Bulls | |
|---|---|
 Bulls Town Hall | |
 | |
| Coordinates:40°10′S175°23′E / 40.167°S 175.383°E /-40.167; 175.383 | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Manawatū-Whanganui |
| District | Rangitikei District |
| Wards |
|
| Electorates | |
| Government | |
| • Territorial Authority | Rangitikei District Council |
| • Regional council | Horizons Regional Council |
| Area | |
• Total | 6.83 km2 (2.64 sq mi) |
| Population (June 2024)[2] | |
• Total | 2,150 |
| • Density | 310/km2 (820/sq mi) |
| Postcode(s) | 4818 |
Bulls (Māori:Pūru)[3] is a town in theRangitikei District of New Zealand. It is in a fertile farming area at the junction ofState Highways 1 and3, 28 km (17 mi) northwest ofPalmerston North. According to a June 2024Statistics New Zealand estimate, Bulls has a population of 2,150 inhabitants.[2]
Recent marketing makes puns with the name, for example, "New Zealand gets its milk from Bulls" or the sign for the local police station "Const-a-bull".
There are two recorded Māori toponyms for the area – Te Ara Taumaihi and Ō-hine-puhiawe. The origins of Te Ara Taumaihi have yet to be explicitly explored. Ō-hine-puhiawe, a land block where Parewahawaha marae is situated, acts as a synecdoche to refer to the current town area. The modern town name is named after James Bull who owned the first general store there. The town was originally called Bull Town, but this was changed to Clifton and then renamed back to Bulls at the urging of SirWilliam Fox.[4]
The eastern end of theState Highway 1 bridge over theRangitikei River south-east of the town collapsed suddenly in 1973 while being crossed by a bus. No-one was killed and the collapsed part was rebuilt.[5]
The formerLake Alice Psychiatric hospital is 7 km (4 mi) north of Bulls, the hospital closed in 1999. Lake Alice was a large contributor to the Bulls and Marton economy.
Bulls is covered by theWhanganui Chronicle, a daily paper part of theNZ Herald network that serves the Whanganui, Ruapehu and Rangitīkei regions.
Slasher filmX was partially filmed in Bulls, namely the interior shots of the farmhouse which were filmed inside the Bulls town hall.[6]
The localParewahawaha Marae is a traditional meeting ground for theNgāti Raukawa hapū ofNgāti Parewahawaha.[7][8] It is on land known as Ōhinepuhiawe.
The marae features theParewahawaha meeting house, awhare tūpana opened on 15 April 1967 by Maori QueenTe Atairangikaahu. At the time it was opened, Te Rangi Pumamao was the rangatira at Parewahawaha. He had finished construction of the house, as previous builders had died.[9]
In October 2020, the Government committed $1,248,067 from theProvincial Growth Fund to upgrade the marae and five others, creating 69 jobs.[10]
Bulls covers 6.83 km2 (2.64 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 2,150 as of June 2024,[2] with a population density of 315 people per km2.
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 1,731 | — |
| 2013 | 1,590 | −1.21% |
| 2018 | 1,935 | +4.01% |
| 2023 | 2,055 | +1.21% |
| Source:[11] | ||
Bulls had a population of 2,055 at the2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 120 people (6.0%) since the2018 census, and an increase of 465 people (25.5%) since the2013 census. There were 879 households, while the median age was 32.8 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally), with 462 people (22.5%) aged under 15 years, 444 (21.6%) aged 15 to 29, 873 (42.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 275 (13.4%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 79.7% European/Pākehā, 28.3%Māori, 7.2%Pacific peoples, 3.9%Asian, and 2.3% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 15, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 6.15% had no religion, 25.0% wereChristian, 1.9% hadMāori religious beliefs, 0.7% wereHindu, 0.6% wereMuslim, 0.4% wereBuddhist and 1.8% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 169 (8.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 427 (20.8%) people had no formal qualifications. The median household income was $88,000, compared with $97,000 nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1171 (57%) people were employed full-time, 189 (9.2%) were part-time, and 74 (3.6%) were unemployed.[12]
As part of theRangitikei District, the currentMayor of Rangitikei since2013 isAndy Watson.[13]
Bulls is the main town in the Southern ward of theRangitikei District Council, which elects two of the eleven district councillors.
