Carterton, New Zealand

Carterton is a small town in the Wellington Region of New Zealand and the seat of the Carterton District. It lies in a farming area of the Wairarapa in New Zealand's North Island. It is located 14 km southwest of Masterton and 80 km northeast of Wellington. The town's population at the 2006 census was 4,122, with a further 2,976 living in the surrounding rural district.

Carterton was founded in 1857. Originally known as Three Mile Bush, and served as housing for workers building the road between Wellington and Masterton. It was later renamed after Charles Rooking Carter who was in charge of the building of the Black Bridge over the Waiohine River south of the town. The town describes itself as New Zealand's daffodil capital, holding a Daffodil Festival each year on the second Sunday in September.

Carterton claimed to be the first place in the world with a transsexual mayor, Georgina Beyer. Georgina went on to become the MP for Wairarapa.

Carterton was the birthplace of Sir Bob Charles, the first left-handed golfer to win a Major, the British Open in 1963.

On 7 January 2012, a hot air balloon crashed just north of the town, killing eleven people and making headlines around the world. The balloon came into contact with a high-voltage power line supplying the town, resulting in the town losing power briefly and one of the balloon catching fire.

Notable locations
Carterton's town clock is located on High Street next to the post office. The existing tower was put into operation in September 1962, replacing the original clock tower atop the post office that was damaged in the 1942 Wairarapa earthquake.

Historic Carterton Railway Station is located west of the town centre off Belvedere Road. The station building at the station is original, having been built when the railway opened in 1880, and has accepted passenger services ever since. It is currently leased from KiwiRail Network by the Wairarapa Railway Restoration Society.

The Carterton District library on Holloway Street is New Zealand's oldest purpose-built library that is still in use as a library today.

The Carterton Events Centre is also on Holloway Street. Opened in October 2011, this state-of-the-art, multi-purpose community facility is available for community and commercial use. Centrally located in the Wairarapa region, the Centre provides modern, flexible, spaces for all manner of events, shows, exhibitions, meetings and community gatherings. Interconnection of spaces throughout the Centre allows for separation and opening up of spaces to cater for different needs.

The following areas of the Centre are available for hire:


 * Auditorium
 * Meeting Rooms
 * Youth Centre
 * Foyer Space
 * Library (outside of normal working hours)
 * Reception Room (part of Ron Wakelin Wing)
 * Catering kitchen

The Events Centre belongs to the Carterton community, through the Carterton District Council.

Education
Carterton has five primary schools; three in the township and two in the surrounding rural area, serving Years 1 to 8. Carterton District also has a Christian school serving Years 1 to 13; Ponatahi Christian School is located in the township itself.

There are no secondary schools in the Carterton District, with the exception of the Christian school named above. The township straddles the boundary between Kuranui College in Greytown and Wairarapa and Makoura College in Masterton for state secondary schools (distance-wise, the township is closer to Kuranui).

Road
The main street through Carterton is High Street - split on either side of Holloway Street into High Street North and High Street South. Other main streets include Park Road, Belvedere Road, Brooklyn Road, Pembroke Street and Holloway Street (which all run approximately east-west) and Lincoln Road (which runs approximately north-south). Other notable streets include Costley Street, Kenwyn Drive and Frederick Street.

Carterton is served by State Highway 2, the main highway between Wellington and Masterton. The highway runs the length of High Street.

Carterton is served by bus route 200, which connects Carterton with Masterton, Greytown, Featherston and Martinborough. The main bus stop is in Holloway Street, opposite the police station.

Rail
Carterton lies on the Wairarapa Line, and is served by the Wairarapa Connection operated by Tranz Metro, connecting Carterton to Wellington. The train serves both Carterton Railway Station and Matarawa Railway Station southwest of the township.