Mount Somers

This article is about the New Zealand village. For the adjacent mountain, see Mount Somers / Te Kiekie.

Mount Somers
Rural settlement
Mount Somers General Store
Mount Somers General Store
Map
Coordinates: 43°43′S 171°24′E / 43.717°S 171.400°E / -43.717; 171.400
CountryNew Zealand
RegionCanterbury
Territorial authorityAshburton District
WardWestern
Area
[1]
 • Total
2.60 km2 (1.00 sq mi)
Population
 (2018 Census)[2]
 • Total
147
 • Density57/km2 (150/sq mi)

Mount Somers (Māori: Te Kiekie) is a small town in Canterbury, New Zealand, nestled in the foothills of the Southern Alps. The population in the 2021 census was 160.[3] Due to its scenic location, it has seen growth in the number of holiday homes.

Unlike many country towns in New Zealand, Mount Somers' economy has not been solely agricultural. Coal, clay, sand, and limestone have been mined in the hills behind the town, and from 1885 until 1968 the community and its industries were served by the Mount Somers Branch railway from the Main South Line. From 1889 to 1957 an extension ran to Springburn, and the branch was sometimes known as the Springburn Branch. From Mount Somers railway station a private bush tramway ran into the hills behind the town, providing access to the various industrial operations there. Relics of both the railway and tramway are still visible today.

Mount Somers is famous amongst the international experimental and underground music communities as it is the home of Peter King and his lathe cut record business.[4][5] Peter hand cuts records onto polycarbonate plastic one at a time using an old BBC lathe and also home made record cutting heads.[6]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Area was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Census 2018 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Safe Communities: A Snapshot of the Ashburton District Community 2021" (PDF). Ashburton District Council. December 2021. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  4. ^ Andrews, Christopher. "king, peter". thebigcity. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  5. ^ Sullivan, Greg. "Peter King and His One-Off Vinyl". Under the Radar. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  6. ^ "History". Peter King Lathe Cut Records. Retrieved 8 July 2014.