Cashmere, New Zealand

Coordinates: 43°34′22″S 172°37′52″E / 43.572751°S 172.631100°E / -43.572751; 172.631100
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cashmere
Suburb
Sign of the Kiwi at Dyer's Pass
Sign of the Kiwi at Dyer's Pass
Map
Coordinates: 43°34′22″S 172°37′52″E / 43.572751°S 172.631100°E / -43.572751; 172.631100
CountryNew Zealand
CityChristchurch
Local authorityChristchurch City Council
Electoral wardCashmere[1]
Community boardWaihoro Spreydon-Cashmere-Heathcote
Area
[2]
 • Land471 ha (1,164 acres)
Population
 (June 2023)[3]
 • Total6,720
HospitalsPrincess Margaret Hospital
Hoon Hay Somerfield Beckenham
Cracroft
Cashmere
 Huntsbury
(Port Hills)

Cashmere is a suburb which rises above the southern end of the city of Christchurch in New Zealand's South Island.

Geography[edit]

Cashmere is situated on the north side of the Port Hills, immediately above the southern terminus of Colombo Street and approximately five kilometres south of the city centre. The suburb's location on the Port Hills offers it a commanding view over the rest of the mostly flat city. Cashmere's proximity to the rest of the Port Hills has also made it a favourite for recreation, with the upper reaches of the suburb dominated by Victoria Park with its multiple bike and walking tracks and connections to further tracks running the length of the Port Hills. Above Victoria Park is Sugarloaf, a 496 metres (1,627 ft) peak which is the location of a 119 metres (390 ft) transmission tower used for local radio and TV stations. The Ōpāwaho / Heathcote River marks the northern extent of the suburb, flowing roughly along the base of the Port Hills.

History[edit]

Cashmere takes its name from Sir John Cracroft Wilson's farm in the area, which in turn was named after his birthplace of Kashmir (with Cashmere being the British spelling of that region at the time).[4] Wilson briefly moved to Christchurch in 1854 from India by way of Australia, where he purchased 108 hectares of land to develop into Cashmere farm. Wilson built multiple farm buildings on the property, some of which persist to this day. In 1979, the house Wilson built for his Indian workers became a function centre known as "The Old Stone House". The building has been significantly damaged and restored twice, following a fire in 1971 and earthquakes in 2010 and 2011.[5]

In the late 19th century, the area around Cashmere began to be settled by Europeans. Homes began to be built in Cashmere in the 1890s, although informal church services were being held as early as the 1880s.[6] In response to the growth of this congregation, land from John Cracroft Wilson donated land for a church, which was completed in 1908 and marked the parish's formal split from neighbouring Sydenham.[7] At roughly the same time, the Christchurch tramway system was extended to include the area, with the previous Cashmere line being extended from the southern end of Colombo street to the future site of the Sign of the Takahe.[8] The tram line continued operation until 1954, with Cashmere gaining a reputation as one of the country's more well-to-do and refined suburbs in the process. This reputation continues to the present day, with the 2018 census showing that Cashmere has a significantly higher percentage of incomes over NZ$70,000 than the rest of Christchurch city.[2]

Demographics[edit]

Cashmere covers 4.71 km2 (1.82 sq mi).[9] It had an estimated population of 6,720 as of June 2023, with a population density of 1,427 people per km2.

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
20066,333—    
20136,135−0.45%
20186,453+1.02%
Source: [10]

Cashmere had a population of 6,453 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 318 people (5.2%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 120 people (1.9%) since the 2006 census. There were 2,394 households, comprising 3,198 males and 3,255 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.98 males per female, with 1,206 people (18.7%) aged under 15 years, 1,017 (15.8%) aged 15 to 29, 3,084 (47.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,149 (17.8%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 92.4% European/Pākehā, 4.4% Māori, 0.8% Pasifika, 5.3% Asian, and 2.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 24.9, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 55.9% had no religion, 34.6% were Christian, 0.1% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.3% were Hindu, 0.5% were Muslim, 1.0% were Buddhist and 2.1% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 2,274 (43.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 411 (7.8%) people had no formal qualifications. 1,683 people (32.1%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 2,658 (50.7%) people were employed full-time, 990 (18.9%) were part-time, and 120 (2.3%) were unemployed.[10]

