Collingwood, New Zealand

Collingwood is a town in the north-west corner of the South Island of New Zealand along Golden Bay. The town is an ecotourism destination due to its proximity to Kahurangi National Park and Farewell Spit Nature Reserve.

Collingwood
St Cuthbert's Church, Collingwood
Collingwood
Coordinates: 40°40′38″S 172°40′58″E
Population
 (2006 [1])
 • Total235
Time zoneUTC+12 (NZST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+13 (NZDT)
Area code03

History

The town was originally named Gibbstown after the local settler and politician William Gibbs (1817–1897), who arrived in the area in 1851. The settlement was later renamed Collingwood after Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood, Lord Nelson's second-in-command at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.[2]

Following the discovery of payable gold deposits in the Aorere Valley in 1856 the town's population surged and the suggestion was made that Collingwood should become New Zealand's capital. In 1864, three Australian commissioners were tasked with recommending a more central location for the capital and they did visit Golden Bay (then still known as Massacre Bay) but their recommendation was for Wellington.[3] The town has been damaged by fire several times, being almost destroyed in 1904.[4]

Geography

Collingwood is located along the western shore of Golden Bay at the mouth of the Aorere River.[5] The town is the endpoint for State Highway 60. The road leaving the town to the southwest goes into the Aorere Valley. The road to the north leads to Cape Farewell via a number of small settlements.[6]

Education

Collingwood Area School is a composite school (Years 1–13) catering for primary, secondary, and adult education in the greater Collingwood area, and has around 130 students on roll.[7] The school celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2009.

References
  1. Tasman District Council (TDC). "Collingwood Plans 2009-2029". tasman.govt.nz. Archived from the original on 1 June 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
  2. Newton, John (1 December 2012). A Savage History: A history of whaling in the Southern and Pacific Oceans. NewSouth. p. 46. ISBN 978-1-74224-632-1.
  3. Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1864 Session D, No 2, Page 13
  4. Griffith, P., 2008. Collingwood Fires, 1857 to 2004. Nelson Historical Society Journal, v.6.no.6: 32-39
  5. Allen, John; Allen, Lois (2008). Friars Guide to New Zealand Accommodation for the Discerning Traveller Two Thousand and Nine. Friars New Zealand Guides. p. 188. ISBN 978-1-86971-132-0.
  6. Harriss, Gavin. "NZ Topo Map". NZ Topo Map. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  7. Education Counts: Collingwood, New Zealand

Sources
  • Reed, A. W. (2002). The Reed Dictionary of New Zealand Place Names. Auckland: Reed Books. ISBN 0-7900-0761-4.
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