New Plymouth Ngāmotu (Māori) | |
|---|---|
 New Plymouth city skyline looking south from the foreshore with Mount Taranaki on the horizon. | |
  New Plymouth  New Plymouth .svg) New Plymouth | |
| Coordinates:39°03′28″S174°04′27″E / 39.05778°S 174.07417°E /-39.05778; 174.07417 | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Taranaki |
| District | New Plymouth District |
| Settled | 31 March 1841 |
| NZ Parliament | New Plymouth Te Tai Hauāuru (Māori) |
| Government | |
| • Type | District Council |
| • Mayor | Neil Holdom |
| • Deputy Mayor | David Bublitz |
| • Territorial authority | New Plymouth District Council |
| • MPs | Debbie Ngarewa-Packer (Te Pāti Māori) David MacLeod (National) |
| Area | |
• Territorial | 2,205.6 km2 (851.6 sq mi) |
| • Urban | 74.79 km2 (28.88 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• Territorial | 90,300 |
| • Density | 40.9/km2 (106/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 60,400 |
| • Urban density | 808/km2 (2,090/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+12 (NZST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+13 (NZDT) |
| Postcode(s) | 4310, 4312 |
| Area code | 06 |
| Website | newplymouthnz |
New Plymouth (Māori:Ngāmotu) is the major city of theTaranaki region on the west coast of theNorth Island ofNew Zealand. It is named after the English city ofPlymouth, inDevon, from where the first English settlers to New Plymouth migrated. TheNew Plymouth District, which includes New Plymouth City and several smaller towns, is the 10th largest district (out of 67) in New Zealand, and has a population of 90,300 – about two-thirds of the total population of the Taranaki region and 1.7% of New Zealand's population. This includes New Plymouth City (60,400),Waitara (7,730),Inglewood (3,960),Ōakura (),Ōkato (561) andUrenui (429).[2]
The city itself is a service centre for the region's principal economic activities, including intensive pastoral activities (mainlydairy farming) as well asoil, natural gas andpetrochemical exploration and production. It is also the region's financial centre as the home of theTSB Bank (formerly the Taranaki Savings Bank), the largest of the remaining non-government New Zealand-owned banks.
Notable features are thebotanic garden (i.e.Pukekura Park), the critically acclaimed Len Lye Centre and Art Gallery, the 13 km (8.1 mi)New Plymouth Coastal Walkway alongside the Tasman Sea, theLen Lye-designed 45-metre-tall (148 ft) artwork known as theWind Wand, Paritutu Rock, and views ofMount Taranaki.
New Plymouth was awarded the most liveable city (for a population between 75,000–150,000) by the International Awards for Liveable Communities in 2021. In 2023, New Plymouth was awarded New Zealand's most beautiful small city by Keep New Zealand Beautiful.[3] It also won multiple awards in 2008. The city was in 2010 chosen as one of two walking & cycling "Model Communities" by the government. Based on New Plymouth's already positive attitude towards cyclists and pedestrians, the city received $3.71m to invest into infrastructure and community programmes to boost walking and cycling.[4]
The area where New Plymouth was founded had for centuries been the home for severalMāoriiwi (tribes). From about 1823, the Māori began having contact with Europeanwhalers as well as traders who arrived byschooner to buyflax.[5]
In 1828Richard "Dicky" Barrett (1807–47) set up a trading post at Ngāmotu after arriving on the trading vesselAdventure. Barrett traded with the local Māori and helped negotiate the purchase of land from them on behalf of theNew Zealand Company. Settlers were selected by the Plymouth Company, which was set up to attract emigrants from theWest Country of England, and which took over land initially purchased by the New Zealand Company. Thegrid plan for the town's streets was laid out by surveyorFrederic Carrington.[6] The first of the town's settlers arrived on theWilliam Bryan, which anchored off the coast on 31 March 1841. A series of disputes over ownership and settlement of land developed between Māori and settlers soon after and New Plymouth became a fortified garrison town in 1860–1861 as more than 3500 Imperial soldiers, as well as local volunteers and militia, fought Māori in theFirst Taranaki War.
