Alexandra, New Zealand

Alexandra is a town in the Central Otago district of the Otago region of New Zealand. It is located on the banks of the Clutha River (at the confluence of the Manuherikia River), on State Highway 8, 188 km by road from Dunedin and 33 km south of Cromwell.

At the time of the 2001 census, the permanent population was 4,407, a drop of 210 since 1996, and 23.5 per cent of the population (higher than the national average) was aged over 65.

History

The town was founded during the Central Otago goldrush in the 1860s, and was named after Alexandra of Denmark. It was known to miners of the day by several names: the "Lower Township", the "Junction Township", and "Manuherikia". (The "Upper Township" was Dunstan, now Clyde.)

Many orchards were destroyed in the 1980s as a result of construction, 10 km upriver, of the Clyde High Dam, which is the country's third largest hydroelectric power station.

Geography

Alexandra is the service centre for a significant stone-fruit industry, which is celebrated by a blossom festival in the town each spring. Grape production is another major industry in the Central Otago Wine Region. Alexandra has the world's southernmost vineyard, [http://www.blackridge.co.nz/ Black Ridge] .

The town is a popular holiday destination - during the holiday season the Otago Volts cricket team play many of their fixtures at Alexandra's Molyneux Park rather than at their home base, Dunedin's Carisbrook ground. Because of competing venues, this may not last much longer.

Alexandra is perhaps best known for its annual event, the Alexandra Blossom Festival. The Alexandra Blossom Festival celebrates the advent of Spring in the Central Otago District as evidenced by the blooming of the fruit trees. In 2006 Alexandra celebrated its 50th Blossom Festival, which was held from 15 September to 1 October.

Climate

The district is one of the farthest from a coastline in New Zealand and one of the few to experience a continental climate with severe winters and hot, dry summers. Temperatures can drop below zero or rise above thirty degrees celsius in the summer months. Infobox Weather
metric_first=yes
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location =Alexandra
Jan_Hi_°C =24.5
Feb_Hi_°C =25.8
Mar_Hi_°C =21.5
Apr_Hi_°C =17.5
May_Hi_°C =12.4
Jun_Hi_°C =7.5
Jul_Hi_°C =7.9
Aug_Hi_°C =11.4
Sep_Hi_°C =15
Oct_Hi_°C =17.5
Nov_Hi_°C =20.2
Dec_Hi_°C =23.1
Year_Hi_°C =16.7
Jan_Lo_°C =10.6
Feb_Lo_°C =10.5
Mar_Lo_°C =8.7
Apr_Lo_°C =5.1
May_Lo_°C =1.5
Jun_Lo_°C =-1.7
Jul_Lo_°C =-1.8
Aug_Lo_°C =-0.4
Sep_Lo_°C =2.9
Oct_Lo_°C =5.5
Nov_Lo_°C =7.6
Dec_Lo_°C =9.9
Year_Lo_°C =4.9
Jan_Precip_mm =29
Feb_Precip_mm =22
Mar_Precip_mm =40
Apr_Precip_mm =34
May_Precip_mm =35
Jun_Precip_mm =26
Jul_Precip_mm =23
Aug_Precip_mm =24
Sep_Precip_mm =27
Oct_Precip_mm =41
Nov_Precip_mm =26
Dec_Precip_mm =43
Year_Precip_mm =360
source =NIWA Climate Datacite web
url=http://www.niwascience.co.nz/edu/resources/climate/|title=Climate Data|accessmonthday=November 2|accessyear=2007
publisher=NIWA|language=]
accessdate =1971 – 2000

Radio Stations

Independently owned is Blue Skies FM established in 2001 as a radio station to serve the local community.Features include easy listening music from the past five decades, local news, a top rated magazine /news programme "Central Today" as well as a specialist country show on Sundays. The station is fiercely parochial to its community and is just one of many choices listeners have.Fact|date=May 2007

Alexandra also has its own local More FM station with the studios being located in Alexandra. Previously this station was known as Radio Central. Central Otago's More FM broadcasts into Roxburgh, Clyde and Cromwell. Wanaka also has More FM but this is a relay of the Queenstown More FM station (formally known as Resort Radio).

chools

Alexandra has three Primary schools (Alexandra Primary School, Terrace Primary, and St Gerards). There is also one High School (Dunstan High School).

ee also

List of towns in New Zealand

References

*cite book | first=A. W. | last=Reed | title=The Reed Dictionary of New Zealand Place Names | publisher=Reed Books | location=Auckland | year=2002 | id=ISBN 0-7900-0761-4

External links

* [http://www.alexandra.co.nz Alexandra District Promotions website]
* [http://www.codc.govt.nz Central Otago District Council]
* [http://www.blossom.co.nz/ Alexandra Blossom Festival]