Darfield, New Zealand

Darfield

The main street (New Zealand State Highway 73) of Darfield, New Zealand

Clock at Darfield, New Zealand

Darfield is a town in the Selwyn District of the South Island of New Zealand. It is 35 kilometres west of the outskirts of Christchurch on State Highway 73 (Great Alpine Highway) and on the Midland railway line, route of the TranzAlpine train service. Its population (GeoNames geographical database 2011) is 1,593.

Darfield is the main town between Christchurch and the West Coast, New Zealand|West Coast]] region. It is often called "The township under the nor'west arch" in reference to a characteristic weather phenomenon that often creates an arch of cloud in an otherwise clear sky to the west of the township. This is caused by the condensation of water particles channelled upwards over the Southern Alps. Darfield has an intermediate/high school, and a primary school, as well as several shops.

Darfield lies in the Malvern district's arable and pastoral farming area. It is a gateway to the scenic Waimakariri and Rakaia rivers and the Southern Alps, and is also a popular lift-off place for hot air ballooning.

Fonterra has a milk powder factory near the town. The factory has a series of sidings and a container loading centre.^[1]

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake occurred near Darfield at 4:35 am on 4 September 2010, causing widespread damage to both the town and to surrounding areas including the city of Christchurch.^[2]

Notable people from Darfield

John Wright (5 July 1954), New Zealand cricketer and former coach of the Indian national cricket team
Mary Clinton (8 May 1960), New Zealand field hockey player
James Te Huna (29 September 1981), first New Zealander to enter the UFC, 2010 (Ultimate Fighting Championships)

References

↑ "KiwiRail opens South Island Freight Link". International Railway Journal. 20 April 2013.
↑ Booker, Jarrod (4 September 2010). ""Extremely violent" 7.4 quake hits Christchurch". The New Zealand Herald.

External links

Darfield, Selwyn District Council

Media related to Darfield, New Zealand at Wikimedia Commons

Coordinates: 43°29′S 172°07′E / 43.483°S 172.117°E / -43.483; 172.117

The TranzAlpine passenger train stops (Midland line)

Christchurch Rolleston Darfield Springfield Cass Arthur's Pass Otira Jacksons Moana Brunner Greymouth

Towns of the Selwyn District, Canterbury, New Zealand

Ellesmere Ward	Bankside Brookside Doyleston Dunsandel Irwell Killinchy Lakeside Leeston Little Rakaia Mead Milltown Rakaia Huts Sedgemere Selwyn Southbridge Taumutu Te Pirita

Malvern Ward	Annat Arthur's Pass Bealey Cass Castle Hill Village Charing Cross Coalgate Courtenay Craigieburn Darfield Greendale Glentunnel Hawkins Homebush Hororata Kimberley Kirwee Kowai Bush Lake Coleridge Racecourse Hill Rakaia Gorge Sheffield Springfield Staircase Waddington Whitecliffs Windwhistle

Selwyn Central Ward	Aylesbury Burnham Halkett Mcleans Island Norwood Paparua Rolleston Sandy Knolls Weedons West Melton

Springs Ward	Broadfield Ellesmere Greenpark Greenpark Huts Ladbrooks Lincoln Lower Selwyn Huts Motukarara Prebbleton Selwyn Huts Springston Springston South Tai Tapu Templeton

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