Brighton, New Zealand
Brighton is a small seaside town within the city limits of Dunedin, in New Zealand's South Island. It is located 20 kilometres southwest from the city centre on the Southern Scenic Route. The town faces a small bay which is favoured with a broad sheltered beach. Other beaches extend from here and Taieri Mouth, 20 kilometres to the south. They make the area popular for summer day trips from Dunedin.
The town was named by an early resident, Hugh Williams, for Brighton in England,[1] and is frequently confused with New Brighton, in Christchurch.
Brighton is connected by coastal road with the Dunedin commuter settlement of Waldronville to the northeast (and from there to Dunedin itself) and with Taieri Mouth to the southwest. The settlement of Ocean View lies immediately to the east of Brighton, separated from it by a large bluff (simply known as "Big Rock") which juts towards the ocean to the northeast of Brighton Beach. The coast road winds around this headland on its entry to Brighton from Dunedin. At the southern end of the beach is the mouth of the Otokia Creek, a small stream which has its sources some 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) to the southwest in the coastal hills which separate the coast from the Taieri Plains.
Famous residents
- The poet James K. Baxter (1926–1972) grew up here. Some of his verse relates to the area. The family house at 15 Bedford Parade still exists.
- Former All Black rugby player Jeff Wilson lives here with his wife Adine Wilson, who is a New Zealand international netball player.
Notes
- ↑ Reed, A.W. (2002) The Reed dictionary of New Zealand place names. Auckland: Reed Books. ISBN 0-790-00761-4.
Coordinates: 45°56′54.9″S 170°19′38.2″E / 45.948583°S 170.327278°E
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||