Feilding

Settlement in Manawatū-Whanganui Region, New Zealand

For other places with a similar name, see Fielding.

Town in Manawatū-Whanganui, New Zealand

Feilding

Town

Manchester Square

Nickname:

'Friendly' Feilding

Coordinates: 40°13′S 175°34′E﻿ / ﻿40.217°S 175.567°E﻿ / -40.217; 175.567
Country| New Zealand
Region| Manawatū-Whanganui
District| Manawatū District
Ward|

* Feilding General Ward
* Ngā Tapuae o Matangi Māori Ward

Named after| Colonel William Henry Adelbert Feilding
Electorates|

* Rangitīkei
* Te Tai Hauāuru (Māori)

Government

• Territorial Authority| Manawatū District Council
• Regional council| Horizons Regional Council
Area

[1]

• Total

| 23.59 km2 (9.11 sq mi)
Elevation

[2]

| 70 m (230 ft)
Population

(June 2024)[3]

• Total

| 17,550
• Density| 740/km2 (1,900/sq mi)
Time zone| UTC+12 (NZST)
• Summer (DST)| UTC+13 (NZDT)
Postcode|

4702

Telephone| 06
Website| www.feilding.co.nz

Feilding is a town in the Manawatū District of the North Island of New Zealand. It is located on State Highway 54, 20 kilometres north of Palmerston North. The town is the seat of the Manawatū District Council.

Feilding has won the annual New Zealand's Most Beautiful Town award 16 times.[4] It is an Edwardian-themed town, with the district plan encouraging buildings in the CBD to be built in that style. The town is currently extending its CBD beautification featuring paving and planter boxes on the footpaths on the main streets in the CBD, including the realignment and beautification of Fergusson Street to the South Street entrance of Manfeild Park.[citation needed]

The town is a service town for the surrounding farming district. The Feilding Saleyards has been a vital part of the wider Manawatū community for over 125 years. As transport systems improved and farming practices changed, the need for small, local saleyards all but disappeared, leaving few major selling complexes in New Zealand. Manawatū is a diverse and fertile farming area with high production, high stock-carrying capacity, and a stable climate. These factors make Feilding Saleyards a popular medium for many farmers. A unique aspect of Feilding Saleyards is their location in the centre of town.[5]

The Manawatū Plains, on which the town is sited, are very fertile land, and as such it is a prosperous agricultural area. Being located on the floodplain of a major river has its problems, however, and in February 2004 the town suffered extensive flooding. In 2009 the Horizons Regional Council commissioned a new flood protection scheme to prevent extensive flooding in the future.[6]

## History

[edit]

### European settlement

[edit]

The town was named after Colonel William H. A. Feilding, a director of the Emigrants and Colonists Aid Corporation Ltd. who negotiated the purchase of a 100,000 acre (400 km²) block of land from the Wellington provincial government in 1871. The first European settlers arrived from Great Britain on 22 January 1874. [7]

The Feilding Edwardian Project Inc. was established in September 1993 by local businesses with the aim of revitalising the central business area of Feilding. Many of the commercial buildings were built in the 1900s (Edwardian era) and have been restored and preserved over time. Feilding is home to a number of historic collections, buildings, monuments, and museums, including The Coach House Museum, St Johns Church, Feilding Club, Feilding Hotel, and Feilding & Districts Steam Rail Society.[8]

House at 11 Beattie Street; NZ Heritage list 2831

### Marae

[edit]

Feilding has two marae, connected to the iwi of Ngāti Kauwhata: Aorangi Marae and its Maniaihu meeting house; and Kauwhata Marae or Kai Iwi Pā and its Kauwhata meeting house.[9][10]

In October 2020, the Government committed $1,248,067 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade Kauwhata Marae and 5 others, creating 69 jobs.[11]

## Demographics

[edit]

Feilding is defined by Statistics New Zealand as a medium urban area and covers 23.59 km2 (9.11 sq mi).[1]

Feilding had an estimated population of 17,550 as of June 2024,[3] with a population density of 744.0 people per km2.