From west to east
New Plymouth has anoceanic climate that could be described as a moist, temperate climate. The average summer afternoon temperature is 21–22 °C (70–72 °F); the average summer night-time temperature is 12–13 °C (54–55 °F). The city experiences mild winters, where the average afternoon temperature is 13–14 °C (55–57 °F) and night-time temperature is 5–6 °C (41–43 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,432 mm (56.4 in). On 15 August 2011 it snowed in New Plymouth, a rare event which has been described as a once in a generation occurrence.[7] A New Plymouth site was named the sunniest in the country in 2021, recording 2592 sunshine hours.[8]
| Climate data for New Plymouth (1991–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 30.6 (87.1) | 29.5 (85.1) | 29.0 (84.2) | 24.9 (76.8) | 21.7 (71.1) | 19.8 (67.6) | 18.0 (64.4) | 19.9 (67.8) | 21.6 (70.9) | 22.3 (72.1) | 26.4 (79.5) | 29.9 (85.8) | 30.6 (87.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 21.8 (71.2) | 22.5 (72.5) | 21.3 (70.3) | 19.0 (66.2) | 16.5 (61.7) | 14.3 (57.7) | 13.5 (56.3) | 14.0 (57.2) | 15.2 (59.4) | 16.3 (61.3) | 17.8 (64.0) | 20.2 (68.4) | 17.7 (63.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 17.6 (63.7) | 18.2 (64.8) | 16.8 (62.2) | 14.8 (58.6) | 12.7 (54.9) | 10.7 (51.3) | 9.7 (49.5) | 10.3 (50.5) | 11.6 (52.9) | 12.8 (55.0) | 14.0 (57.2) | 16.3 (61.3) | 13.8 (56.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 13.4 (56.1) | 13.8 (56.8) | 12.3 (54.1) | 10.6 (51.1) | 8.9 (48.0) | 7.1 (44.8) | 5.9 (42.6) | 6.5 (43.7) | 8.0 (46.4) | 9.2 (48.6) | 10.1 (50.2) | 12.5 (54.5) | 9.9 (49.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 4.2 (39.6) | 2.8 (37.0) | 2.6 (36.7) | 0.0 (32.0) | −0.8 (30.6) | −2.4 (27.7) | −2.6 (27.3) | −2.3 (27.9) | −2.2 (28.0) | −0.1 (31.8) | 1.2 (34.2) | 2.1 (35.8) | −2.6 (27.3) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 76.3 (3.00) | 89.8 (3.54) | 91.1 (3.59) | 117.1 (4.61) | 149.4 (5.88) | 143.6 (5.65) | 141.3 (5.56) | 128.8 (5.07) | 122.9 (4.84) | 127.0 (5.00) | 103.7 (4.08) | 119.3 (4.70) | 1,410.3 (55.52) |
| Average rainy days(≥ 1.0 mm) | 8.1 | 7.8 | 8.6 | 10.3 | 13.6 | 14.6 | 14.5 | 14.8 | 14.2 | 12.9 | 10.9 | 11.5 | 141.8 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 81.2 | 82.5 | 83.2 | 82.7 | 85.7 | 85.9 | 86.0 | 84.8 | 82.9 | 83.6 | 80.0 | 80.9 | 83.3 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 260.1 | 235.1 | 227.0 | 180.8 | 149.9 | 125.5 | 142.5 | 170.2 | 171.0 | 200.9 | 225.4 | 229.7 | 2,318.1 |
| Mean dailydaylight hours | 14.6 | 13.6 | 12.3 | 11.0 | 10.0 | 9.5 | 9.7 | 10.6 | 11.8 | 13.1 | 14.3 | 14.9 | 12.1 |
| Percentagepossible sunshine | 57 | 61 | 60 | 55 | 48 | 44 | 47 | 52 | 48 | 49 | 53 | 50 | 52 |
| Source 1: NIWA Climate Data[9] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Météo Climat[10] Weather Spark[11] | |||||||||||||
TheNew Zealand Constitution Act 1852 created theNew Plymouth Province, with a Provincial Council given jurisdiction over an area of 400,000ha. Five years later, the name of the province changed toTaranaki Province. The province was abolished in 1876.
