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Hamilton Kirikiriroa (Māori)
—  Metropolitan Area  —
Nickname(s): Hamiltron, The Tron,[1] H-Town,[1] Cowtown[1]
Location of Hamilton, New Zealand
Location of the Hamilton Territorial Authority
Coordinates: 37°47′S 175°17′E / 37.783°S 175.283°E / -37.783; 175.283
Country	New Zealand
Island	North Island
Region	Waikato
Territorial authority	Hamilton City
Government
- Mayor	Bob Simcock
Area
- Territorial	98 km2 (37.8 sq mi)
Population (June 2009 estimate)[2]
- Territorial	140,700
- Density	1,435.7/km2 (3,718.5/sq mi)
- Urban	200,300
- Demonym	Hamiltonian
Time zone	NZST (UTC+12)
- Summer (DST)	NZDT (UTC+13)
Area code(s)	07
Local iwi	Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Raukawa, Tainui
Website	http://www.hamilton.co.nz http://www.ew.govt.nz

Hamilton (Kirikiriroa in Māori) is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's seventh largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato region of the North Island, approximately 130 km (80 mi) south of Auckland. It sits at a major road and rail nexus in the centre of the Waikato basin, on both banks of the Waikato River.

History

The area now covered by the city was originally the site of a handful of Māori villages, including Pukete and Kirikiriroa ("long stretch of gravel'), from which the city takes its Māori name. Local Māori were the target of raids by Ngapuhi during the Musket Wars ^[3], and several pā sites from this period can still be found beside the Waikato River. By the time British settlers arrived after 1863, most of these villages had been abandoned. Missionaries arrived in the area in the 1830s^[4]. At the end of the Waikato Campaign in the New Zealand Wars the four regiments of the Waikato Militia were settled as a peace-keeping force across the region.^[4] The 1st Regiment was at Tauranga, the 2nd at Pirongia, the 3rd at Cambridge and the 4th at Hamilton.^[4] The settlement founded on 24 August, 1864 and named after Captain John Charles Fane Hamilton^[5], the popular Scottish commander of HMS Esk, who was killed in the battle of Gate Pa, Tauranga.

The road from Auckland reached Hamilton in 1867 and the railway in December 1877 the same month Hamilton became a borough. Hamilton reached 1,000 people in 1900^[6] Hamilton was proclaimed a city in 1945.^[4]

The city is near the southernmost navigable reach (by the settlers steam boats) of the Waikato River, amidst New Zealand's richest and now fertile agricultural land that was once largely Raupo and Kahikatea swamp^[7] Initially an agricultural service centre, it now has a growing and diverse economy.

Community archives and historic photograph collections are maintained and are available at Hamilton City Libraries.

Hamilton today

The centre of the city, on the Waikato River, is a bustling retail precinct. The entertainment area is quite vibrant due to the large student population. The 2008 Lonely planet guide states that "the city's main street has sprouted a sophisticated and vibrant stretch of bars and eateries that on the weekend at least leave Auckland's Viaduct Harbour for dead in the boozy fun stakes." Hamilton has the second-largest collection of cafés in the country—second only to Ponsonby Road in Auckland^{[citation needed]}. An affectionate nickname is "Hamiltron: city of the future".

As of 2010, the city continues to grow rapidly. Development is focused on the northern end of the city. Traffic congestion is increasing due to population growth, though road development and planning has kept up with the rapid growth in most places^{[citation needed]}. State Highway 1 runs directly through the city, which contributes to congestion. A bypass is planned, but Transit New Zealand, the national road funding agency, has repeatedly delayed this project to the dismay of Hamilton residents^{[citation needed]}.In August 2009 $1Billion was allocated to fast track the Waikato Expresswayfrom Auckland To Cambridge which includes design work on the Hamilton bypass.

The rapid growth of Hamilton has brought with it the side effects of urban sprawl especially to the North East of the City in the Rototuna area. This type of growth is likely to continue consuming Waikato's profitable farmland as Hamilton City does not have a natural or legislated growth boundary^{[citation needed]}.

The area around the city has seen some recent development into lifestyle blocks especially since the 1970's.

Geography and climate

Climate

Hamilton has a temperate, damp climate, with about 1,184 mm (46.6 in) of rainfall annually. B. J. Garnier said it had the worst human climate in NZ, but conceded that the reliable rainfall of 850mm minimum (1949) and 2000mmm maximum (1956), was ideal for dairy farming. Thick fog is common on winter mornings, and often lasts until late morning. Daily maximum temperatures range from about 22° to 26 °C (72°–79 °F) in January and February to 10° to 15 °C (50°–59 °F) in July and August. Summer occasionally sees temperatures of more than 30 °C (86 °F), while on clear winter mornings temperatures may drop to as low as −5 °C (23 °F). Ground frosts are common but snow however is practically unknown.

