Canvastown

Canvastown
Canvastown is located in New Zealand Marlborough
Canvastown
Canvastown
Coordinates: 41°17′26″S 173°40′13″E / 41.29056°S 173.67028°E / -41.29056; 173.67028
CountryNew Zealand
RegionMarlborough

Canvastown is a locality at the point where the Wakamarina River joins the Pelorus River, in Marlborough, New Zealand. State Highway 6 runs through the area. Rai Valley is 17 km to the northwest. Havelock is 10 km to the east.[1][2]

The town was founded in 1864, after gold was discovered in the Wakamarina Valley. Up to 6000 miners came to make their fortunes. Where there had previously been a Māori Pā, streets of tents sprang up providing accommodation, restaurants and taverns to a population of about 3000 people. About 25,000 ounces (710,000 g) of gold was recovered in 1864.[3]

The surface gold was worked out within two years and most of the miners moved to new gold discoveries on the West Coast.[4][5] Steam dredges continued to work the river into the 20th century.[6]

Canvastown School is a coeducational full primary (years 1-8) school with a decile rating of 5 and a roll of 29.[7] The school was built in 1877[8] and celebrated its 125th Jubilee in 2002.[9]

  1. ^ Peter Dowling, ed. (2004). Reed New Zealand Atlas. Reed Books. pp. map 60. ISBN 0-7900-0952-8.
  2. ^ Roger Smith, GeographX (2005). The Geographic Atlas of New Zealand. Robbie Burton. pp. map 138. ISBN 1-877333-20-4.
  3. ^ "Gold Discoveries – Wakamarina and the West Coast". Encyclopedia of New Zealand (1966).
  4. ^ "Gold and gold mining – Other goldfields". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand.
  5. ^ McIntosh, Alister; Redman, William Edward; Allen, William Raymond, eds. (1940). Marlborough: A Provincial History. Blenheim: Marlborough Provincial Historical Committee. p. 241.
  6. ^ Marlborough Historical Society (2005). Click – A Captured Moment – Marlborough's Early Heritage. Blenheim: Marlborough Historical Society. p. 200. ISBN 0-473-10475-X.
  7. ^ "Te Kete Ipurangi – Canvastown School". Ministry of Education. Archived from the original on 23 March 2002.
  8. ^ "Canvastown School (X1719)". National Register of Archives and Manuscripts. Archived from the original on 17 October 2008. Retrieved 18 May 2008.
  9. ^ "Jubilees & reunions: Canvastown School". Education Gazette New Zealand. 81 (5). 25 March 2002. [permanent dead link]