- Woodville, New Zealand
Woodville is a small town in the southern
North Island ofNew Zealand . It is located 75 km north ofMasterton and 25 km east ofPalmerston North , and has a population of 1,479 (2001 census).Local authorities
The town is located in the Tararua District of the
Manawatu-Wanganui region, although it has strong ties with the Hawke's Bay region, of which it was once a part, and is sometimes also considered part ofWairarapa . It is, however, within the catchment area of theManawatu River , and as such is considered officially part of Manawatu-Wanganui.Geography
Woodville lies at the northern end of the
Tararua Ranges , close to the gap between them and theRuahine Ranges formed by the Manawatu River. This, theManawatu Gorge , provides the easiest access between the east and west coasts of the southern North Island, and as such is a major transportation link.Transport
The Palmerston North - Gisborne railway line and State Highway 3 runs through the Manawatu gorge, and the latter has its junction with State Highway 2 at Woodville. At Woodville, the Palmerston North-Gisborne railway line meets the Wairarapa railway line (via a
balloon loop ) which runs through theWairarapa region to Wellington.Culture
Woodville New Zealand was the birthplace of the
Mountain Rock Music Festival , a celebration of New Zealand music growing to be the largest celebration of NZ music during the 1990's.ArtistGottfried Lindauer is buried in the old Woodville cemetery.Power
To the west of Woodville is New Zealand's largest wind driven power station. Many wind turbines, over 40m in height, cover the Tararua and Ruahine mountain ranges. A growing tourist attraction the turbines can be seen for miles around. Woodville now uses this fact as part of it promotion.
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