A town board was formed in 1863 and the town was constituted as a borough in August 1876. Its new status did little to overcome some outside perceptions, however. In 1876, author E. W. Payton wrote that "all the great bustling 'cities' of the colony had a patronising way of trying to snub New Plymouth, referring to it in such derogatory terms as the dullest hole in the colony ... nothing whatever to do there... I find a great liking for this 'slow, old hole' ... it is a quiet, unassuming place and has not done so much to attract immigrants and settlers by exaggerating reports, as some districts have done."[12]
Fitzroy Town District was merged with New Plymouth borough in August 1911; Vogeltown,Frankleigh Park and Westown were added a year later, followed by St Aubyn-Moturoa. By 1913, the town had a population of 7,538. Seafront land was added in 1931 and 1941; land acquired on Omata Rd was added in 1955 and in 1960, large areas including land to the south of Paritutu, as well as Hurdon, Ferndale and Huatoki were included, as well as land straddling Mangorei Rd between Te Hēnui Stream and Waiwakaiho River.
New Plymouth was declared a city in 1949.
In 1989, as a part of the New Zealand-wide reorganisation of local government, New Plymouth City Council was merged with Taranaki District Council (Taranaki County Council and Waitara Borough merged in 1986), Inglewood District Council (Inglewood Borough and County merged in 1986), and Clifton County Council to form New Plymouth District Council.
Every three years, the mayor, 14 councillors and 16 community board members are elected by the New Plymouth District's enrolled voters. The full council, sub-committees and standing committees meet on a six-weekly cycle.
The Policy and Monitoring standing committees have delegated authority from the council to make final decisions on certain matters, and they make recommendations to the council on all others. The four community boards–Clifton, Waitara, Inglewood and Kaitake–as well as the subcommittees and working parties can make recommendations to the standing committees for them to consider.
The third standing committee, the Hearings Commission, is a quasi-judicial body that meets whenever a formal hearing is required–for instance, to hear submissions on a publicly notified resource consent application.
The Chief Executive and approximately 460 full-time equivalent staff provide advice and information to the elected members and the public, implement council decisions and manage the district's day-to-day operations.
This includes everything from maintaining more than 280 parks and reserves, waste water management and issuing consents and permits, through to providing libraries and other recreational services and ensuring the district's eateries meet health standards.
New Plymouth District Council's annual operating revenue for 2008/2009 is more than $188 million.[13]
The current mayor of New Plymouth is Max Brough.[14]
Stats NZ describes New Plymouth as a large urban area, which includesBell Block and covers 74.79 km2 (28.88 sq mi).[1] It had an estimated population of 60,400 as of June 2024,[2] with a population density of 808 people per km2.
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 49,395 | — |
| 2013 | 50,157 | +0.22% |
| 2018 | 54,279 | +1.59% |
| 2023 | 58,047 | +1.35% |
| The 2006 population is for a larger area of 111.33 km2, which includesŌakura andParaite. Source:[15][16] | ||
New Plymouth had a population of 58,047 in the2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 3,768 people (6.9%) since the2018 census, and an increase of 7,890 people (15.7%) since the2013 census. There were 28,056 males, 29,781 females, and 213 people ofother genders in 22,779 dwellings.[17] 2.8% of people identified asLGBTIQ+. The median age was 40.9 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 11,037 people (19.0%) aged under 15 years, 9,561 (16.5%) aged 15 to 29, 25,419 (43.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 12,030 (20.7%) aged 65 or older.[15]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 82.5%European (Pākehā); 18.4%Māori; 2.7%Pasifika; 8.8%Asian; 1.1% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.5% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.2%, Māori by 3.6%, Samoan by 0.4%, and other languages by 9.3%. No language could be spoken by 2.0% (e.g. too young to talk).New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.4%. The percentage of people born overseas was 19.5, compared with 28.8% nationally.[15]
Religious affiliations were 33.0%Christian, 1.5%Hindu, 0.8%Islam, 0.6%Māori religious beliefs, 0.6%Buddhist, 0.5%New Age, 0.1%Jewish, and 1.4% other religions. People who answered that they hadno religion were 53.9%, and 7.8% of people did not answer the census question.[15]
Of those at least 15 years old, 10,269 (21.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 25,716 (54.7%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 11,028 (23.5%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $39,200, compared with $41,500 nationally. 5,310 people (11.3%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 22,410 (47.7%) full-time, 6,873 (14.6%) part-time, and 1,176 (2.5%) unemployed.[15]
Electric power was first provided in January 1906 from the Mangorei power station alongside theWaiwhakaiho River near Burgess Park.[18] In the 1960s, theNew Plymouth Power Station was initially designed to run on coal but constructed to be fuelled by natural gas or fuel oil. This is athermal power station with a steam turbine, commenced operation in 1974 with units progressively decommissioned from 2000 with one left operating in 2008.[19]
Companies began searching for oil on the New Plymouth coast in 1865 after small deposits of thick oil were found on the shoreline. The first commercial quantities of oil were obtained in January 1866. Exploration continued sporadically, and a refinery opened in 1913. Production ceased about 1972. The city was one of the original nine towns and cities in New Zealand to be supplied with natural gas when theKapuni gas field in South Taranaki entered production in 1970.[20] The offshoreMaui A well began production of natural gas in the late 1970s, sparking a flourishing energy andpetrochemical industry. As Maui A's resources decline, new sites in Taranaki are being developed in an effort to find more commercial petrochemical reserves.[21]
Powerco operates the local electricity and natural gas distribution networks in the city.[22] Electricity is supplied fromTranspower's national grid at two substations: Carrington Street (Brooklands) and Huirangi. Natural gas is supplied fromFirst Gas's transmission system at a gate station in Bell Block.