Geography

With the exceptions of low hills around the University of Waikato, Hamilton Lake and to the west of the city, and an extensive network of gullies, the terrain of the city is relatively flat. The 64 hectare lake is formed in the crater of an ancient volcano. The formation of the crater saw the erupted material deposited in a Tuff Ring forming low hills around three sides of the lake. Water drains into the lake from streams that drain the extensive peatland to the West and also from direct rainfall. Subsequently the crater was infilled with deposits of sediment when the ancient Waikato River flowed through the area about 15,000 years ago. The lake averages 2.4 m deep but is 6 m at the deepest point. Water seeps out of the lake through an underground fissure to the North, which drains into the headwaters of Maeroa Gully. The present channel of the Waikato River is relatively new in Geological terms. Its former path was north through the Hinuera Valley and out to the sea at Thames. The soils of the Waikato were largely formed from volcanic material eroded from the Volcanic Plateau at the end of the last ice age. The melting ice sent vast volumes of outwash material north to the Waikato.

In its natural state Hamilton and environs was very swampy in winter. Early photos of Hamilton East show carts buried up to their axles in thick mud. The site had numerous small lakes which have now been drained. Up until the 1880s it was possible to row and drag a dinghy from the city to many outlying farms to the North east. This swampy, damp environment was ideal breeding ground for the TB bacillus which was a major health hazard in the pioneering days. The first Hamilton hospital was constructed on a hill to avoid this problem.

In the 1930s Garden Place Hill, which ran from the present Wintec site eastwards to the old post office (now casino), was removed by unemployed workers working with picks and shovels and a model T Ford truck. The Western remains of the hill are retained by a large concrete wall. The earth was taken 4km north to partly fill the Maeroa gully adjacent to the Baptist Church on the main road.

Hamilton is on the same latitude as Melbourne, Australia

Hamilton is one of the few cities in the world that has a near-exact antipodal city – Córdoba, Spain.

Demographics

Hamilton is growing annually, with populations of 200,300 for the urban area and 140,700 for the territorial authority (June 2009 estimates).^[2]

According to official census figures,^[8] Hamilton's population is 65.3% Pākehā/European, 19.9% Māori, 10.6% Asian, 4.2% Pacific Peoples and 1.5% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African.

Government and politics

Local government

Hamilton is located in the administrative areas of the Hamilton City Council. The Council administers the seventh most populous territorial authority in the country. The council consists of thirteen councillors and a mayor (currently Bob Simcock), and last faced election in 2007. Council elections are held every three years. In July 2007, former mayor Michael Redman became the CEO of the Council.

The council has six standing committees: City Development, Community and Leisure, Statutory Management, Transport, Finance and Audit, and Stadiums Management. There are also five sub-committees.

Hamilton City is itself part of the Waikato Region, controlled administratively by Environment Waikato.

Central government

Hamilton has three electorate MP's in the New Zealand Parliament. The electorates are currently represented by:

General

• Hamilton West: Tim Macindoe (National).
• Hamilton East: David Bennett (National).

Māori

• Tainui: Nanaia Mahuta (Labour).

Economy

Victoria Street looking south

Education and research are important to the city, through the University of Waikato, and the Wintec. Research at the Ruakura center has been responsible for much of New Zealand's innovation in agriculture.

Hamilton annually hosts the National Agricultural Fieldays at Mystery Creek, the southern hemisphere's biggest agricultural trade exhibition. Mystery Creek is the country's largest event center and hosts other events of national importance, such as the National Car Show and the National Boat Show.

Manufacturing and retail are also important to the local economy, as is the provision of health services through the Waikato Base Hospital. The city is home to New Zealand's largest aircraft manufacturer, Pacific Aerospace who manufactured their 1,000th aircraft in August 2009, and Max Clear Aviation who manufacture and export high quality micro light aircraft.It also has its largest concentration of trailer-boat manufacturers such as Buccaneer.

Recent years have seen the firm establishment of the New Zealand base of the British flight training organisation CTC Aviation. CTC trains over 100 airline pilots a year at its "Crew Training Centre" at Hamilton Airport.

