Tarras Explained

Tarras
Settlement Type:Village
Pushpin Map:New Zealand
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of Tarras within New Zealand
Coordinates:-44.8333°N 194°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:New Zealand
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Otago
Subdivision Type2:Territorial authority
Subdivision Name2:Central Otago District
Elevation M:290
Timezone1:NZST
Utc Offset1:+12
Timezone1 Dst:NZDT
Utc Offset1 Dst:+13
Postal Code Type:Postcode
Area Code Type:Area code
Area Code:03
Blank Name:Local iwi
Blank Info:Ngāi Tahu

Tarras is a small farming settlement in Central Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand.

Tarras is located on the slopes above the upper reaches of the Clutha Valley, on State Highway 8. It is the first village reached by travellers heading south through the Lindis Pass, and is close to the junction where travellers from Aoraki / Mount Cook turn west towards Lake Hāwea, Wānaka, and Haast Pass / Tioripatea.

Farming and agriculture

Most farms in the Tarras district run sheep, principally merino farmed for their super-fine wool. Some also raise other sheep breeds and deer. Many farms have converted to beef cattle since the 2010 introduction of large-scale irrigation.[1]

Shrek, a hermit Merino sheep, was caught in the hills of Tarras on 15 April 2004,[2] after hiding away in caves for six years.[3] He was shorn live on national television,[4] [5] to produce fleece for men's coats.[6] [7] Shrek was euthanised on 6 June 2011 on a veterinarian's advice, at the age of 16.[2]

Vineyards have been established in the area since 2000. The vineyards grow mainly pinot noir and riesling grapes, with some plantings of pinot gris. The Tarras vineyards include Maori Point Vineyard and Swallows Crossing Vineyard.[8] [9] They are formally classified as being in the Bendigo sub-region of the Central Otago wine region.[10]

Sunny and dry climate

Tarras is one of the driest areas in New Zealand, with annual rainfall of between 300mm500mm.[11]

The valley around Tarras is the sunniest in Otago, with over 2,100 sunshine hours per year.[12] The valley is hot in summer, with a median average daily temperature over 22C, and cold in winter: the median average daily minimum is then below -2C.[12]

Community

The Anglican and Presbyterian Tarras Church includes kneelers created to celebrate the centennial of New Zealand women's suffrage.[13]

Tarras Rural Women publish the community newsletter, Tarras Talk.

The Tarras Tearooms is a historic waystation for travellers through the Lindis Pass.

Education

Tarras School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,[14] [15] with a roll of as of .[16]

The school has published a children's books about Shrek the sheep to raise funds for the school and its students.[17] The book was written by school children and edited by teachers and parents.[18]

International airport proposal

See main article: Central Otago Airport.

In July 2022, an investigative journalist revealed[19] that Christchurch Airport had been secretly buying up farmland between highways and next to Tarras, with the intention of creating a new international airport.[20] [21] After the airport company was forced to announce their plans, there was widespread concern within the community and indeed throughout Central Otago about the proposed airport.[22] [23] [24]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Duff . Geoffrey P . Sheep May Safely Graze: The Story of Morven Hills Station and the Tarras District . 1978 . G Duff . Central Otago District .
  2. Web site: Shrek the celebrity sheep dies . Otago Daily Times . 6 June 2011 . 25 November 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120110074931/http://www.odt.co.nz/regions/central-otago/163660/shrek-celebrity-sheep-dies . 10 January 2012 . live . dmy-all .
  3. News: Hermit sheep 'Shrek' shorn of 6-year-old woolly fleece. 4 December 2007. 29 April 2004. China Daily. https://web.archive.org/web/20071218211454/http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-04/29/content_327336.htm. 18 December 2007. live. dmy-all.
  4. News: NZ's famous sheep gets TV haircut. 4 December 2007. 28 April 2004. BBC. https://web.archive.org/web/20071006183843/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3665735.stm. 6 October 2007. live. dmy-all.
  5. News: Shrek the sheep shorn at last. 27 January 2008. 28 April 2004. BBC. London. Jenny. Booth. https://web.archive.org/web/20090516074400/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article845690.ece. 16 May 2009. live. dmy-all.
  6. Web site: 2002 Australian wool production survey, giving (p. 6) average Merino fleece weights.. agric.wa.gov.au. 2 October 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080903145125/http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/content/aap/sl/wool/bull4544.pdf. 3 September 2008. dead. dmy-all.
  7. Web site: Merino stud ram listed (p 3) with fleece weight of 16.2 kg.. sunnyvalley.com.au. 2 October 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080719034323/http://www.sunnyvalley.com.au/Docs/SunnyValley2004Newsletter.pdf. 19 July 2008. dead. dmy-all.
  8. Web site: Maori Point Vineyard.
  9. Web site: Swallows Crossing Vineyard .
  10. Web site: Bendigo Vineyards and Wineries . Central Otago Winegrowers Association.
  11. Web site: Lindis catchment and Bendigo-Tarras Basin: Information Sheet . Otago Regional Council . 2 . April 2014.
  12. Book: 31 . The Climate and Weather of Otago . . 2nd . Macara . G.R..
  13. A Tapestry of Tarras: Local Stories Told in Stitches. Dunedin: [Women’s Division of Federated Farmers, Tarras Branch, 1997].
  14. Web site: Tarras School Official School Website . tarras.school.nz.
  15. Web site: Tarras School Ministry of Education School Profile . educationcounts.govt.nz . Ministry of Education.
  16. Web site: Tarras School Education Review Office Report . ero.govt.nz . Education Review Office.
  17. Web site: Cromwell and Bannockburn . centralotagonz.com . Central Otago Tourism.
  18. Web site: Shrek: The Famous Hermit Sheep of Tarras . thechildrensbookshop.co.nz . The Children's Bookshop.
  19. Web site: Tarras: A tiny town in airport shock - full report . 2022-09-08 . Crux . en-NZ.
  20. News: New airport mooted for New Zealand's South Island ski area. The Guardian. 23 July 2020.
  21. News: New airport mooted for Central Otago. 22 July 2020. Mark. Price. Otago Daily Times.
  22. News: Small Otago village locals outraged at proposed airport . en . Newshub . 2022-09-08.
  23. Web site: 2021-02-11 . Tarras airport proposal rejected by 74% of Upper Clutha residents survey finds . 2022-09-08 . RNZ . en-nz.
  24. Web site: Protest against Tarras International Airport proposal . 2022-09-08 . METRONEWS . 13 May 2021 . en.

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