Bulls, like the rest of the Rangitikei District, is located in thegeneral electorate ofRangitīkei and theMāori electorate ofTe Tai Hauāuru.[14] Rangitīkei is a safeNational Party seat since the1938 election except for 1978–1984 when it was held byBruce Beetham of theSocial Credit Party. Since2023 it has been held bySuze Redmayne[15]
Te Tai Hauāuru is a more unstable seat, having been held by three different parties since1996, i.e.New Zealand First,Te Pāti Māori and theLabour Party.[16] Since2023 it has been held byDebbie Ngarewa-Packer of Te Pāti Māori.[17]
Many Air Force personnel fromRNZAF Base Ohakea live in Bulls. In recent years several defence houses have been sold to civilian buyers which has seen a steady decline of servicemen from the area, but a moderate presence remains nonetheless.
In 2017 it was announced that theRepublic of Singapore Air Force is looking at establishing a permanentF-15 fighter jet training base at Ohakea with an estimated presence of 500 Singaporean personnel. Ohakea and surrounding areas such as Bulls and Feilding would see a significant increase in military families and personnel to the area. In December 2018 it was announced that this would no longer go ahead.[18]
In 2018 the incumbent government announced the purchase of fourBoeing P-8 Poseidon aircraft for maritime surveillance. This announcement came with the news that the currentNew Zealand Defence Force unit responsible for maritime surveillance,No. 5 Squadron RNZAF, would be required to move toRNZAF Base Ohakea. This move would see a further increase in the number of service personnel living in the area. RNZAF took delivery of these aircraft in 2023.[19]
Bulls has two co-educational state primary schools for Year 1–8 students.
Bulls School was established in 1867 and is the oldest school in the Rangitikei District;[20][21] it has a roll of 156 as of March 2025.[22]
Clifton School, which opened more recently on the southern end of the township,[23][24] has a roll of 159.[25]
The nearest state secondary school (year 9–13) isRangitikei College, 16 km (9.9 mi) away in Marton.
| Climate data for Bulls (RNZAF Base Ohakea) (1971–2000) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 22.3 (72.1) | 22.7 (72.9) | 21.2 (70.2) | 18.4 (65.1) | 15.4 (59.7) | 13.0 (55.4) | 12.5 (54.5) | 13.3 (55.9) | 14.8 (58.6) | 16.5 (61.7) | 18.4 (65.1) | 20.6 (69.1) | 17.4 (63.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 17.8 (64.0) | 18.1 (64.6) | 16.6 (61.9) | 14.1 (57.4) | 11.5 (52.7) | 9.4 (48.9) | 8.7 (47.7) | 9.4 (48.9) | 11.0 (51.8) | 12.7 (54.9) | 14.3 (57.7) | 16.3 (61.3) | 13.3 (56.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 13.3 (55.9) | 13.4 (56.1) | 12.1 (53.8) | 9.8 (49.6) | 7.7 (45.9) | 5.7 (42.3) | 4.8 (40.6) | 5.5 (41.9) | 7.3 (45.1) | 8.9 (48.0) | 10.2 (50.4) | 12.0 (53.6) | 9.2 (48.6) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 63.9 (2.52) | 75.3 (2.96) | 77.0 (3.03) | 61.8 (2.43) | 68.7 (2.70) | 77.9 (3.07) | 82.3 (3.24) | 67.2 (2.65) | 63.8 (2.51) | 73.5 (2.89) | 62.3 (2.45) | 90.1 (3.55) | 863.8 (34) |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 249.8 | 205.8 | 179.1 | 170.4 | 122.5 | 84.2 | 118.7 | 134.4 | 140.2 | 166.8 | 193.1 | 234.6 | 1,999.6 |
| Source: NIWA (rain and sun 1981–2010)[26] | |||||||||||||
The town'ssister city isCowes, England.[27]
Census 2023 was invoked but never defined (see thehelp page).
Media related toBulls, New Zealand at Wikimedia Commons
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
