Milton, New Zealand

Milton
Town
Milton Union Street in 2012
Milton Union Street in 2012
Map
Coordinates: 46°07′S 169°58′E / 46.117°S 169.967°E / -46.117; 169.967
CountryNew Zealand
RegionOtago
Territorial authorityClutha District
WardBruce
Electorates
Government
 • Territorial authorityClutha District Council
 • Regional councilOtago Regional Council
 • Mayor of CluthaBryan Cadogan
 • Taieri MPIngrid Leary
 • Te Tai Tonga MPTākuta Ferris
Area
 • Total4.16 km2 (1.61 sq mi)
Population
 (June 2024)[2]
 • Total2,270
 • Density550/km2 (1,400/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+12 (NZST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+13 (NZDT)
Postcode
9220
Area code03
Local iwiNgāi Tahu

Milton, formerly known as Tokomairiro or Tokomairaro,[3][4] is a town of over 2,000 people, located on State Highway 1, 50 kilometres to the south of Dunedin in Otago, New Zealand. It lies on the floodplain of the Tokomairaro River (until 2016 called the Tokomairiro), one branch of which loops past the north and south ends of the town. This river gives its name to many local features, notably the town's only secondary school, Tokomairiro High School.

Founded as a milling town in the 1850s, there has long been dispute as to the naming of the settlement. The town's streets are named for prominent British poets, and it is possible that the town's original intended name of Milltown became shortened by association with the poet of the same name. It is equally possible, however, that the name Milton inspired the choice of poets' names for the streets.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Area was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  3. ^ Easther, Elisabeth (11 November 2016). "The best things to see and do in Milton, Otago". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  4. ^ "THE EARLY HISTORY OF TOKOMAIRIRO". Bruce Herald. 18 October 1906. Retrieved 1 November 2024 – via Papers Past.