Kawerau, New Zealand

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kawerau is a town in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is the seat of Kawerau District Council.

It is a small community, with the main industry being the nearby paper mill.

There are a number of hot springs in the surrounding bush owned and operated by local families.

Kawerau was one of many Bay of Plenty towns which suffered in the 1987 Edgecumbe Earthquake.

It has maintained a fairly constant population despite its remote location.

The 820-metre volcanic cone of Mount Edgecumbe/Putauaki, three kilometres to the east of the town, is easily visible from the town.

1 History
2 Demographics
3 Water
4 Climate
5 National Woodskills Festival
6 Kawerau College
7 Other Events
8 External links

[edit] History

Founded in 1953, it began life as a mill town. the town was designed to accommodate the specialist workforce brought into the area to work in a new pulp and paper mill. The mill, which processes wood from the vast plantations of the nearby Kaingaroa forest, continues to be the main focus of commercial activity in Kawerau. The mill was established here because of the ready availability of geothermal energy and water from the Tarawera River, and the large supply of logs. Unlike most other towns of its size, Kawerau was carefully planned before construction started.

[edit] Demographics

The total population of the Kawerau District at the time of the 2001 Census was 6,975.

52.4% of people (3,426) in the Kawerau District said they belong to the European ethnic group. 59.9% of people (3,915) in the Kawerau District said they belong to the Māori ethnic group. The population of the Kawerau District contains a smaller proportion of Pacific peoples (3.8%) and smaller proportion of Asian people (1.3%) compared with the whole of New Zealand.

The most common language after English in the Kawerau District is Māori, spoken by 20.3% of people. 21.0% of the people in the Kawerau District (1,374) speak two languages; 1.7% (108) speak three or more languages.

The current population of Kawerau is estimated at 7,100

[edit] Water

In 2003 and 2004 Kawerau's water was judged the best-tasting in New Zealand.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Climate

During midsummer, the average daily maximum temperature is 28.3°C, one of the highest in New Zealand. Kawerau owes its high temperatures to the dip in which the town is built.

Rainfall is spread throughout the year, though it is not uncommon to experience a drought during summer.

[edit] National Woodskills Festival

The National Woodskills Festival is a competition that encompasses a broad spectrum of wood craftsmanship and wood art. Some of the competitors are professionals but many are amateurs. The Woodskills Festival was first held in Kawerau in 1989 as a local competition. In 1991 the event had become such a popular annual competition that it was developed into a national event, attracting exhibitors from throughout New Zealand. The annual festival attracts hundreds of visitors from around the country making it the towns largest event and money earner. As well as the Woodskills Festival there is an Arts & Crafts Festival with displays open on Saturday and Sunday at various venues around Kawerau.