Kurow, New Zealand

Kurow is a small town in the Waitaki District, New Zealand. It is located on the south bank of the Waitaki River, northwest of Oamaru. The name is an Anglicised form of the Māori name of the nearby mountain, Te Kohurau.

History

The town was the terminus of the Kurow Branch railway, opened in 1881 to Hakataramea, across the Waitaki River, but cut back to Kurow in 1930. It closed in 1983: the line can be traced on the ground, and the station building still stands on Liverpool St. From 1928 until 1937, a line owned by the Public Works Department ran from Kurow to the hydroelectric project 6.4 km to the west.

In the 1920s, the town was the base for the building of the nearby Waitaki Dam and forming Lake Waitaki in the first of a series of hydroelectric projects on the Waitaki River. Further hydroelectricity development on the lower Waitaki River was proposed by Project Aqua and the North Bank Tunnel, however neither of these proceeded past the planning stage.

The first social security scheme for New Zealand workers was designed in the town, arising from Presbyterian Minister of Kurow Arnold Nordmeyer's experience of working with families of workers on the Waitaki hydro-electric project.

The land around the town includes summerfruit orchards, and the Waitaki Valley wine region was established in 2001 with the first Pinot noir vineyards planted in the limestone soils. In 2021, there were 13 wineries and vineyards in operation in the Waitaki Valley.

Kurow had been trying to fund a statue of Richie McCaw since 2016 but has struggled to raise the required money. A seven metre tall statue was being considered at one stage.

Demographics

Kurow is described as a rural settlement by Statistics New Zealand, and covers . It had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km². It is part of the larger Danseys Pass statistical area.

Before the 2023 census, Kurow had a larger boundary, covering . Using that boundary, Kurow had a population of 372 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 51 people (15.9%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 24 people (6.9%) since the 2006 census. There were 165 households, comprising 192 males and 180 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.07 males per female, with 54 people (14.5%) aged under 15 years, 30 (8.1%) aged 15 to 29, 144 (38.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 147 (39.5%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 91.9% European/Pākehā, 12.9% Māori, 4.0% Asian, and 1.6% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 36.3% had no religion, 50.0% were Christian, 0.8% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.8% were Muslim and 1.6% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 27 (8.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 108 (34.0%) people had no formal qualifications. 30 people (9.4%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 126 (39.6%) people were employed full-time, 51 (16.0%) were part-time, and 6 (1.9%) were unemployed.

Danseys Pass statistical area

The Danseys Pass statistical area, which also includes Duntroon, covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km².

Danseys Pass had a population of 987 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 72 people (7.9%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 123 people (14.2%) since the 2006 census. There were 399 households, comprising 504 males and 483 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.04 males per female. The median age was 45.4 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 189 people (19.1%) aged under 15 years, 141 (14.3%) aged 15 to 29, 438 (44.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 219 (22.2%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 88.1% European/Pākehā, 9.7% Māori, 8.2% Asian, and 1.5% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 16.1, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 43.5% had no religion, 42.2% were Christian, 0.6% had Māori religious beliefs, 1.2% were Hindu, 0.3% were Muslim, 1.2% were Buddhist and 2.7% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 90 (11.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 213 (26.7%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $29,500, compared with $31,800 nationally. 90 people (11.3%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 399 (50.0%) people were employed full-time, 132 (16.5%) were part-time, and 12 (1.5%) were unemployed.

Hotels

Kurow Hotel

Christian Hille opened an accommodation house in Kurow in the 1860s. In the 1880s William Goddard took over the business and built a hotel with 24 rooms, a billiard room and stables for horses. The building was designed by Oamaru architect John Megget Forrester, who also reinstated the hotel after it was damaged by fire in 1892. The new building, constructed of Oamaru stone, had 18 bedrooms, five sitting rooms and a dining room which could seat 30. There was also a billiard room and large stables. In 1905 the hotel suffered another serious fire and the hotel moved into the adjoining hall while the building was repaired and rebuilt.

In 1986, the Kurow Hotel was listed as a Category 2 Historic Place by Heritage New Zealand. It is located at 55 Bledisloe Street.

Waitaki Hotel

Waitaki Hotel was built in 1940 in the Art Deco style, as a replacement for the Bridge Hotel (1860–1908). It is located at 37 Bledisloe Street.

Kurow Museum

The Kurow Museum is located at 57 Bledisloe Street. It showcases early settlers in the area and the development of the social security scheme to help families in need.

Awakino Ski Area

Kurow is the closest town to Awakino Ski Area which is 15 kilometres away, accessed through Awakino Station.

Education

Waitaki Valley School is a full primary school catering for years 1 to 8, with a roll of students as of The school was created from the merger in 2004 of Kurow Area, Otematata, Cattle Creek and Hakataramea schools. It moved to its present site in 2012.

Notable people

Notable people with connections to Kurow include:
* Steve Hotton, Otago rugby player
*Roy Kerr, mathematician
*Richie McCaw, All Black captain
*Dr Gervan McMillan and his wife Ethel, residents of Kurow from 1929 to 1934; Dr McMillan ran a medical practice there.
*Arnold Nordmeyer, minister of finance and Labour Party politician
* Charles Saxton, All Black and rugby administrator

Climate

References

{{Waitaki District, New Zealand

Waitaki District
Wine regions of New Zealand