Parawa

For other uses, see Parawa.

Place in South Island, New Zealand

Parawa

The Parawa Junction Hotel in September 2009

Parawa

Coordinates: 45°32′S 168°32′E﻿ / ﻿45.533°S 168.533°E﻿ / -45.533; 168.533
Country| New Zealand
Island| South Island
Region| Southland region
Territorial authority| Southland District
Time zone| UTC+12 (NZST)
• Summer (DST)| UTC+13 (NZDT)
Postcode(s)|

9793

Area code| 03
Local iwi| Ngāi Tahu

Parawa is a locality in Southland, New Zealand, on State Highway 6, 5 km southwest of Athol and immediately north of Mid Dome mountain. Its name is a corruption of Paiherewao, what Maori called the mountain.[1] In the 19th century, several versions of the name were used, including Parrawa and Parrowa.

The Parawa Junction Hotel was built in 1867, near where the main road crosses the Parawa Creek, to service traffic from the south coast to the central Otago goldfields and nearby goldfield at Nokomai. The hotel operated for a century, then was a tearoom for a number of years before closing.

The Kingston Branch railway opened through the district in January 1878, and soon after a Parawa siding was built.[2] It operated until the closure of the line in November 1979. For many years Parawa was known for its very small post office, which was open from 1904–1985.

Before the First World War, a flax mill owned by I. W. Raymond & Co. operated near the entrance to the Nokomai Gorge. In 1904 it employed around 20 people.[3]

## Climate

[edit]

Climate data for Parawa (Mid Dome) (1949–1976)

Month  | Jan  | Feb  | Mar  | Apr  | May  | Jun  | Jul  | Aug  | Sep  | Oct  | Nov  | Dec  | Year
Record high °C (°F)  | 36.5
(97.7)  | 32.2
(90.0)  | 32.1
(89.8)  | 26.1
(79.0)  | 21.0
(69.8)  | 18.9
(66.0)  | 18.1
(64.6)  | 19.1
(66.4)  | 21.7
(71.1)  | 24.2
(75.6)  | 28.9
(84.0)  | 29.4
(84.9)  | 36.5
(97.7)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)  | 21.1
(70.0)  | 21.2
(70.2)  | 18.8
(65.8)  | 15.4
(59.7)  | 12.2
(54.0)  | 8.5
(47.3)  | 8.2
(46.8)  | 10.3
(50.5)  | 13.4
(56.1)  | 15.9
(60.6)  | 17.5
(63.5)  | 19.6
(67.3)  | 15.2
(59.3)
Daily mean °C (°F)  | 14.8
(58.6)  | 14.8
(58.6)  | 12.9
(55.2)  | 10.1
(50.2)  | 7.2
(45.0)  | 4.1
(39.4)  | 3.6
(38.5)  | 5.2
(41.4)  | 7.9
(46.2)  | 10.2
(50.4)  | 11.8
(53.2)  | 13.5
(56.3)  | 9.7
(49.4)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)  | 8.5
(47.3)  | 8.4
(47.1)  | 7.1
(44.8)  | 4.7
(40.5)  | 2.1
(35.8)  | −0.4
(31.3)  | −1.1
(30.0)  | 0.2
(32.4)  | 2.3
(36.1)  | 4.6
(40.3)  | 6.0
(42.8)  | 7.4
(45.3)  | 4.1
(39.5)
Record low °C (°F)  | −4.0
(24.8)  | −1.5
(29.3)  | −3.4
(25.9)  | −7.4
(18.7)  | −7.1
(19.2)  | −8.3
(17.1)  | −10.0
(14.0)  | −11.1
(12.0)  | −11.6
(11.1)  | −6.1
(21.0)  | −2.5
(27.5)  | −3.5
(25.7)  | −11.6
(11.1)
Average rainfall mm (inches)  | 88.4
(3.48)  | 68.8
(2.71)  | 100.3
(3.95)  | 84.5
(3.33)  | 88.4
(3.48)  | 94.2
(3.71)  | 81.6
(3.21)  | 67.4
(2.65)  | 63.4
(2.50)  | 79.8
(3.14)  | 81.2
(3.20)  | 80.9
(3.19)  | 978.9
(38.55)
Source: NIWA[4]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Reed, A. W. (1975). Place names of New Zealand. Wellington: A. H. & A. W. Reed. ISBN 0-589-00933-8.
2. ^ Meyer, R. J. (1980) All Aboard (2nd ed.), Wellington: NZ Railway & Locomotive Society, ISBN 0-908573-27-8, p. 36
3. ^ Cyclopedia of New Zealand (1905), Vol.4: Otago & Southland, Christchurch: Cyclopedia Co. Ltd., p. 1015
4. ^ "CliFlo -The National Climate Database (Agent number: 5479)". NIWA. Retrieved 5 Jun 2024.