Seddon, New Zealand
Seddon | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 Awatere Community Centre | |
 Interactive map of Seddon | |
| Coordinates: 41°40′12″S 174°4′25″E / 41.67000°S 174.07361°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Marlborough |
| Ward |
|
| Electorates | |
| Government | |
| • Territorial Authority | Marlborough District Council |
| • Marlborough District Mayor | Nadine Taylor[1] |
| • Kaikōura MP | Stuart Smith[2] |
| • Te Tai Tonga MP | Tākuta Ferris[3] |
| Area | |
• Total | 1.66 km2 (0.64 sq mi) |
| Population (June 2025)[5] | |
• Total | 570 |
| • Density | 340/km2 (890/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+12 (New Zealand Standard Time) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+13 (New Zealand Daylight Time) |
| Postcode | 7210 |
Seddon is a small town in Marlborough, New Zealand. It is located 25 kilometres (16 mi) south of Blenheim, close to the mouths of the Awatere and Blind Rivers and the Lake Grassmere salt works.[6][7]
Salt and lime[8] are major local industries, and the Awatere Valley is an important part of the Marlborough wine region.[9]
The town was named for a former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Richard Seddon.
Geography
[edit]Earthquakes
[edit]Seddon has been close to the epicentres of several significant earthquakes.
On the morning of 16 October 1848, Marlborough was struck by a damaging earthquake later estimated to be between magnitude 7.4 and 7.7.[10] The epicentre of this earthquake was 45 km southeast of Seddon.[11]
On 23 April 1966, a magnitude 5.8 earthquake with an epicentre in Cook Strait, 40 km east of Seddon[12] was most strongly felt in the town, damaging the chimney on almost every house in town.[13]
In July and August 2013 Seddon was the closest settlement to the epicentres of a doublet earthquake event.[14] First, in late July, a series of sizeable earthquakes struck the region over a period of a few days being felt strongly in Blenheim, Wellington and the rest of Central New Zealand, the strongest being a magnitude 6.5 and having its epicentre in Cook Strait.[15] Then on 16 August 2013 a magnitude 6.6 earthquake with its epicentre under Lake Grassmere struck about 2:30 PM[16] and was followed by a series of aftershocks over the next few hours, one of which was above magnitude 6 and several others above magnitude 5. This came just a few years after devastating earthquakes affected Christchurch, 285 km away.[17]
Demographics
[edit]Seddon is described by Stats NZ as a rural settlement. It covers 1.66 km2 (0.64 sq mi)[4] and had an estimated population of 570 as of June 2025,[5] with a population density of 343 people per km2. It is part of the wider Awatere statistical area.[18][19]
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 495 | — |
| 2013 | 489 | −0.17% |
| 2018 | 552 | +2.45% |
| 2023 | 561 | +0.32% |
| Source: [20][21] | ||
Seddon had a population of 561 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 9 people (1.6%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 72 people (14.7%) since the 2013 census. There were 291 males, 261 females, and 6 people of other genders in 225 dwellings.[22] 3.2% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 41.5 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 99 people (17.6%) aged under 15 years, 84 (15.0%) aged 15 to 29, 294 (52.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 81 (14.4%) aged 65 or older.[20]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 84.0% European (Pākehā); 23.5% Māori; 3.7% Pasifika; 2.1% Asian; 0.5% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.1% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.3%, Māori by 4.3%, and other languages by 6.4%. No language could be spoken by 1.6% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 1.1%. The percentage of people born overseas was 15.5, compared with 28.8% nationally.[20]
Religious affiliations were 21.9% Christian, 0.5% Islam, 0.5% Māori religious beliefs, and 2.1% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 64.7%, and 10.2% of people did not answer the census question.[20]
Of those at least 15 years old, 30 (6.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 252 (54.5%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 174 (37.7%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $40,700, compared with $41,500 nationally. 18 people (3.9%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 249 (53.9%) full-time, 66 (14.3%) part-time, and 9 (1.9%) unemployed.[20]
Transport
[edit]State Highway 1 passes through Seddon on its route between Blenheim and Christchurch.
The Marlborough section of the Main North Line railway reached Seddon from Blenheim in October 1902.[23] This also saw the construction of a combined road-rail bridge over the Awatere River north of the town, with the single-lane road below the rail. The bridge remained in service for road traffic until October 2007, when a new two-lane road bridge opened.[24] Seddon was the southern terminus of the railway until the line was extended to Ward in April 1911; the full line through to Christchurch didn't open until December 1945.[23] Today, Seddon is served by the Coastal Pacific train, which runs once daily each way during the summer months.
A train derailment at Blind River, south of Seddon, on 25 February 1948, killed six people and injured 40 others.[25]
The double decker bridge across the Awatere River
Trains use the upper level of the bridge. Road transport used the lower level until a new bridge was opened in November 2007.
