Bunnythorpe is a village in the Manawatu-Wanganui region of New Zealand's North Island, 10 km north of the region's major city, Palmerston North. Dairy farms predominate the surrounding area but the community facilities include Bunnythorpe School, with a roll of about 80 pupils as of 2010 as well as a Rugby Football Club, Country Club and several manufacturing plants.
A large electrical substation operates nearby.
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Bunnythorpe takes its name from Henry Bunny, Secretary-Treasurer of the Wellington Provincial Council, which functioned from 1853 to 1876. Bunnythorpe also gave birth to the Glaxo company and its products. In 1904 Joseph Nathan and Sons founded a baby-food manufacturer which processed local milk into a baby food named Glaxo (sold in the 1930s under the slogan Glaxo builds bonny babies). As of 2010[update], still visible on the main street of Bunnythorpe is the factory for drying and processing cows' milk into powder, with the original Glaxo logo clearly visible, but nothing to indicate the birthplace of a major multinational. Products were made in Bunnythorpe until 1973. As of 2010[update] the building is commercially owned.
The Glaxo company became a major pharmaceutical manufacturer and after a series of mergers it became part of the United Kingdom's GlaxoSmithKline in 2000. In 1979 the Glaxo factory was transformed into the Pantha BMX manufacturing plant, which was the first BMX plant in New Zealand and also the home of the first BMX track.
Bunnythorpe is located about midway between the Manawatu regions main city of Palmerston North and its second largest settlement, Feilding. To the east of the village lies Ashhurst and Kairanga sits to the west. Bunnythorpe is part of the Manawatu Plains and is situated on relatively flat land, with few rolling hills in surrounding farming properties. Several small streams run through the town, the Mangaone Stream and Jack's Creek which both run parallel towards the South-West through Palmerston North. Several smaller waterways merge with these streams, passing through Bunnythorpe's south.
Bunnythorpe has a very similar Temperate climate to Palmerston North, however, temperatures tend to be slightly lower on average during the winter and can actually be significantly lower during the summer months of December to February. The average summer temperature is 20.6 degrees celsius and the average temperature during the coldest months of June–August is 11.2 degrees celsius.
Bunnythorpe is popular among the younger children who live in the area as it is a small community and regarded as quiet safe. Children often spend weekend's and spare time utilising the open access to the Primary School's playground's and sporting fields. There is also a Rugby Football Club located on Raymond St with clubrooms and this is the site of the ANZAC memorial Cenotaph. The Mangaone Stream bridge off Maple Street on Te Ngaio Road is also popular among the children, with eels and fresh water trout among the catch.
The Main access to Bunnythorpe comes via. Railway Road from Palmerston North and Wellington in the South, Ashhurst-Bunnythorpe road from Ashhurst, Woodville and the Hawkes Bay in the East, Kairanga Bunnythorpe road from the West, and Campbell road to the North, serving Fielding.
Bunnythorpe is located less than 10 minutes drive from Palmerston North International Airport in Milson where regular domestic connections to Auckland, Wellington, Hamilton, Christchurch and Nelson are available. The airport used to service Brisbane and Sydney and is currently in talks with various carriers to re-establish those links.
The North Island Main Trunk Railway runs through the centre of Bunnythorpe but does not stop in the Village. Freight and passenger connections run from between Wellington and Auckland frequently, though residents must board these services in Palmerston North or Fielding.
A regular service operates between Fielding and Palmerston North hourly which stops in Bunnythorpe. The main stop for this service in Palmerston North is King Street. From King Street, a short walk to Main Street will bring you to the main Palmerston North suburban bus terminus where buses can be caught to other suburbs. Inter-City buses depart from Palmerston North.