Hororata

Hororata is a village at the northwestern edge of the Canterbury Plains in the South Island of New Zealand. It is located 15 kilometres southwest of Darfield, five kilometres south of Glentunnel, and 50 kilometres west of Christchurch, on the banks of the Hororata River. Hororata, when translated from Maori means "drooping rata". There are a large number of rata growing in the district.[1] Hororata had an estimated population of 262 people in 2016.[2]

Hororata
Village
Coton's Cottage, March 2008
Hororata
Coordinates:
CountryNew Zealand
RegionCanterbury
Territorial authoritySelwyn District
ElectoratesSelwyn
Te Tai Tonga
Time zoneUTC+12 (New Zealand Standard Time)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+13 (New Zealand Daylight Time)
Area code(s)03

History

Hororata developed as a village to service the local farming community. In the early 1900s, the village had all the services that a small town would expect. These include a hotel, a Presbyterian and Anglican church, stores, a school, post office, flour mill and a brewery. There was a large blacksmiths shop with a total of five forges.[3]

Early European New Zealand pioneer John Studholme and his wife lived at Terrace Station on Milnes Road, Hororata before selling the run to John Hall. New Zealand 19th century Premier John Hall and his eldest brother George Williamson Hall are buried in the St. John cemetery.[4]

Notable buildings

Coton's Cottage

Originally home to Bentley Coton and his wife Sarah Jane Coton. it was built in approximately 1864. It contains five rooms (including an attic bedroom). It was home to local church services prior to the school taking over this role in 1870. Coton's Cottage suffered partial collapse. It was rebuilt and reopened to the public in March 2014.[5] It had been previously restored by members of the Hororata Historical Society in the 1970s. It currently operates as part of the Hororata Museum [6][7][8] It was listed as a category 2 historic place in 1983.[9]

Hororata pub

The Hororata pub sits across the road from the Hororata Domain. It was built in 1873 by Edwin Derrett with the second story being added at a later date. It was refurbished in 1967. The Hororata pub was closed immediately after the Canterbury earthquakes due to the damage it sustained. It is now a private dwelling.[6]

St Johns Church
St Johns Church, Hororata (October 2020)
The original St Johns Church. Built in 1875 and once again used for church services following the 2010-11 Canterbury earthquakes

Hororata sustained some damage in the 2010 Canterbury earthquake. The settlement's most prominent building, the Anglican church of St. John, was completed in 1911. This was badly affected by the earthquakes with part of its tower collapsed onto the church's roof.[10] The original 1875 wooden church sits across the road from the 1911 structure.

Across the road from the church is Te Waiora Christian Retreat Centre which was rebuilt as a result of the Canterbury earthquakes.

Fairview

This cob house and cottage were built near Hororata in 1885. They are surrounded by several acres of gardens and a pond. Tours run occasionally of the house and gardens through out the year.[11]

Terrace Station

This large farmhouse has a category one registration with Heritage New Zealand. The building started in the mid-1850s with timber pre-cut from Australia making the first three rooms. Successive rooms were added between 1863 and 1897. The large woolshed, built in 1868, has a category 2 registration from the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. Other farm buildings of note include the managers house and the blacksmiths.[11][12]

Hororata Highland Games
Pipe Bands at the opening of the 2020 Hororata Highland Games
Competitors in the senior and junior competitions strive to win.
Pipe bands performing on the Hororata Domain during the Hororata Highland Games, (November 2020)
A hot air balloon at the Hororata Highland Games (2017)

The Hororata Highland Games started in 2011. The Hororata community had a desire to make a positive change following the damage of the Canterbury earthquakes. The annual event has increased in popularity with 10,000 people coming to the 2016 edition.[13] It has become New Zealand’s biggest Scottish festival.[14] The event has over 300 competitors turn up each year. Competitions include Highland Dancing, Piping and Drumming, Tug O’ War and Scottish heavy athletics (men’s and women’s) which include the hammer throw, the sheaf toss, the Hororata stones and tossing the caber. The Kilted mile is a race over a mile which includes eating a Hororata Pie, Drinking a traditional Scottish drink and negotiating a series of obstacles.[15] There are also stalls, food vendors and a fairground each year. A study conducted by the University of Canterbury looked at the economic benefits of the Hororata Highland Games. This found that they provided $370,000 to the Selwyn District economy in 2019.[16]

Chieftain

There is a Chieftain for each games who presides over the opening ceremony. These have included:[17]