Historical populationYear| Pop.| ±% p.a.

|
|

2006| 13,572| —
2013| 14,388| +0.84%
2018| 15,912| +2.03%
Source: [12]
Feilding Clocktower View of Feilding facing south

Before the 2023 census, the town had a larger boundary, covering 23.65 km2 (9.13 sq mi).[1] Using that boundary, Feilding had a population of 15,912 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 1,524 people (10.6%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 2,340 people (17.2%) since the 2006 census. There were 6,003 households, comprising 7,665 males and 8,247 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.93 males per female, with 3,234 people (20.3%) aged under 15 years, 2,805 (17.6%) aged 15 to 29, 6,531 (41.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 3,345 (21.0%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 87.0% European/Pākehā, 19.4% Māori, 2.5% Pacific peoples, 3.2% Asian, and 1.7% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 11.0, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 50.9% had no religion, 36.4% were Christian, 1.5% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.5% were Hindu, 0.3% were Muslim, 0.4% were Buddhist and 1.6% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 1,626 (12.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 3,294 (26.0%) people had no formal qualifications. 1,509 people (11.9%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 5,970 (47.1%) people were employed full-time, 1,653 (13.0%) were part-time, and 429 (3.4%) were unemployed.[12]

Individual statistical areas in Feilding (2018 Census)  Name | Area
(km2) | Population | Density
(per km2) | Households | Median age | Median
income

|
|
|
|
|
|

Feilding Central | 4.92 | 939 | 191 | 354 | 41.2 years | $23,900[13]
Kimbolton North | 4.23 | 3,024 | 715 | 1,098 | 44.4 years | $28,200[14]
Kimbolton South | 1.35 | 2,121 | 1,571 | 786 | 38.5 years | $31,400[15]
Kimbolton West | 1.16 | 2,559 | 2,206 | 969 | 40.7 years | $24,900[16]
Makino | 1.71 | 3,045 | 1,781 | 1,062 | 32.9 years | $29,900[17]
Mount Taylor | 3.19 | 564 | 177 | 177 | 36.5 years | $45,200[18]
Sandon | 4.48 | 2,169 | 484 | 873 | 45.7 years | $33,500[19]
Warwick | 0.82 | 1,491 | 1,818 | 684 | 50.4 years | $26,500[20]
New Zealand |  |  |  |  | 37.4 years | $31,800

## Economy

[edit]

Employing about 30 people with a payroll of $1.5m in 2015, Proliant, an Iowa based firm privately held by the father and son team of Wally and Nix Lauridsen, constructed a $24m factory on the outskirts of Feilding for the production of a byproduct from cattle blood plasma, bovine serum albumin (BSA), which is used in pharmaceuticals, vaccines and medical research. Proliant produces about half of the world's BSA.[21][22][23][24]

In the Manawatū District of the people aged 15 years or over:

* 40% earn $20,000 or less (NZ 38.8%)
* 14% earn more than $50,000 (NZ 16.2%)
* the unemployment rate is 3.8% (NZ 7.3%)
* 73.4% of permanent private dwellings are owned with or without a mortgage by the occupant(s) (NZ 66.9%)[25]Cheltenham Co-Operative Dairy Factory, Makino, Feilding

## Features

[edit]

* One of New Zealand's main motor racing circuits, Manfeild, is located at the southern edge of the town.
* There is an active light aircraft airfield Feilding Aerodrome and is located at the eastern edge of the town.
* The depot of the Feilding and District Steam Rail Society is located in the town and it runs railway excursions from this base.
* Feilding's stock saleyards were once one of the largest in the southern hemisphere and are right in the central business area.[26]
* Feilding railway station
* The Coach House Museum
* Focal Point Cinema Feilding
* Te Ahuru Mowai (community hub/library)
* There are no traffic lights and no parking meters

## Education

[edit]

### Secondary schools

[edit]

* Feilding High School \- commonly known as "FAHS" from the time when it was "Feilding Agricultural High School"

### Primary and intermediate schools

[edit]

* Feilding Intermediate School is a state, coeducational intermediate (years 7–8) school with a roll of 340. It was established in 1964.[27]
* Lytton Street School is a state, coeducational contributing primary (years 1–6) school with a roll of 505.[28] It was established in 1901.[29] In 1937 Makino Road school closed and its 50 pupils were bussed to Lytton Street.[30] Makino had been established in 1886[31] and its building was moved to Bluff Road, Rangiwahia.[32]
* Manchester Street School is a state, coeducational contributing primary (years 1–6) school with a roll of 356.[33] It was established in 1874.[34]
* North Street School is a state, coeducational full primary (years 1–8) school with a roll of 363.[35]
* St Joseph's School is an integrated coeducational full primary (years 1–8) school with a roll of 75.[36]
* Taonui School, located south-east of the Feilding township, is a state, coeducational full primary (years 1–8) school with a roll of 134.[37]

