Country New Zealand Region Canterbury Local time Sunday 2:32 PM | Island South Island Time zone NZST (UTC+12) | |
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Weather 18°C, Wind SW at 31 km/h, 71% Humidity | ||
Swannanoa is a small originally farming village 35 kilometres northwest of Christchurch, New Zealand. The area has an estimated population of 1,000 with around 200 pupils enrolled in the primary school, established in 1871. The population is slowly increasing due to new subdivisions being developed there and in neighbouring Mandeville North.
Contents
Map of Swannanoa, New Zealand
Education
Swannanoa School is a state co-educational full primary school with a decile rating of 10 and a roll of 279 students (as of July 2016). The principal is Brian Price. The school's Country Fair is held every March. The 2009 fair was attended by over 15,000 people and raised $63,000.
World land speed record
New Zealand motorcycle speed record holder Russell Wright gained the World Land Speed Record, reaching 184.83 miles per hour on a Vincent HRD motorcycle on 2 July 1955, on Tram Road. A plaque commemorates the achievement. Tram Road, the main road through Swannanoa, is an almost dead straight, ten-mile-long two-lane highway. It is a popular location for speed trial events. This World Record is unusual as most that were officially recognised were achieved in the United States, where presumably more financial incentives and space existed.
Naming
The name Swannanoa originated from American John Evans Brown (Yankee Brown), who named the land he settled after a Native American settlement. The Swannanoa Homestead has for many years been farmed by the Petrie Family.