Studholme
Encyclopedia
Studholme is a locality in southern Canterbury
in New Zealand
's South Island
. It is named after Michael Studholme, a pioneer European settler who arrived in the area in 1854.
and Waimate Creek
, on the shores of the Pacific Ocean
and Wainono Lagoon
. Approximately seven kilometres west is Waimate
, the largest town in the district. Other nearby localities include Hook
to the north and Nukuroa and Willowbridge to the south.
and the Main South Line
railway. The railway was opened on 1 February 1877 and still operates today, although passenger services ceased after the cancellation of the Southerner express train on 10 February 2002. Not long after the railway was opened, Studholme became a junction when a branch line
was built to Waimate. Known as the Waimate Branch
, this line began operating on 19 March 1877 and ran until 31 March 1966, from which point Studholme became the transshipment point for rail freight to and from Waimate. The abandoned formation
of the branch, now trackless, can still be seen leaving the main line in Studholme.
. Industrial activity is directly related to agriculture; for example, a dairy factory was formally opened in late October 2007 and it produces products such as milk powder.
Canterbury, New Zealand
The New Zealand region of Canterbury is mainly composed of the Canterbury Plains and the surrounding mountains. Its main city, Christchurch, hosts the main office of the Christchurch City Council, the Canterbury Regional Council - called Environment Canterbury - and the University of Canterbury.-...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
. It is named after Michael Studholme, a pioneer European settler who arrived in the area in 1854.
Geography
Studholme is situated on the coastal plains of the Waihao RiverWaihao River
The Waihao River is a natural watercourse in the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island.- Characteristics :Its headwaters are in the Hunter Hills, foothills of the Southern Alps, and its catchment area is 550 km². The catchment receives approximately 1,000 mm of rain annually...
and Waimate Creek
Waimate Creek
Waimate Creek is a natural watercourse in the southern Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. Its original Māori name was Te Waimatemate, which means "slowly moving waters".- Catchment :...
, on the shores of the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
and Wainono Lagoon
Wainono Lagoon
Wainono Lagoon is a shallow lake in the southern Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. A number of rivers flow into the lagoon, including the Hook River from the north and the Waihao River from the south...
. Approximately seven kilometres west is Waimate
Waimate
WaimateUrban AreaPopulation:2,835 Extent:Territorial AuthorityName:Waimate District CouncilPopulation:7,206 Land area:3,582.19 km² Mayor:John ColesWebsite:...
, the largest town in the district. Other nearby localities include Hook
Hook, New Zealand
Hook is a lightly populated locality in the southern Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. It is situated on coastal plains by the Pacific Ocean and Wainono Lagoon. Hook River flows through Hook into the Wainono Lagoon...
to the north and Nukuroa and Willowbridge to the south.
Transport
Studholme is situated on State Highway 1State Highway 1 (New Zealand)
State Highway 1 is the longest and most significant road in the New Zealand roading network, running the length of both main islands. It appears on road maps as SH 1 and on road signs as a white number 1 on a red shield, but it has the official designations SH 1N in the North Island, SH 1S in the...
and the Main South Line
Main South Line
The Main South Line, sometimes referred to as part of the South Island Main Trunk Railway, is a railroad line that runs north and south from Lyttelton in New Zealand through Christchurch and along the east coast of the South Island to Invercargill via Dunedin...
railway. The railway was opened on 1 February 1877 and still operates today, although passenger services ceased after the cancellation of the Southerner express train on 10 February 2002. Not long after the railway was opened, Studholme became a junction when a branch line
Branch line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...
was built to Waimate. Known as the Waimate Branch
Waimate Branch
The Waimate Branch was a branch line railway built in southern Canterbury, New Zealand to link the Main South Line with the town of Waimate, the centre of the surrounding rural area. It opened in 1877 and operated until 1966; for some of this time, it included an extension to Waihao Downs that was...
, this line began operating on 19 March 1877 and ran until 31 March 1966, from which point Studholme became the transshipment point for rail freight to and from Waimate. The abandoned formation
Track bed
A track bed or trackbed is the term used to describe the groundwork onto which a railway track is laid. Trackbeds of disused railways are sometimes used for recreational paths or new light rail links....
of the branch, now trackless, can still be seen leaving the main line in Studholme.
Economy
Studholme's economy is primarily agriculturalAgriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
. Industrial activity is directly related to agriculture; for example, a dairy factory was formally opened in late October 2007 and it produces products such as milk powder.