Culture

In 2004, Hamilton City Council honored former resident Richard O'Brien with a life-size bronze statue of him as Riff Raff in his space suit, from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The statue was designed by WETA Workshops, who had done the props for the Lord of the Rings films. It stands on the former site of the Embassy Cinema, where Richard watched science fiction-double features.Several Maori Pa have been part restored at Pukete,Hikuwai and Miro piko along the banks of the Waikato river.All have information boards explaining their history.

Museums and theatre

The city is host to a large number of small galleries and the Waikato Museum. The latter includes Te Winika, one of the best-preserved waka (Māori war canoe) from the pre-colonisation era.

Events

• January: Parachute music festival
• February: Hamilton Gardens Summer Festival
• February: Couch Soup Festival of One-Act Plays
• April: Hamilton 400, V8 Supercars street race
• April: Balloons over Waikato hot air ballooning festival
• June: National Agricultural Fieldays
• August World Rally Championship
• September: Hamilton Underground Film Festival^[9]
• November: The Great Race (rowing)

Sport

Waikato Stadium, Lions vs. NZ Māori, 2005

The local rugby union teams are Waikato (Air New Zealand Cup) and the Chiefs (Super 14, to become Super 15 in 2011). The local colours are red, yellow and black, and the provincial mascot is Mooloo, an anthropomorphic cow. Both teams play at Waikato Stadium. Hamilton is also home to a soccer club, Waikato FC, that competes in the New Zealand Football Championship and used to play at Waikato Stadium, but now, because of financial constraints, play at Centennial Park in Ngaruawahia.

Seddon Park (formerly Westpac Park) is Hamilton's main cricket venue and hosts Test matches and One Day Internationals. It is the home ground of the Northern Districts Cricket Association.

Hamilton is fast becoming a motorsport venue as well. A round of the WRC was held in 2006 and the annual V8 Supercars race on a street circuit started in 2008.

Sailing takes place on Hamilton lake for 9 months of the year.The Hamilton yacht club has its clubrooms, slipway and ramp on the western side of the lake.Motor boats, apart from the yacht club rescue boats, are not allowed on the lake.

Hospitals

Hamilton's only public hospital is Waikato Hospital with 600 beds and a staff of approximately 2,500 located between Melville and Hamilton West.^[10] There are two other major private hospitals in Hamilton City - Braemar Hospital, located in the same area that Waikato Hospital is located, Southern Cross Hospital, located in Hamilton East. A new Cancer hospital is due to open in November 2010, on the previous Braemar Hospital campus. Hamilton also has a private primary maternity hospital, which is fully funded by the Waikato DHB. ^[11]

City facilities and attractions

Hamilton Gardens, Italian Renaissance Garden

Hamilton Gardens is the region's most popular tourist attraction and hosts the Hamilton Gardens Summer Festival each year.

Other local attractions include Hamilton Zoo, the Waikato Museum, the Hamilton Astronomical Society Observatory, the Arts Post art gallery, and the SkyCity casino. Just 20 minutes' drive away is Ngaruawahia, the location of Turangawaewae Marae and the home of Māori King Tuheitia Paki.

Hamilton has 6 public libraries located throughout the city with the Central Library housing the main reference and heritage collection.

Hamilton City Theaters provides professional venue and event management at three theatrical venues in the city: Founders Theater, Clarence St Theater, and The Meteor theater.

The Hamilton New Zealand Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is located in Temple View, Hamilton. It was opened along with the Church College of New Zealand, a large high school owned by the church, in the late 1950s. Both the college and the temple were built by labour missionaries. The school was closed in December 2009. Every year, the temple hosts a large Christmas lighting show which attracts large crowds from all over the country.

Hamilton host a number of annual events that are centered around the Waikato River which flows through the city, These events include The Great Race (rowing), and The Bridge To Bridge Ski Race.

Transport

Air

Hamilton International Airport serves as both a domestic and international airport. There are direct flights to Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch and regular flights to other destinations throughout the North Island. The airport also served as a major base for now defunct low-cost airlines Freedom Air and Kiwi Air. As of 1 September 2009, Pacific Blue now offers three international flights a week, to and from Brisbane Airport and Sydney Airport.^[12]

Cycling

Hamilton has extensive cycleways which link the city center with the outlying suburbs. These cycleways consist of a mixture of dedicated cycle lanes and mixed use cycle/walk ways.^[13]

Road

Private cars are the transport medium of choice in this flat, spread-out city.