The Chieftain for 2020 was John de Vries.[19]

Hororata Night Glow

The Hororata Night Glow is an annual event held in winter. Hot air balloons light up in the evening and light up the night sky. The event is held at the Hororata Domain.[20] The Hororata Highland Games and the Hororata Night Glow were successful in bringing approximately 25,000 people to Hororata in 2019.[21]

Hororata tartan

Hororata has its own tartan which was created to celebrate the inaugural Hororata Highland Games. The Scottish Tartans Authority donated the design and the first 30 metres of cloth to Hororata. The tartan includes six colours all of which have local meanings: The red represents the colour of the rata flower. The white is the snow and the blue the local rivers of the area. The green is for the grass and Pounamu. Finally the three local schools colours were included: black and yellow (Hororata School), black and blue (Glentunnel School) and white and green (Windwhistle School).[22][23]

Climate

The warmest months of the year are January and February, with an average high temperature of 22°C. The coldest month of the year occurs in July, when the average high temperature is 10°C. Monthly rainfall ranges between an average of 35mm in January to 62mm in July. [24]

Education

The original Hororata school was located on the corner or Downs Road and Hororata Road and built in 1870. It was completely destroyed by fire on 17th February 1914.[6] Hororata Primary School is Hororata's sole primary school. This was built on Bealey Road. The buildings were expanded significantly in 1952 and a further classroom was added in 1963 when the Te Pirita and Hororata schools were amalgamated.[6]

Government

Hororata is part of the Selwyn electorate.[25] The Selwyn District Council provides local government services to Hororata.[26]

Recreation

Hororata has a domain, which includes duck ponds and a picnic area. It was established in 1877 thanks to the generousity of local land owners. A tennis court and a Scouts building are located in the domain as well. Large expansive fields are located there, which are primarily used for the Hororata Highland Games and the Hororata Night Glow. A horse riding track, a tennis court, a Scouts building, are also located in the domain. A walking track links the domain to St John's Church. Ice skating used to occur on the Edwardian lake at the Hororata Domain.[6]

Services

Hororata has a café and bar, petrol station and a fire station. Hororata also has a community centre where it houses a clothing shop.

References
  1. "Selwyn District Council". Selwyn District Council. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  2. "Selwyn District Council". Selwyn District Council. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  3. "Hororata Trust | Rural Settlements". www.hororata.org.nz. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  4. "Obituary". The Star (5501). 28 February 1896. p. 2. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
  5. "Cotons' Cottage | Canterbury Region | Places to Visit | Places | Heritage New Zealand". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  6. Hororata Historic Walking Trail. 2020.
  7. "Cotons' Cottage | Canterbury Region | Places to Visit | Places | Heritage New Zealand". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  8. "Historic cottage back in business". Stuff. 2 March 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  9. "Search the List | Cotons' Cottage | Heritage New Zealand". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  10. Van Beynen, Martin (5 September 2010). "Quake devastates Christchurch heritage". The Press. Fairfax New Zealand. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
  11. Anon (2017). A visitors Guide to the Heritage of Hororata and Beyond. Hororata Community Trust.
  12. "History". Terrace Station. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  13. "Hororata Highland Games". Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  14. "2019 Hororata Highland Games Chieftain Announced". Selwyn Connect. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  15. "Hororata Highland Games | The Kilted Mile". Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  16. "Strong community spirit in Hororata helps quake recovery". Otago Daily Times Online News. 4 September 2020. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  17. Wednesday; October 2018, 10; Highl, 3:32 pm Press Release: Hororata; Games. "Hororata Highland Games Chieftain announced | Scoop News". www.scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 8 October 2020.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  18. "2019 Hororata Highland Games Chieftain Announced". Selwyn Connect. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  19. "Hororata Highland Games Official Programme 2020". November 2020.
  20. "Hororata Trust | Hororata Night Glow". www.hororata.org.nz. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  21. "Strong community spirit in Hororata helps quake recovery". Otago Daily Times Online News. 4 September 2020. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  22. "Hororata Trust | Hororata Tartan". www.hororata.org.nz. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  23. "Tartan Details - The Scottish Register of Tartans". www.tartanregister.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  24. "Climate Hororata". meteoblue. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  25. "Selwyn Electorate Profile – New Zealand Parliament". www.parliament.nz. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  26. "Selwyn District Council". Selwyn District Council. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
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