Timaru

The origin of the name 'Timaru' is disputed . Some believe that it derives from Māori Te Maru, which can mean a 'place of shelter'. However, other authorities allege that Timaru originates from a literal translation of the combination of ti, a cabbage tree and maru, meaning 'shady'.[3]

Māori waka seem to have employed the site of Timaru as a place to rest on journeys up and down the eastern coastline for many years before the arrival of the first Europeans in the 19th century. The area includes over 500 sites with traces of Māori rock art, particularly in the rock overhangs and caves of the Opuha and Opihi river valleys, to the west of modern-day Timaru. Archaeologists have suggested that Māori iwi (tribes) were permanently settled in the district before 1400 AD. During the 17th or 18th century the resident Ngāti Mamoe were driven southwards into Fiordland by an invasion of the Ngāi Tahu, who came from the North Island.

Sacred Heart Basilica, built in 1911

European settlement began with the construction of a whaling station in 1839 by the Weller brothers of Otago at Patiti Point, close to the present town centre.[4] A supply ship, The Caroline, provided the name for a local bay. Later a sheep station, known as The Levels, was set up on land obtained by the Rhodes brothers, and run by George Rhodes.[5][6] One of the earliest settlers was Captain Henry Cain, who set up a store in 1857 on behalf of Henry Le Cren of Lyttelton, and Le Cren himself moved to Timaru in the following year.[7]

Few lived in Timaru until 1859 when the ship SS Strathallan arrived from England, carrying a party of 120 immigrants.[8] Persistent land disputes arose between the Rhodes brothers and local government officials with the result that two townships were established in the port area, Government Town and Rhodestown. These eventually merged into a single community in 1868. Given this division, until recently none of the main north-south streets lined up. Stafford Street, which became the main thoroughfare, was formed along the early bullock wagon trail.

Following the loss of a number of vessels off the coast, the breakwater design by Engineer John Goodall was adopted and work started on the redevelopment of the artificial port in 1877[9] , which eventually caused sand washed south down the Pacific shoreline to build up against the northern mole. This was the beginning of the extensive land reclamation around the Caroline Bay district, an area which is still growing today.

Timaru continued to expand during the 20th century, with much of the development taking the form of wooden colonial style bungalows set in individual sections of land. Sacred Heart Basilica was opened in 1911.

Timaru has a relatively dry temperate climate similar to that of neighbouring Ashburton and Christchurch, classified as oceanic climate (Cfb)[10] by Köppen-Geiger climate classification system. Temperatures are warm in summer and cold in winter, with Timaru's extreme maximum temperature being 41.3 °C on 6 February 2011[11] and extreme minimum temperature of −9.1 °C on 3 August 1998.[12] Rain is evenly distributed throughout the year, with a very small proportion of it falling as snow.

Climate-Data.org gives slightly warmer averages.[10]

Timaru District has established four sister city relationships.[14]

• Orange, New South Wales, Australia
• Weihai, Shandong, China
• Eniwa, Hokkaidō, Japan
• Orange, California, United States of America

• Barton Rural Primary School (previously Fairview)
• Beaconsfield Primary School (previously Pareora West)
• Bluestone Primary School (previously West School)
• Gleniti Primary School
• Grantlea Downs (previously Grantlea)
• Highfield Primary School
• Oceanview Heights Primary School (previously Marchwiel School)
• Sacred Heart Primary
• St. Josephs School
• Timaru Christian School
• Timaru South School
• Waimataitai Primary School

• Aoraki Alternative Education Center
• Craighead Diocesan School
• Mountainview High School
• Roncalli College
• Timaru Boys' High School
• Timaru Girls' High School

• Ara Institute of Canterbury

The Timaru Herald is the local daily newspaper for the district and has been published since the mid nineteenth century. Papers are printed in Ashburton and then distributed throughout the Otago and South Canterbury region. The Herald is owned by Fairfax New Zealand. The High Country Herald, also published by Fairfax New Zealand, has a circulation of 43,000 copies.[20]

The region also supports a weekly community newspaper, The Timaru Courier, which has a circulation of over 24,000 copies and is delivered free every Thursday to local households. The Courier is owned by Allied Press of Dunedin.