Among the city's major industrial companies was Ivon Watkins-Dow, an agricultural chemicals company founded in 1944 by brothers Ivon, Harry and Dan Watkins and joined as a partner 20 years later byDow Chemicals ofMichigan. The company ran a factory at Paritutu making the herbicide2,4,5-T. A 2005 study found that people who lived close to the Ivon Watkins-Dow plant between 1962 and 1987 were likely to havedioxin levels on average four times higher than the general public. In some groups, the level was as much as seven times as high. A Public Health Medicine senior adviser has claimed that based on international findings, the residents' exposure to dioxin may cause increased rates of disease, in particular cancer. In March 2007, theMinistry of Health announced it would offer a major health support programme to anyone affected.[23][24][25]In April 2008, the Ministry clarified that the programme's main feature would be a free annual medical check up for those who had lived, worked or studied close to the factory.[26]
New Plymouth District has a reputation as an events centre, with major festivals (the annual TSB Bank Festival of Lights, Taranaki Powerco Garden Spectacular,WOMAD and the biennial Taranaki Arts Festival), sports fixtures (including international rugby, surfing, cricket and tennis matches, and the annual ITU World Cup Triathlon) and concerts (fromSir Elton John,Jack Johnson,REM,John Farnham andFleetwood Mac).
With its rich volcanic soil, the city is well known for its gardens. Chief among them are the 52 haPukekura Park in the centre of the city (named a Garden of National Significance), andPukeiti, arhododendron garden of international significance high on thePouākai Range.
Pukekura Park is also the home of theTSB Bank Festival of Lights, which runs for free every year from mid-December to early February. It has daytime and night-time programmes of events for people of all ages, and the festival itself transforms the park into an illuminated wonderland every evening.
Next to the foreshore in the central city isPuke Ariki – the world's first purpose-built, fully integrated museum, library and information centre.[27]
Nearby is theGovett-Brewster Art Gallery, a contemporary art museum. It includes theLen Lye Centre, a purpose-built extension to the museum that houses the collection of filmmaker and kinetic artistLen Lye, which opened in 2015.[28]
TheCoastal Walkway is a 13 km path that forms an expansive sea-edge promenade stretching almost the entire length of the city, from theBell Block mouth in the east to Port Taranaki in the west. The pathway includes the iconicTe Rewa Rewa Bridge and is ideal for walking, running, cycling or skating, or simply enjoying the view of the dramatic west coast.[29] It has won numerous awards, including theCycle Friendly Award in 2008 for the best New Zealand cycle facility.
