Prestonville, New Zealand

Prestonville
Map
Coordinates: 46°23′06″S 168°20′53″E / 46.385°S 168.348°E / -46.385; 168.348
CountryNew Zealand
CityInvercargill
Local authorityInvercargill City Council
Area
 • Land57 ha (141 acres)
Population
 (2018 Census)[2]
 • Total
27
Waikiwi Waihopai
Grasmere, New Zealand
Prestonville
Thomsons Bush
Gladstone

Prestonville is a suburb and industrial area in the New Zealand city of Invercargill.

The area is low-lying and at risk from flooding and sea level rise.[3]

In 1984, Waihopai River burst its banks, inundating Prestonville "like a tidal wave".[4] It caused major flooding in Prestonville and other suburbs, leading to property damage, homelessness and job losses.[5] Flood banks were installed to prevent further floods.[3]

In the 1980s, a 24-hour aluminium processing plant was established in Prestonville to support the Tiwai Point Aluminium Smelter. Locals successfully campaigned to limit the site's operating hours to 6am to 10pm due to the loud noise it created. The factory closed in 1994.[6]

In 2018, Fire and Emergency New Zealand investigated a series of suspicious fires in Prestonville and other parts of the city.[7]

  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. ^ a b Mack, Ben (10 November 2015). "Rising seas threaten Southland, experts say". stuff.co.nz. Southland Times.
  4. ^ Rudd, Allison (18 January 2014). "Invercargill flood caught out residents". Allied Press. Otago Daily Times.
  5. ^ "Some people 'never' recovered". Allied Press. Otago Daily Times. 26 January 2009.
  6. ^ Fallow, Michael (30 March 2018). "Tiwai 2: Return of the dreaded dross". stuff.co.nz. Southland Times.
  7. ^ Bootsma, Ben (16 December 2018). "Fire fighters call for vigilance after a spate of suspicious fires". stuff.co.nz. Southland Times.