## Transport

[edit]

Feilding is located on State Highway 54, which connects State Highway 1 at Vinegar Hill with State Highway 3 at Newbury, forming the primary route between Feilding and central Palmerston North. Other significant routes include Awahuri Road, which links Feilding with SH 3 at Awahuri and provides the most direct route to Sanson, Bulls, and Whanganui; Halcombe Road, which connects Feilding to SH 1 near Marton via Halcombe; and Waughs Road and Campbells Road, which together link Feilding to Bunnythorpe. From Bunnythorpe, traffic can continue via Ashhurst Road to SH 3 at Ashhurst, or via Railway Road to Palmerston North Airport and eastern Palmerston North.

A regular public bus service, Route 311, operates from Monday to Saturday between Feilding and Palmerston North, travelling via Bunnythorpe and Palmerston North Airport. Additionally, a local loop service, Route 301, operates within Feilding on the same days.[38][39]

The North Island Main Trunk railway line runs through Feilding; however, the town has not been served by a regular passenger train service since 2012.[40]

## Notable people

[edit]

Notable people from Feilding include:

* Murray Ball, kiwiana cartoonist who drew Footrot Flats
* Jed Brophy, actor, Dwarf Nori in The Hobbit trilogy

* Air Marshal Sir Charles Roderick Carr, KBE, CB, DFC, AFC, was born in Feilding and attended a primary school there
* Eddie Durie was born in Feilding
* Mason Durie, was born in Feilding
* Keith Elliott, recipient of the Victoria Cross medal, attended high school in Feilding
* Mihingarangi Forbes, journalist
* Sarah Hirini, New Zealand women's national rugby union team and sevens team
* Perry Harris, All Black and Manawatu rugby representative
* Hinerangitoariari, artist
* Michael Houstoun, concert pianist
* Glen Jackson, rugby union player and referee born in Feilding
* Sam McNicol, rugby union player, was born in Feilding
* W. H. Oliver, historian and poet, was born in Feilding
* Tom Scott, cartoonist
* Jesse Sergent, Olympic Cyclist
* Aaron Smith, All Black
* Glenn Standring, film director, was born in Feilding
* Barbara Stewart politician, New Zealand First member of Parliament
* Codie Taylor, All Black attended FAHS
* Simon van Velthooven, Olympic cyclist, America's Cup winner
* Mat Waghorn, winner of the 27th Karapoti Classic mountain bike event
* Adam Whitelock, New Zealand national rugby sevens team, attended FAHS
* George Whitelock, All Black, attended FAHS
* Luke Whitelock, All Black, attended FAHS
* Sam Whitelock, All Black, attended FAHS
* Peter Williams, attended FAHS

Groups

* Evermore popular musical group composed of Dann Hume, Jon Hume and Peter Hume

## See also

[edit]

