Leithfield

Town in Canterbury, New Zealand

Place in Canterbury, New Zealand

Leithfield

State Highway 1 at the turn off to Leithfield Beach

Coordinates: 43°12′S 172°44′E﻿ / ﻿43.200°S 172.733°E﻿ / -43.200; 172.733
Country| New Zealand
Region| Canterbury
Territorial authority| Hurunui District
Ward| South Ward
Electorates|

* Kaikōura
* Te Tai Tonga

Government

• Territorial Authority| Hurunui District Council
• Regional council| Environment Canterbury
• Mayor of Hurunui| Marie Black
• Kaikoura MP| Stuart Smith
• Te Tai Tonga MP| Tākuta Ferris
Area

[1]

• Total

| 1.58 km2 (0.61 sq mi)
Population

(June 2024)[2]

• Total

| 1,060
• Density| 670/km2 (1,700/sq mi)

Leithfield is a small town in north Canterbury, New Zealand. It is on State Highway 1, 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) south of Amberley and 42 kilometres (26 mi) north of Christchurch and 11.8 kilometres north of Waikuku. The Leithfield area consists of two semi-distinct areas, Leithfield Beach to the east of State Highway 1 and Leithfield Village adjacent to and immediately to the west of State Highway 1. Leithfield sits just south of the South Branch of the Kowai River.

Leithfield's regional importance is behind that of Amberley with its wine industry and the tourist centre of Hanmer Springs. This is due in large part to its proximity to the district centre at Amberley. Despite this proximity, the Leithfield community supports a school, library, summer swimming pool, and many small businesses.

## History

[edit]

Leithfield was founded in 1857 by John Leith.[3] He purchased a windmill in 1862 and brought it from Christchurch to Leithfield in order to mill wheat. The mill building was 23 metres tall and each sail was 12 metres long making it the tallest building in Canterbury at the time. Unfortunately the Canterbury nor'westerly winds damaged the mill building making it inoperable.[4] In 1880, Leithfield was a town of 700 people. It had three churches, a police station, a court, a school, three hotels and five shops.[4]

## Demographics

[edit]

Leithfield and Leithfield Beach are both defined by Statistics New Zealand as rural settlements and cover 1.29 km2 (0.50 sq mi) and 0.29 km2 (0.11 sq mi) respectively.[1] They had an estimated combined population of 1,060 as of June 2024,[2] with a population density of 671 people per km2. Both are included in Balcairn statistical area.[5]

Historical population for Leigthfield and Leithfield BeachYear| Pop.| ±% p.a.

|
|

2006| 765| —
2013| 954| +3.20%
2018| 981| +0.56%
Source: [6]

The two settlements had a population of 981 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 27 people (2.8%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 216 people (28.2%) since the 2006 census. There were 396 households, comprising 462 males and 510 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.91 males per female, with 168 people (17.1%) aged under 15 years, 132 (13.5%) aged 15 to 29, 486 (49.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 195 (19.9%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 94.5% European/Pākehā, 11.0% Māori, 1.8% Pasifika, 0.9% Asian, and 1.5% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 58.4% had no religion, 30.6% were Christian, 0.3% were Hindu, 0.3% were Buddhist and 1.5% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 69 (8.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 189 (23.2%) people had no formal qualifications. 120 people (14.8%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 408 (50.2%) people were employed full-time, 117 (14.4%) were part-time, and 18 (2.2%) were unemployed.[6]

### Balcairn statistical area

[edit]

Balcairn, which also includes Amberley Beach and surrounds but does not include Amberley, covers 130.51 km2 (50.39 sq mi).[1] It had an estimated population of 2,520 as of June 2024,[7] with a population density of 19.3 people per km2.

Historical population for BalcairnYear| Pop.| ±% p.a.

|
|

2006| 1,872| —
2013| 2,190| +2.27%
2018| 2,343| +1.36%
Source: [8]

Balcairn had a population of 2,343 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 153 people (7.0%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 471 people (25.2%) since the 2006 census. There were 921 households, comprising 1,161 males and 1,182 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.98 males per female. The median age was 47.0 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 417 people (17.8%) aged under 15 years, 315 (13.4%) aged 15 to 29, 1,134 (48.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 477 (20.4%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 95.5% European/Pākehā, 7.8% Māori, 1.3% Pasifika, 1.3% Asian, and 1.8% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 15.1, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 54.2% had no religion, 34.8% were Christian, 0.3% were Hindu, 0.3% were Buddhist and 2.0% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 267 (13.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 417 (21.7%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $31,100, compared with $31,800 nationally. 294 people (15.3%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 987 (51.2%) people were employed full-time, 336 (17.4%) were part-time, and 39 (2.0%) were unemployed.[8]

## Education

[edit]

Leithfield School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,[9] with a roll of 126 as of July 2025.[10]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
2. ^ a b "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
3. ^ "Leithfield - Hurunui District Council". hurunui.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
4. ^ a b "Leith's field of dreams". Stuff. 31 January 2009. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
5. ^ 2018 Census place summary: Balcairn
6. ^ a b "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7023886, 7023887, 7023888, 7023889, 7023890, 7023892, 7023893 and 7023894.
7. ^ "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
8. ^ a b "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Balcairn (312800). 2018 Census place summary: Balcairn
9. ^ "Leithfield School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
10. ^ "Leithfield School Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.

* v
* t
* e

Hurunui District, New Zealand

Seat: Amberley

Populated places|

| Amberley Ward|

* Amberley
* Broomfield
* Leithfield

|

Amuri-Hurunui Ward|

* Culverden
* Hawarden
* Medbury
* Mount Lyford
* Pyramid Valley
* Rotherham
* Lake Sumner
* Waiau
* Waikari
* Weka Pass

Cheviot Ward|

* Cheviot
* Gore Bay
* Hawkswood
* Hundalee
* Parnassus

Glenmark Ward|

* Greta Valley
* Motunau
* Omihi
* Waipara

Hanmer Springs Ward|

* Hanmer Springs
* Lewis Pass

Geographic features|

* Ashley Forest
* Conway River
* Doubtful River
* Doubtless River
* Edwards River
* Empson River
* Esk River
* Gelt River
* Glencoe River
* Glencoe River
* Glenrae River
* Grantham River
* Greta River
* Hanmer River
* Harper Pass
* Hundalee Hills
* Hurunui River
* Motunau Island
* Mount Grey / Maukatere
* Lake Tennyson
* Waiau Uwha River
* Waimakariri River
* Waipara River

Facilities and attractions|

* Hanmer Conservation Park
* Hurunui River South Branch
* Kate Valley Landfill
* Waiau Branch
* Weka Pass Railway

Government|

* District Council
* Mayor
* Regional Council

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