SH1 DIRECTORIES

• Christchurch
• Ashburton
• Temuka
• Timaru
• Oamaru
• Dunedin
• Invercargill

SH1 BUSINESS STORIES

• Christchurch

  • Hornby
  • Templeton
  • Rolleston
  • Dunsandel

• Ashburton

  • Riverside
  • Eastside
  • Westside
  • Tinwald
  • Rakaia

• Timaru

  • Washdyke
  • Central
  • South

• Oamaru

  • East
  • West

• Dunedin

  • Mosgiel
  • Great King St

• Invercargill

  • Bluff
  • Gore

SH1 BUSINESS CATEGORIES

(Click a business category to find the type of business or trade you require).

LATEST NEWS

FEATURED PEOPLE

• Life Stories
• Senior Citizens
• People in Business
• Pioneers of Business

DIRECTORY PUBLICATIONS

• Issues
• Business Supporters
• Private Supporters

CONTACT

Ron E Bishop
General Manager
Timaru Tourist Promotions Limited
132 Gleniti Rd, Timaru
Phone: 03 686 1271
Mobile: 027 228 4756
Email Me

Greetings from Timaru South

Robert Burns

Very few people in Timaru South know much about the history of where they live. Timaru South has two areas Parkside and Redruth. While doing some research on the history of Timaru South I was surprised to learn that Government Town or Parkside as it is known today was the first town to be formed in the Timaru District. It was formed a good 3 years before the ship Strathallan arrived from England with the first European settlers.

Over the years Timaru South has become known to the locals as the poorer part of Timaru and property prices reflect that. One of the reasons for its poor image is because it is the home of the Police Station, Magistrates Court, Hospital, Cemetery and Rubbish Dump. However it also has some very attractive things such as the Botanical Gardens lake and Park. It is also the home of the very popular Century swimming pool heated and covered with a hydro slide for the children. In the Botanical Garden grounds is this statue of the famous poet Robert Burns who died in July 1796 at Age 37. The statue was presented to the people of Timaru by James Craigie Esq MP on 22nd May 1913. The Timaru District Council and the SC Historic Society fail to recognise Timaru’s real birthday as the 1st May so in 2006 Photo News a division of Timaru Tourist Promotions Limited published an article on the history of Parkside. We still have a few copies left of the Photo News publication if anyone is interested. Get a copy here

On 1st May 2006 Timaru will be 150 years old - 1856 to 2006

Parliament was first formed in 1854 and two years later the Government appointed Samuel Hewlings the task of survueying a town on the East Coast of New Zealand, halfway between Akaroa and Port Chalmers. Timaru's first town which was aptly named Government Town consisted of approximately 300 acres south of North Street to Patiti Point. It was boarded by a Town Belt now known as Craigie Avenue and State Highway One. All the streets were to have access to the beach. Below is an early 1875 map courtesy of the Timaru District Council and we have added some photos around the map to show you what it looks like today. [Click the map for a better view.]