Alexandra, New Zealand

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Alexandra
Urban Area	Population	5,920 (2006)
Territorial Authority	Name	Central Otago District Council
	Population	16,950 (2006 est.)
	Extent	Includes the towns of Alexandra Clyde, Cromwell, Roxburgh, and Ranfurly
Regional Council	Name	Otago

Alexandra is a town in the Central Otago district of New Zealand's South Island. It is located on the banks of the Clutha River (at the confluence of the Manuherikia River), on State Highway 8, 188 km by road from Dunedin and 33 km south of Cromwell.

The district is one of the farthest from a coastline in New Zealand and one of the few to experience a continental climate with severe winters and hot, dry summers.

At the time of the 2001 census, the permanent population was 4,407, a drop of 210 since 1996, and 23.5 per cent of the population (higher than the national average) was aged over 65.

The town was founded during the Central Otago goldrush in the 1860s, and was named after Alexandra of Denmark. It was known to miners of the day by several names: the "Lower Township", the "Junction Township", and "Manuherikia". (The "Upper Township" was Dunstan, now Clyde.)

Alexandra is the service centre for a significant stone-fruit industry, which is celebrated by a blossom festival in the town each spring. Grape production is another major industry in the Central Otago Wine Region.

Many orchards were destroyed in the 1980s as a result of construction, 10 km upriver, of the Clyde High Dam, which serves the country's largest hydroelectric power station.

The town is a popular holiday destination - during the holiday season the Otago Cricket team play many of their fixtures at Alexandra's Molyneux Park rather than at their home base, Dunedin's Carisbrook ground. Because of competing venues, this may not last much longer.

Alexandra is perhaps best known for it's annual event, the Blossom Festival. The Alexandra Blossom Festival celebrates the advent of Spring in the Central Otago District as evidenced by the blooming of the fruit trees. This year Alexandra celebrated it's 50th Blossom Festival and was held from 15th September to 1st October.