Carterton, New Zealand

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 kilometres (8.7 mi) southwest of Masterton and 80 kilometres (50 mi) 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. The town describes itself as New Zealand's daffodil capital, holding a Daffodil Festival each year on the second Sunday in September.

Carterton was named after Charles Rooking Carter, 26 July 1859. He is buried at Clareville Carterton Cemetery. He died in Wellington, July 1896.

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. It crashed when it hit a power line supplying the city, and briefly cut off all power as a result.

Read more about Carterton, New Zealand:  Notable Locations, Education

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