Cambridge, New Zealand
| Cambridge | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
  Cambridge | |
| Coordinates: 37°53′S 175°28′E / 37.883°S 175.467°ECoordinates: 37°53′S 175°28′E / 37.883°S 175.467°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Waikato |
| Territorial authority | Waipa District |
| Population (June 2014 estimate)[1] | |
| • Total | 18,750 |
Cambridge (Māori: Kemureti) is a town in the Waipa District of the Waikato Region of the North Island of New Zealand. Situated 24 kilometres southeast of Hamilton, on the banks of the Waikato River, Cambridge is known as "The Town of Trees & Champions". The town has a population of 18,750,[1] making it the largest town in the Waipa District, and third largest urban area in the Waikato (after Hamilton and Taupo).
History
Prior to the arrival of Europeans there were a number of pā in the vicinity of what would become Cambridge.[2] In the 1850s missionaries and farmers from Britain settled in the area and introduced modern farming practices to local Māori, helping them set up two flour mills and importing grinding wheels from England and France. During the 1850s wheat was a profitable cash crop but when merchants in Auckland began purchasing cheaper grain from Australia the market went into decline.
The European town of Cambridge was established when the 3rd Regiment of the Waikato Militia were settled there in 1864 following the Invasion of the Waikato. The town was named after Prince George, Duke of Cambridge, the Commander-in-Chief of the British Army at the time.[3]
Sport
- Thoroughbred horse studs
The town is now best known for its Thoroughbred studs and stables, which have produced many champion horses in the sports of racing and show jumping. Internationally known Thoroughbred studs in the area include:
- Cambridge Stud
- Chequers Stud
- Blue Gum Lodge
- Trelawney Stud
- Windsor Park Stud
- Rowing
Lake Karapiro, recognised as one of the premium rowing lakes in the world, is close by, producing several world rowing champions, notably Rob Waddell and the Evers-Swindell twins, Georgina and Caroline, Mahé Drysdale and James Dallinger. The 2010 World Rowing Championships were held at Lake Karapiro.
- Rugby Union
Cambridge is home to two clubs, Hautapu Sports Club, founded in 1903, and Leamington Rugby Sports Club, founded in 1897.
- Football
Cambridge is home to Cambridge FC who compete in the Waikato Bay of Plenty Federation 1 Division.
Transport
State Highway 1 runs through the town. Cambridge was formally the terminus of the Cambridge Branch railway, but this closed in 1999.
Media
Cambridge is served by a handful of community newspapers and newsletters.
Switch FM is the community radio station.[4] It broadcasts popular contemporary and classic music via internet streaming and short range antenna. The station broadcasts a range of music while maintaining a Christian world view and values. One of SwitchFM's main objectives is to serve as a positive out reach to listeners, to the local and international community. Switch FM was formally launched on 1 August 2010 on 87.8 MHz,[5] and signal coverage extends to the perimeter of Cambridge.
The station is hosted by numerous people from the Cambridge community. A weekly radio show, 'The Tuesday show' is hosted between 5:30pm and 7:00pm (UTC-08:00).[6] On 21 December 2010, Switch FM made a formal appearance at Cambridge's 'Christmas at the Lake' community event. The station is affiliated with Bridges Church and Synergy Trust.[7][8]
Notable residents
Past or present residents include:
- Members of The Datsuns
- Sir Vaughan Jones, Fields Medal winner
- Mark Todd, equestrian double Olympic Gold medalist
- Sarah Ulmer, World Champion and Olympic Gold medalist cyclist
- Rob Waddell, Olympic Gold medalist in rowing,
- Mahé Drysdale, Olympic Gold medalist in rowing
- Joelle King, Squash player
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Subnational Population Estimates: At 30 June 2014 (provisional)". Statistics New Zealand. 22 October 2014. Retrieved 2 November 2014. Also "Infoshare; Group: Population Estimates - DPE; Table: Estimated Resident Population for Urban Areas, at 30 June (1996+) (Annual-Jun)". Statistics New Zealand. 22 October 2014. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
- ↑ Discover Cambridge: Maoritanga
- ↑ Parker, Eris. "Military - Third Waikato Militia". Cambridge Museum. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
- ↑ "About SwitchFM Radio", About SwitchFM Radio, accessed 10 February 2011.
- ↑ "About SwitchFM Radio", About SwitchFM Radio, accessed 10 February 2011.
- ↑ "Shows on SwitchFM Radio", Shows on SwitchFM Radio, accessed 10 February 2011.
- ↑ SwitchFM Radio, SwitchFM Radio website, 2011.
- ↑ Synergy Cambridge Trust, Synergy Cambridge Trust, 2001.
References
- Reed, A. W. (2002). The Reed Dictionary of New Zealand Place Names. Auckland: Reed Books. ISBN 0-7900-0761-4.
External links
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Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Cambridge (New Zealand). |
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cambridge, New Zealand. |