Education
[edit]Seddon School is the sole school in the town. It is a coeducational full primary (year 1–8) school[26] with a roll of 127 as of July 2026.[27] It opened in 1883.[28] Seaview, Marama, Blind River, Grassmere and Tetley Brook schools in the lower Awatere Valley amalgamated to Seddon School in 1938.[29][30]
The nearest state secondary schools are Marlborough Boys' College and Marlborough Girls' College in Blenheim.
Climate
[edit]| Climate data for Seddon (1991–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 23.7 (74.7) |
24.0 (75.2) |
22.2 (72.0) |
19.1 (66.4) |
16.5 (61.7) |
14.0 (57.2) |
13.0 (55.4) |
14.1 (57.4) |
16.3 (61.3) |
17.9 (64.2) |
19.5 (67.1) |
22.8 (73.0) |
18.6 (65.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 17.8 (64.0) |
17.5 (63.5) |
15.8 (60.4) |
13.1 (55.6) |
10.9 (51.6) |
8.4 (47.1) |
7.7 (45.9) |
8.4 (47.1) |
10.5 (50.9) |
12.1 (53.8) |
13.8 (56.8) |
16.4 (61.5) |
12.7 (54.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 11.9 (53.4) |
11.0 (51.8) |
9.3 (48.7) |
7.1 (44.8) |
5.3 (41.5) |
2.8 (37.0) |
2.3 (36.1) |
2.7 (36.9) |
4.8 (40.6) |
6.3 (43.3) |
8.1 (46.6) |
10.0 (50.0) |
6.8 (44.2) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 53.1 (2.09) |
35.5 (1.40) |
50.6 (1.99) |
30.8 (1.21) |
48.4 (1.91) |
72.5 (2.85) |
74.6 (2.94) |
40.6 (1.60) |
53.5 (2.11) |
48.6 (1.91) |
73.7 (2.90) |
43.2 (1.70) |
625.1 (24.61) |
| Source: NIWA[31] | |||||||||||||
References
[edit]- ↑ "2025 Triennial Elections Declaration of Result" (PDF). Electionz. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
- ↑ "Kaikōura - Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
- ↑ "Te Tai Tonga – Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
- 1 2 "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Urban Rural 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 16 May 2026.
- 1 2 "Subnational population estimates - Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
- ↑ Peter Dowling, ed. (2004). Reed New Zealand Atlas. Reed Books. map 67. ISBN 0-7900-0952-8.
- ↑ Roger Smith, GeographX (2005). The Geographic Atlas of New Zealand. Robbie Burton. map 147. ISBN 1-877333-20-4.
- ↑ "Blenheim". Encyclopedia of New Zealand (1966).
- ↑ "Awatere River". Marlborough Online.
- ↑ "M 7.4 - 7.7, Marlborough, 16 October 1848". GeoNet. GNS Science. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
- ↑ "New Zealand Earthquake Report Magnitude 7.4, Monday, October 16, 1848 at 1:49:04 am (NZST)". GeoNet. GNS Science. 24 October 2008. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
- ↑ "New Zealand Earthquake Report Magnitude 5.8, Saturday, April 23, 1966 at 6:49:40 pm (NZDT)". GeoNet. GNS Science. 30 August 1996. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
- ↑ "M 5.8, Seddon, 23 April 1966". GeoNet. GNS Science. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
- ↑ Fenaughty, Kevin (17 August 2013). "Damaging quake hits the north-east of the South Island". GeoNet. GNS Science. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
- ↑ "Big quake shakes central New Zealand". Stuff.co.nz. 21 July 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
- ↑ "Earthquakes rock central New Zealand". Stuff.co.nz. 17 August 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
- ↑ "Google Maps".
- ↑ 2018 Census place summary: Awatere
- ↑ "Geographic Boundary Viewer". Stats NZ. Urban Rural Areas – 2023 and Statistical Area 2 – 2023.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Seddon (2043). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ↑ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7023538–7023540.
- ↑ "Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- 1 2 "Geographical Mileage Table 1957" (PDF). New Zealand Railways. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
- ↑ "New Awatere Bridge 'opens' today". The Marlborough Express. 9 November 2007.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ↑ Marlborough Historical Society (2005). Click - A Captured Moment - Marlborough's Early Heritage. p. 65. ISBN 0-473-10475-X.
- ↑ "Seddon School - Education Counts". www.educationcounts.govt.nz.
- ↑ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
- ↑ "Seddon School Main". Seddon School. Retrieved 16 May 2026.
- ↑ "Consolidation". The Evening Post. 21 September 1937 – via Papers Past.
- ↑ Mallet, E (May 2020). "Starting School in Hauwai". The Prow.
- ↑ "CliFlo – National Climate Database : Seddon, Lucknow". NIWA. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Seddon, New Zealand at Wikimedia Commons
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