Individual statistical areas
Name Area
(km2)		 Population Density
(per km2)		 Households Median age Median
income
Cashmere West 2.39 3,060 1,280 1,116 44.6 years $45,300[11]
Cashmere East 2.33 3,393 1,456 1,278 43.4 years $45,500[12]
New Zealand 37.4 years $31,800

Buildings and infrastructure[edit]

Dame Ngaio Marsh's Home

Two of Harry Ell's rest houses, the Sign of the Takahe and the Sign of the Kiwi, are located in Cashmere. Both are Category I heritage buildings.[13][14] Dame Ngaio Marsh's former house in Valley Road is a museum run in her memory. It is registered by Heritage New Zealand as a Category I heritage item.[15]

Princess Margaret Hospital, built in 1959, was once thought to become the main hospital of Christchurch, but it was too far from the central city.[16]

The Cashmere Club is home to many local sports groups including rugby, soccer, bowls, badminton, darts, squash and small bore rifle shooting. The Canterbury Ring Laser facility is located in the Cracroft Caverns, an underground bunker complex built during World War II. Christchurch Adventure Park is a mountain bike park that opened in December 2016.[17]

Notable residents[edit]

John Cracroft Wilson in 1878

Education[edit]

Cashmere Primary Te Pae Kererū is a full primary school for years 1 to 8[21] with a roll of 396 students. It opened in 1900 as Port Hills Aided School and moved to the current site in 1905. The name changed to Cashmere School in 1907.[22]

Te Kura o Huriawa Thorrington is a contributing primary school for years 1 to 6[23] with a roll of 391 students. It opened in 1958.[24]

Both schools are coeducational. Rolls are as of February 2024.[25]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Wards, Councillors and Community Boards map". ccc.govt.nz. Christchurch City Council. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  2. ^ a b The population and area are the sum of the population and area in statistical areas of Cashmere East and Cashmere West
  3. ^ "Population estimate tables - NZ.Stat". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  4. ^ Kristiansen, Tessa. "Wilson, John Cracroft – Biography". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
  5. ^ Cracroft Community Centre Inc. "History". The Old Stone House. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  6. ^ Wilson, John. "Canterbury places – The Port Hills". teara.govt.nz. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  7. ^ "History of the church – St Augustines Anglican Church – Cashmere". Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  8. ^ "Tramway Historical Society – Welcome". www.ferrymeadtramway.org.nz. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  9. ^ "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  10. ^ a b "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Cashmere West (330300) and Cashmere East (331300).
  11. ^ 2018 Census place summary: Cashmere West
  12. ^ 2018 Census place summary: Cashmere East
  13. ^ "Sign of the Takahe". New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero. Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
  14. ^ "Sign of the Kiwi". New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero. Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
  15. ^ "Ngaio Marsh House". New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero. Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
  16. ^ "Cashmere (later Princess Margaret) Hospital, shown under construction". Christchurch City Libraries. Retrieved 6 June 2011.
  17. ^ Redmond, Adele (17 December 2016). "Christchurch Adventure Park opens to Stoke Pass holders on Saturday". The Press. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  18. ^ "Man of the mountains". The Press. 29 November 2008. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
  19. ^ Stafford, Jane. "Marsh, Edith Ngaio 1895–1982". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
  20. ^ "Grass Fires". The Star (Christchurch). No. 18940. Papers Past, National Library of New Zealand. 10 December 1929. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  21. ^ Education Counts: Cashmere Primary Te Pae Kererū
  22. ^ Burn, Gavin (24 February 2020). "Our History". Cashmere Primary Te Pae Kererū.
  23. ^ Education Counts: Thorrington School
  24. ^ "Miscellaneous Local Historical Information" (PDF). Christchurch City Libraries. p. 199. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  25. ^ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 14 March 2024.

External links[edit]

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