Feilding

Feilding (Māori: Aorangi) is a town in the Manawatū District of the North Island of New Zealand. It is located on State Highway 54, 20 kilometres north of Palmerston North. The town is the seat of the Manawatū District Council.

For other places with a similar name, see Fielding.

Feilding
Aorangi
Town
Manchester Square
Manchester Square
Nickname: 
'Friendly' Feilding
Coordinates: 40°13′S 175°34′E
CountryNew Zealand
RegionManawatū-Whanganui
DistrictManawatū District
Ward
  • Feilding General Ward
  • Ngā Tapuae o Matangi Māori Ward
Named forColonel William Henry Adelbert Feilding
Electorates
Government
 • Territorial AuthorityManawatū District Council
 • Regional councilHorizons Regional Council
Area
[1]
 • Total23.65 km2 (9.13 sq mi)
Elevation
[2]
70 m (230 ft)
Population
 (June 2023)[3]
 • Total17,750
 • Density750/km2 (1,900/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+12 (NZST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+13 (NZDT)
Postcode
4702
Telephone06
Websitewww.feilding.co.nz

Feilding has won the annual New Zealand's Most Beautiful Town award 15 times.[4] It is an Edwardian-themed town, with the district plan encouraging buildings in the CBD to be built in that style. The town is currently extending its CBD beautification featuring paving and planter boxes on the footpaths on the main streets in the CBD, including the realignment and beautification of Fergusson Street to the South Street entrance of Manfeild Park.

The town is a service town for the surrounding farming district. The Feilding Saleyards has been a vital part of the wider Manawatū community for over 125 years. As transport systems improved and farming practices changed, the need for small, local saleyards all but disappeared, leaving few major selling complexes in New Zealand. Manawatū is a diverse and fertile farming area with high production, high stock-carrying capacity, and a stable climate. These factors make Feilding Saleyards a popular medium for many farmers. A unique aspect of Feilding Saleyards is their location in the centre of town.[5]

The Manawatū Plains, on which the town is sited, are very fertile land, and as such it is a prosperous agricultural area. Being located on the floodplain of a major river has its problems, however, and in February 2004 the town suffered extensive flooding. In 2009 the Horizons Regional Council commissioned a new flood protection scheme to prevent extensive flooding in the future.[6]

History

European settlement

The town was named after Colonel William H. A. Feilding, a director of the Emigrants and Colonists Aid Corporation Ltd. who negotiated the purchase of a 100,000 acre (400 km²) block of land from the Wellington provincial government in 1871. The first European settlers arrived from Great Britain on 22 January 1874. [7]

The Feilding Edwardian Project Inc. was established in September 1993 by local businesses with the aim of revitalising the central business area of Feilding. Many of the commercial buildings were built in the 1900s (Edwardian era) and have been restored and preserved over time. Feilding is home to a number of historic collections, buildings, monuments, and museums, including The Coach House Museum, St Johns Church, Feilding Club, Feilding Hotel, and Feilding & Districts Steam Rail Society.[8]

Marae

Feilding has two marae, connected to the Iwi of Ngāti Kauwhata: Aorangi Marae and its Maniaihu meeting house; and Kauwhata Marae or Kai Iwi Pā and its Kauwhata meeting house.[9][10]

In October 2020, the Government committed $1,248,067 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade Kauwhata Marae and 5 others, creating 69 jobs.[11]

Demographics

Feilding is defined by Statistics New Zealand as a medium urban area and covers 23.65 km2 (9.13 sq mi).[1] The boundary of the urban area differs slightly from the aggregate of statistical units listed below.

Feilding had an estimated population of 17,750 as of June 2023,[3] with a population density of 750.5 people per km2.

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
200613,572—    
201314,388+0.84%
201815,912+2.03%
Source: [12]
Feilding Clocktower
View of Feilding facing south

Feilding had a population of 15,912 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 1,524 people (10.6%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 2,340 people (17.2%) since the 2006 census. There were 6,003 households, comprising 7,665 males and 8,247 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.93 males per female, with 3,234 people (20.3%) aged under 15 years, 2,805 (17.6%) aged 15 to 29, 6,531 (41.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 3,345 (21.0%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 87.0% European/Pākehā, 19.4% Māori, 2.5% Pacific peoples, 3.2% Asian, and 1.7% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 11.0, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 50.9% had no religion, 36.4% were Christian, 1.5% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.5% were Hindu, 0.3% were Muslim, 0.4% were Buddhist and 1.6% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 1,626 (12.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 3,294 (26.0%) people had no formal qualifications. 1,509 people (11.9%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 5,970 (47.1%) people were employed full-time, 1,653 (13.0%) were part-time, and 429 (3.4%) were unemployed.[12]

Individual statistical areas in Feilding (2018 Census)
NameArea
(km2)		PopulationDensity
(per km2)		HouseholdsMedian ageMedian
income
Feilding Central4.9293919135441.2 years$23,900[13]
Kimbolton North4.233,0247151,09844.4 years$28,200[14]
Kimbolton South1.352,1211,57178638.5 years$31,400[15]
Kimbolton West1.162,5592,20696940.7 years$24,900[16]
Makino1.713,0451,7811,06232.9 years$29,900[17]
Mount Taylor3.1956417717736.5 years$45,200[18]
Sandon4.482,16948487345.7 years$33,500[19]
Warwick0.821,4911,81868450.4 years$26,500[20]
New Zealand37.4 years$31,800

