Shannon, New Zealand
| Shannon | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
  Shannon | |
| Coordinates: NZ 40°32′49.92″S 175°24′38.52″E / 40.5472000°S 175.4107000°ECoordinates: NZ 40°32′49.92″S 175°24′38.52″E / 40.5472000°S 175.4107000°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Manawatu-Wanganui Region |
| Territorial authority | Horowhenua District |
| Ward | Miranui |
| Founded by | Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company. |
| Named for | George Vance Shannon |
| Electorate | Ōtaki |
| Government | |
| • MP | Nathan Guy (New Zealand National Party) |
| • Mayor | Brendan Duffy |
| Population (2006) | |
| • Total | 1,506 |
| Time zone | NZST (UTC+12) |
| • Summer (DST) | NZDT (UTC+13) |
| Postcode | 4821 |
| Area Code | 06 |
Shannon is a small town in the Horowhenua District of New Zealand's North Island. it is located 28 kilometres southwest of Palmerston North and 15 kilometres northeast of Levin. The town's population at the 2006 census was 1506.
Description
The main activities in the district are dairy, sheep, and mixed farming. Mangaore (5 kilometres east) is the residential township for the nearby Mangahao hydro-electric power station, which was the second power station to be built in New Zealand and the first to be built by the government. The power station is the oldest still supplying power to New Zealand grid. The Manawatu River lies to the west of the town.
Shannon originally adjoined extensive swamps and was a headquarters for flax milling. The land on which the township later stood was part of an endowment of 215,000 acres (870 km2) acquired about 1881 by the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company (WMR). At first the company had intended to extend its railway from Levin to Foxton, but afterwards it proceeded to develop and open up the endowment area. Accordingly, the line was laid along the present route via Shannon. The town is considered to have been founded on 8 March 1887 when the first auction of town land was held. Shannon was named after George Vance Shannon (1842–1920), a director of the WMR. It was constituted a borough in 1917.
Shannon Railway Station is the most substantial of only a few remaining physical relics of the WMR, which was acquired by the national New Zealand Railways Department in 1908. The station is a stop for the Capital Connection long distance commuter train between Wellington and Palmerston North.
Today Shannon sits as a passing through point between Palmerston North and Wellington with two cafes, a dairy, an RD1 rural supply store, a pub, a fish and chips shop, a primary school, a Four Square grocer, a petrol station, and an art gallery. The township also has a strong rugby team and several netball teams.
A large percentage of the population is Māori with the local primary school being somewhat Māori-orientated. Shannon School is a full Decile 1 primary school (years 1-8) with roughly 190 students.[1]
The town also used to house Helenstown, a large model town with miniature versions of many New Zealand landmarks, a working train and carnival, all hand made. The building is currently closed. The models were on display in Taupo for some time, then Auckland. Their present location is currently unknown. Helen subsequently built another town which is displayed at Murryfield, a museum between Shannon and Levin.
References
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Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Shannon (New Zealand). |
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Shannon, New Zealand. |
- Shannon etc in NZHistory.net
- Shannon in the 1966 Encyclopaedia of New Zealand
- Shannon in the 1897 Cyclopaedia of New Zealand
- Shannon war memorial
- South African War memorial in Shannon