Benneydale
Bennydale | |
Country: | New Zealand |
Population: | 200 (2014) |
Rural Area | |
---|---|
Extent: | |
Territorial Authority | |
Name: | Waitomo District Council |
Website: | http://www.waitomo.govt.nz/ |
Mayor: | Brian Hanna |
Extent: | |
Land Area: | 3,546.76 km2 (1,369 sq mi) |
Regional Council | |
Name: | Environment Waikato |
Website: | http://www.ew.govt.nz/ |
Coordinates: 38°31′14.06″S 175°21′45.71″E / 38.5205722°S 175.3626972°E
Benneydale is a small town in the Waitomo District. It is situated on State Highway 30 approximately 35 km southeast of Te Kuiti.[1]
After coal was discovered in 1931 a mine was built at the towns present location. In 1940 the government bought the mine and created the township of Benneydale. Its name is a portmanteau of the undersecretary of mines at the time (Mr Benney) and the mine superintendent (Mr Dale). It is the only town in the King Country which does not have a Maori name.[1]
At its peak the town had a population of 2000 with a butchery, bakery and picture theatre.[1][2] There were jobs in the coal mine until the early 1990s, but like many other rural areas in New Zealand the town has slowly declined.[2]
It now mainly operates as a farm service town and it is the closest town to the Timber Trail in the Pureora Forest Park. The town has a police station, volunteer fire brigade, a garage, a corner store that sells hot food and basic groceries, a cafe with accommodation, and a primary school. There is also a meat works on the outskirts of town.
Te Miringa te Kakara is the local marae and is located one kilometre outside of town.[1]
Bush United is the towns local rugby union club, the clubhouse was built at Pureora in 1960 and was moved to Benneydale.[3]
Sports broadcaster Keith Quinn was raised in Benneydale.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Kia Ora: Benneydale". New Zealand Herald. 11 July 2014. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
- 1 2 "Rural exodus: Goodbye country ... small town NZ in decline as rush to cities grows". New Zealand Herald. 6 December 2012. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
- ↑ Editors Carolyn M. King, D. John Gaukrodger, Neville A. Ritchie. The Drama of Conservation: The History of Pureora Forest, New Zealand, p. 178. Springer Verlag, Berlin, and Department of Conservation, Hamilton. ISBN 978-0-478-15044-5.