Economy

Employing about 30 people with a payroll of $1.5m in 2015, Proliant, an Iowa based firm privately held by the father and son team of Wally and Nix Lauridsen, constructed a $24m factory on the outskirts of Feilding for the production of a byproduct from cattle blood plasma, bovine serum albumin (BSA), which is used in pharmaceuticals, vaccines and medical research. Proliant produces about half of the world's BSA.[21][22][23][24]

In the Manawatū District of the people aged 15 years or over:

  • 40% earn $20,000 or less (NZ 38.8%)
  • 14% earn more than $50,000 (NZ 16.2%)
  • the unemployment rate is 3.8% (NZ 7.3%)
  • 73.4% of permanent private dwellings are owned with or without a mortgage by the occupant(s) (NZ 66.9%)[25]
    Cheltenham Co-Operative Dairy Factory, Makino, Feilding

Features

Education

Secondary schools

Primary and intermediate schools
  • Feilding Intermediate School is a state, coeducational intermediate (years 7–8) school with a roll of 369. It was established in 1964.[27]
  • Lytton Street School is a state, coeducational contributing primary (years 1–6) school with a roll of 548.[28] It was established in 1901.[29] In 1937 Makino Road school closed and its 50 pupils were bussed to Lytton Street.[30] Makino had been established in 1886[31] and its building was moved to Bluff Road, Rangiwahia.[32]
  • Manchester Street School is a state, coeducational contributing primary (years 1–6) school with a roll of 368.[33] It was established in 1874.[34]
  • North Street School is a state, coeducational full primary (years 1–8) school with a roll of 333.[35]
  • St Joseph's School is an integrated coeducational full primary (years 1–8) school with a roll of 80.[36]
  • Taonui School, located south-east of the Feilding township, is a state, coeducational full primary (years 1–8) school with a roll of 115.[37]

Sport and recreation

Sporting facilities include:

The Feilding Marathon started in 1955 and has been held every year since, making it one of the longest continuously run events.[38] It was organised for many years by the Feilding Marathon Club and more lately by the Feilding Moa Harriers Club. The event is held in November and now incorporates the Roy Lamberton Memorial half-marathon event.

Notable people

Notable people from Feilding include:

Groups

See also

References
  1. "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  2. New Zealand Topo50 map BM34: [www.linz.govt.nz]
  3. "Subnational population estimates (RC, SA2), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (regional councils); "Subnational population estimates (TA, SA2), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (territorial authorities); "Subnational population estimates (urban rural), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (urban areas)
  4. Kilmister, Sam (18 October 2017). "Feilding wins most beautiful town for a 15th time". Manawatu Standard.
  5. "Feilding Saleyards 125 Years of Success 1880–2005" (June 2005) Adapted by Foreword authored by Ian McKelvie.
  6. "Flood protection scheme opens". infonews.co.nz. New Zealand. 25 March 2000. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  7. "History". Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  8. "Feilding & Districts Steam Rail Society". Retrieved 30 June 2016.
  9. "Te Kāhui Māngai directory". tkm.govt.nz. Te Puni Kōkiri.
  10. "Māori Maps". maorimaps.com. Te Potiki National Trust.
  11. "Marae Announcements" (Excel). growregions.govt.nz. Provincial Growth Fund. 9 October 2020.
  12. "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Feilding Central (228400), Kimbolton North (228100), Kimbolton South (228500), Kimbolton West (228300), Makino (227900), Mount Taylor (227700), Sandon (228000) and Warwick (228200).
  13. 2018 Census place summary: Feilding Central
  14. 2018 Census place summary: Kimbolton North
  15. 2018 Census place summary: Kimbolton South
  16. 2018 Census place summary: Kimbolton West
  17. 2018 Census place summary: Makino
  18. 2018 Census place summary: Mount Taylor
  19. 2018 Census place summary: Sandon
  20. 2018 Census place summary: Warwick
  21. Galuszka, Jono (10 May 2013). "US biofirm to build factory near Feilding". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  22. Proliant Inc. website
  23. Proliant Biologicals website
  24. "Proliant Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) New Zealand Source". Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  25. "Live – Feilding". www.feilding.co.nz. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  26. "Feilding Saleyards Guided Tours". Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  27. Education Counts: Feilding Intermediate
  28. Education Counts: Lytton Street school
  29. "ABOUT". Lytton Street School. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  30. "MAKINO ROAD SCHOOL. MANAWATU STANDARD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 4 September 1937. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  31. "Makino". nzetc.victoria.ac.nz. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  32. "Primary Education MANAWATU TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 19 July 1944. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  33. Education Counts: Manchester Street school
  34. "History | Manchester Street School". www.manchesterstreet.school.nz. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  35. Education Counts: North Street school
  36. Education Counts: St Josephs (Feilding)
  37. Education Counts: Taonui School
  38. "Marathon Results | Feilding Moa".
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