* Feilding Old Boys Oroua Rugby Football Club

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
2. ^ New Zealand Topo50 map BM34: [www.linz.govt.nz]
3. ^ a b "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
4. ^ "Feilding wins New Zealand's most beautiful town for the 16th time". Stuff. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
5. ^ "Feilding Saleyards 125 Years of Success 1880–2005" (June 2005) Adapted by Foreword authored by Ian McKelvie.
6. ^ "Flood protection scheme opens". infonews.co.nz. New Zealand. 25 March 2000. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
7. ^ "History". Retrieved 29 December 2021.
8. ^ "Feilding & Districts Steam Rail Society". Retrieved 30 June 2016.
9. ^ "Te Kāhui Māngai directory". tkm.govt.nz. Te Puni Kōkiri.
10. ^ "Māori Maps". maorimaps.com. Te Potiki National Trust.
11. ^ "Marae Announcements" (Excel). growregions.govt.nz. Provincial Growth Fund. 9 October 2020.
12. ^ a b "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Feilding Central (228400), Kimbolton North (228100), Kimbolton South (228500), Kimbolton West (228300), Makino (227900), Mount Taylor (227700), Sandon (228000) and Warwick (228200).
13. ^ 2018 Census place summary: Feilding Central
14. ^ 2018 Census place summary: Kimbolton North
15. ^ 2018 Census place summary: Kimbolton South
16. ^ 2018 Census place summary: Kimbolton West
17. ^ 2018 Census place summary: Makino
18. ^ 2018 Census place summary: Mount Taylor
19. ^ 2018 Census place summary: Sandon
20. ^ 2018 Census place summary: Warwick
21. ^ Galuszka, Jono (10 May 2013). "US biofirm to build factory near Feilding". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
22. ^ Proliant Inc. website
23. ^ Proliant Biologicals website
24. ^ "Proliant Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) New Zealand Source". Archived from the original on 18 January 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
25. ^ "Live – Feilding". www.feilding.co.nz. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
26. ^ "Feilding Saleyards Guided Tours". Archived from the original on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
27. ^ Education Counts: Feilding Intermediate
28. ^ Education Counts: Lytton Street school
29. ^ "ABOUT". Lytton Street School. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
30. ^ "MAKINO ROAD SCHOOL. MANAWATU STANDARD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 4 September 1937. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
31. ^ "Makino". nzetc.victoria.ac.nz. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
32. ^ "Primary Education MANAWATU TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 19 July 1944. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
33. ^ Education Counts: Manchester Street school
34. ^ "History | Manchester Street School". www.manchesterstreet.school.nz. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
35. ^ Education Counts: North Street school
36. ^ Education Counts: St Josephs (Feilding)
37. ^ Education Counts: Taonui School
38. ^ "Bus timetable - Aorangi/Fielding" (PDF). Horizons Regional Council. July 2024.
39. ^ Rankin, Janine (18 July 2024). "Popular Feilding bus services could be enhanced". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
40. ^ "Dash to catch the last train". Stuff. 25 June 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2021.

## External links

[edit]

* Official Feilding website
* "Feilding". NZETC (1897 article in Cyclopedia of New Zealand). 1897.
* "Borough of Feilding". NZETC (1897 article in Cyclopedia of New Zealand). 1897.
* "Oroua County Council". NZETC (1897 article in Cyclopedia of New Zealand). 1897.
* "Lytton Street School". NZETC (1897 article in Cyclopedia of New Zealand). 1897.

* v
* t
* e

Manawatū District, New Zealand

Seat: Feilding

Populated places|

| Rural Manawatu|

| North Manawatua b|

* Āpiti
* Cheltenham
* Colyton
* Halcombe
* Hiwinui
* Kimbolton
* Kiwitea
* Pohangina
* Rangiwahia
* Waituna West

|

South Manawatua c|

* Glen Oroua
* Himatangi
* Himatangi Beach
* Kauwhata
* Newbury
* Rangiotu
* Rongotea
* Sanson
* Tangimoana
* Tiakitahuna

Feilding|

* Feilding

Geographic features|

* Makerua Swamp
* Ruahine Range
* Maewa railway station
* Makino Road railway station
* Manfeild: Circuit Chris Amon

Facilities and attractions|

* Feilding Aerodrome
* Feilding railway station
* RNZAF Base Ohakea

Government|

* District Council
* Mayor
* Regional Council

Organisations|

* Feilding and District Steam Rail Society

Schools|

* Feilding High School
* Hato Paora College

a \- formerly a general electoral ward until 2019, currently a statistical area 3 (SA3) b \- formerly known as Kiwitea-Pohaninga Ward until 2013; c \- formerly known as Kairanga Ward until 2013

* v
* t
* e

The Overlander passenger train stops (North Island Main Trunk line)

* Auckland (Britomart)
* Middlemore
* Papakura
* Pukekohe
* Hamilton
* Ōtorohanga
* Te Kūiti
* Taumarunui
* Waimarino
* Ohakune
* Taihape
* Marton
* Feilding
* Palmerston North
* Levin
* Paraparaumu
* Porirua
* Wellington

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* Israel

Geographic|

* MusicBrainz area

*[Pop.]: Population
*[±% p.a.]: Per annum growth rate
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template