An extensive bus network provides coverage of Hamilton City. Many routes extend radially from the central business district, while two ring routes encompass the central business district and the outer suburbs. While buses have been gaining in popularity in recent years, the relative lack of congestion compared to other cities, ample availability of parking and inconvenient bus schedules have been limited uptake^{[citation needed]}. Recent additions to the bus system include audio-posts at bus-stops to provide arrival times, and improved weather shelters.

New Zealand's main road artery State Highway 1 runs through several of Hamilton's suburbs and connects with State Highway 3 within the city boundaries.

Bridges

The main geographical barrier in the city is the Waikato River.Before the first bridge people and stock crossed the river in a wooden box attached to 2 pontoons which was guided by a cable .Photos at the Waikato museum show this punt was located near the present Traffic Bridge (Bridge St bridge).The first bridge ,the Union Bridge was a wooden structure built in 1879 made from Kahikatea. It was a toll bridge. It was built immediately to the south of the traffic bridge.^{[citation needed]} The stumps of its piles are still visible on the east side. <Waikato museum display Sept 2009>

The seven road bridges that now cross the river^[14] are often the focus of morning and evening traffic delays. The seven road bridges are:

• Pukete Bridge
• Fairfield Bridge
• Whitiora Bridge
• Claudelands Bridge
• Victoria Bridge
• Cobham Bridge
• Airport(Narrows) Bridge

The river is also crossed by a rail bridge and a pedestrian bridge:

• Claudelands Rail Bridge
• Flagstaff Pedestrian Bridge

Rail

Hamilton's underground Central Station, in late 2008.

Hamilton is the railway junction of the East Coast Main Trunk line with the North Island Main Trunk line. Rail passengers are served by a large station located at Frankton Junction, but rail passenger services are currently (2009) limited to The Overlander, a (mostly) daily service which operates between Auckland and Wellington, and is aimed primarily at tourists.

Hamilton also has an underground station in the central city located in a tunnel which runs from the Claudelands Rail Bridge through to Ward Park. The station is currently disused and is only accessible from the tunnel entrance. Up until the 1960's the railway cut across Victoria Street, the main road,disrupting traffic and covering property with oily smoke and fumes.^[15]

Hamilton's rail network serves as a major hub for the distribution of dairy products to the ports of Auckland and Tauranga. This hub is located at Crawford St.

Education

Hamilton is home to more than 25,000 tertiary students, mostly enrolled in one of the city's three main tertiary institutes, the University of Waikato, Waikato Institute of Technology and Te Wananga o Aotearoa. As well as state and private primary, intermediate and high schools, it also notably includes a number of Kura Kaupapa Māori primary schools offering education in the Māori language. A complete list of schools in Hamilton city can be found here.

Notables

• Craig Baird, racing car driver, born in Hamilton.
• Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand, administrator of the UN Development Programme, born in Hamilton.
• Chanel Cole, Australian Idol contestant and member of Australian band Spook, born in Hamilton.
• Guy Doleman, film actor.
• Chris van der Drift, racecar driver.
• Howden Ganley, former Formula One racing car driver, born in Hamilton.
• Warren Gatland, Most capped Waikato Rugby player in history, Wales International Rugby Coach, born in Hamilton.
• Ashley Lawrence (1934-1990), conductor, born in Hamilton.
• Denis Lill (1942-), actor, known for playing Sir Talbot Buxomly in Blackadder the Third, born in Hamilton.
• Dame Malvina Major, opera singer, born in Hamilton.
• John Mitchell, former rugby player, and former New Zealand All Blacks coach.
• Richard O'Brien, creator of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, lived in Hamilton.
• Dick Quax, Olympic Silver medallist and world record breaking runner, raised and educated in Hamilton.
• Frank Sargeson, renowned author, born in Hamilton.
• Scott Styris, NZ cricketer, raised and educated in Hamilton.
• Daniel Vettori, NZ cricketer, lives in Hamilton.
• Gillian Karawe Whitehead, one of New Zealand's most highly regarded composers, born in Hamilton.
• Let's Elope, Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year in 1992.

Sister cities

Hamilton has four sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International:

• Sacramento, USA
• Saitama, Japan
• Wuxi, People's Republic of China
• Chillán, Chile^[16]

References

External links

• Hamilton City
• Visitor Information
• Waikato Times - Local Newspaper
• Live Hamilton Weather
• Independent Hamilton Information Site
• Hamilton Street Maps

Garnier BJ; The Climate of New Zealand

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Coordinates: 37°47′S 175°17′E / 37.783°S 175.283°E / -37.783; 175.283