Timaru has one local FM radio station 100.3FM South Canterbury. There are also many networked FM radio stations, and a volunteer-run Hospital Radio 88.0/107.5 which celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2019.[21]

• Hugh D. Wilson, botanist

• Henry Le Cren, Timaru pioneer and first Pakeha trader[7]
• Fulbert Archer, of the merchant house Miles Archer and Co 1867–1893; first Chairman of the Timaru Harbour Board [22][23]

• James Craigie, politician
• Basil Arthur, politician
• Jo Goodhew, politician
• Jim Sutton, politician

• Kevin Smith, actor
• Phillip Leishman, broadcaster[24]

• Allen Curnow, poet and journalist
• John Hardcastle, journalist and amateur scientist

• Edith Tennent, nurse and Matron of Dunedin Hospital, born in Timaru

• Peter Dawkins, Record producer and musician
• Michael Houstoun, concert pianist

• Rosemary Campbell, painter
• Betty Curnow, painter and printmarker

• Reginald Delargey, Roman Catholic cardinal

• Richard Pearse, farmer, inventor and pioneering aviator

• Uini Atonio, professional rugby player, French international
• Hamish Bennett, cricketer, former Black Cap
• Craig Cumming, former Black Cap cricketer, sports broadcaster
• Bob Fitzsimmons, World Heavyweight Champion from 17 March 1897 until 9 June 1899
• Ross Gillespie New Zealand Olympic field hockey representative
• Tony Lamborn, Professional rugby player, USA international
• Brendan Laney, former professional rugby player, sports broadcaster
• Danyon Loader, men's swimming Olympic champion, born in Timaru
• Jack Lovelock, New Zealand runner, 1936 Olympic 1500m champion, world mile record holder
• Hayden Paddon, rally driver, 2011 Production World Rally Championship champion
• Mark Moreton Parker, NZ cricketer
• Murray Parker, NZ cricketer
• Aki Seiuli, NZ Rugby Player, Otago, Glasgow Warriors
• Haidee Tiffen, NZ women's cricketer
• John Ward, NZ cricketer
• Tomas Walsh, NZ shotputter

The Theatre Royal at 118 Stafford Street is home of much of Timaru's live entertainment.

The Timaru District Library has branches situated in Timaru, Temuka and Geraldine.

The first Reading Room was opened in the School House, Barnard Street in 1862. It was open daily from 5.00pm – 10.00pm and on Saturdays 10.00am – 8.00pm. English and Colonial Newspapers were provided and a selection of Library Books for the use by members. In 1870 the Mechanics Institute was created by an addition on an existing building and aimed to provide a Library, Reading Room and News Room.

Timaru Public Library was officially opened in 1909 on the present Timaru District Council site. It was a Carnegie library, built with a 3,000 pound grant from Andrew Carnegie of New York – the condition under which the money was given was that the reading rooms should be open to everyone and that the lending Library should be free to ratepayers of the borough. The current library was opened on Sophia Street by the roundabout in 1979. It was designed by Miles, Warren and Mahoney.[25]

Timaru has a comprehensive range of community sporting facilities designed to international standards for rugby, tennis, yachting, Hardcourt Bike Polo, swimming, netball, motor racing, cricket, golf, hockey, croquet, pistol shooting, trap shooting and bowls. Aorangi Park is Timaru's major sporting venue. The Council also operates the CBAY Complex which includes upgrades to the old swimming pool, a restaurant and gym. Timaru is also home to the Timaru International Motor Raceway, which is one of only 4 permanent sealed motor racing circuits in the South island.

Timaru's main football ground is Sir Basil Arthur Park. It has four senior pitches and six junior pitches. Football is also played at The Caledonian Grounds, Anzac Square, West End Park, Aorangi Park and Marchwiel Park. Clubs include West End AFC, Northern Hearts, Timaru City, Timaru Thistle and Pleasant Point.

Timaru has many golf clubs and well-maintained golf courses, including:

• Highfield Golf Club
• Gleniti Golf Club
• Timaru Golf Club

and in close proximity to these:

• Pleasant Point Golf Club
• St. Andrews Golf Club
• Maungati Golf Club (9 holes)
• Temuka Golf Club

• South Canterbury Rugby Football Union is based in Timaru. Alpine Energy Stadium is the home of local rugby.
• In the wake of the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, the Super Rugby team, the Crusaders, moved two seasonal games to Timaru.[26]

• Patiti Point, near Timaru city, has a left-hand reef break, which operates very consistently in any swell from the east or south.
• Jack's Point (3 km south of Timaru) has both left and right-hand reef breaks at high tide, as does Lighthouse Reef, a short walk to the south. Southerly swells produce super-heavyweight monster breakers along the Timaru coast, which are only suitable for top-gun surfers.

Timaru has New Zealand's largest Inline speed skating teams, South Canterbury, which has national records in several disciplines. The club has held many national tournaments over the years and holds the annual tour of Timaru.