSmithKline Website