Centre City Shopping Centre is the only shopping mall in New Plymouth. It contains over 50 shops and services.[30]
New Plymouth won the award for the most liveable city (for a population between 75,000–150,000) by the International Awards for Liveable Communities in 2021.[31]
New Plymouth won the Top Town award fromNorth and South Magazine in 2008 (judged "the best place in New Zealand to live, love, work and raise a family").[32]
The city also won three awards at the 11thInternational Awards for Liveable Communities held in Dongguan, China, 6–10 November 2008:[33]
An 18 km (11 mi) railway link betweenNew Plymouth railway station andWaitara was completed in 1875; this later became theWaitara Branch. The next year, work began on a line south toStratford, which was reached in 1879, followed byHāwera in 1881. This line, known as theMarton–New Plymouth Line, was completed on 23 March 1885. With the opening of theWellington–Manawatu Line on 3 November 1886, a direct rail link to Wellington was established.[35]
Passenger services included theNew Plymouth Express (1886–1977), theTaranaki Flyer (1926–1959), theNew Plymouth Night Express to Auckland (1933–1971) and its successor toTaumaranui (1971-1983). From 1956 most services were provided byStandard and88-seater railcars. By 1983 all regular passenger trains had been withdrawn; since then, only occasional excursions by preservation societies have visited New Plymouth.[36]
The breakwater at Ngāmotu was completed in 1883, providing safe berthage for vessels, and the Moturoa wharf was completed in 1888. TodayPort Taranaki is the region’s principal maritime facility and the only deep-water port on the west coast of New Zealand.
Electrictrams began operating in 1916, with bus services beginning three years later. Trams were withdrawn in 1954, and while a smalltrolleybus service operated from 1950 until 1967, the city was otherwise served byNew Plymouth City Transport buses until deregulation in 1991. Today bus services operate under contract to theTaranaki Regional Council as part of theCitylink network.[37]
The first aircraft landed at New Plymouth’s racecourse in 1920. Commercial flights began from Bell Block aerodrome in June 1937, which was requisitioned as anRNZAF station during World War II. The facility was replaced in 1966 by the presentNew Plymouth Airport, 3 km (1.9 mi) north-east of the old site, with a sealed runway capable of handling larger aircraft.
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New Plymouth has two fire stations in the city, with the central station a block away from the CBD. The station houses four fire appliances, including an aerial appliance, along with three specialist vehicles. New Plymouth Central Fire Station is staffed by two crews (8 firefighters) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and responds, not only to the city, but to surrounding areas if needed. New Plymouth West Volunteer Fire Brigade is based west of the city in the suburb of Spotswood. The volunteer station houses a single appliance, but is close toPort Taranaki and LPG/Gas tanks. The brigade supports New Plymouth and surrounding satellite towns.
Police stations are scattered throughout the city, with the main base at a modern police station on Powderham Street. Other suburban stations are located in Fitzroy, Westown and Bell Block.
Hato Hone St John supplies all ambulance services to Taranaki, with their main station based inWaiwhakaiho.
TheTaranaki Rescue Helicopter Trust provides search, rescue and patient transfer missions when required. TheMBB/Kawasaki BK 117 is based at its hangar atTaranaki Base Hospital.
Port Taranaki is the home port forHMNZS Endeavour, although the ship is based at theDevonport Naval Base on Auckland'sNorth Shore.[clarification needed]
There are schools inFitzroy,Frankleigh Park,Hurdon,Lynmouth,Mangorei,Marfell,Merrilands,Moturoa,Spotswood,Strandon,Vogeltown,Welbourn,Westown andBrooklands. TheWestern Institute of Technology at Taranaki has its main campus in Welbourn.[38]
New Plymouth Boys' High School andNew Plymouth Girls' High School are single-sex secondary (years 9–13) schools with rolls of 1503[39] and 1297[40] respectively. The Boys' High School was founded in 1882, and the Girls' High School separated from it in 1914.[41]
Francis Douglas Memorial College andSacred Heart Girls' College, state-integrated catholic boys and girls schools (Years 7–13) respectively, whileSpotswood College in the western suburbs is the only co-educational secondary school in the city.
Local print media include:
Local radio stations:
Other stations run byNZME andMediaworks are broadcast throughout Taranaki but are networked from eitherAuckland orWellington.
Local television stations:
The main television and FM radio transmitter for New Plymouth is located near Tahurangi Lodge on the eastern slopes ofMount Taranaki, 25 km (16 mi) south of the city. The first transmitter at the site was commissioned in 1966, relaying Wellington's WNTV1 channel (now part ofTVNZ 1).[42] Today, digital terrestrial television (Freeview) is available in the city from the Mount Taranaki transmitter.
Carrington's 1842 map records in detail the topography of the area, and shows the grid he laid out for the town's streets, ignoring the many river valleys. Carrington's tight street grid survived in 21st-century New Plymouth, but made traffic movement through the central city difficult at times.
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