Canvastown

{{Use New Zealand English|date=March 2024}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}

{{Infobox settlement

|name = Canvastown

|image_skyline = Canvastown Church.JPG

|subdivision_type = Country

|subdivision_name = New Zealand

|subdivision_type1 = Region

|subdivision_name1 = Marlborough

|pushpin_map = New Zealand Marlborough

|coordinates = {{coord|41|17|26|S|173|40|13|E|region:NZ|display=inline,title}}

}}

Canvastown is a locality at the point where the Wakamarina River joins the Pelorus River, in Marlborough, New Zealand. {{NZlSH|6}} runs through the area. Rai Valley is 17 km to the northwest. Havelock is 10 km to the east.{{cite book|title=Reed New Zealand Atlas|year=2004|isbn=0-7900-0952-8|editor=Peter Dowling |publisher=Reed Books|pages=map 60}}{{cite book|title=The Geographic Atlas of New Zealand|year=2005|isbn=1-877333-20-4|author=Roger Smith, GeographX|publisher=Robbie Burton|pages=map 138}}

The town was founded in 1864, after gold was discovered in the Wakamarina Valley. Up to 6000 miners came to make their fortunes. Where there had previously been a Māori Pā, streets of tents sprang up providing accommodation, restaurants and taverns to a population of about 3000 people. About {{convert|25000|oz}} of gold was recovered in 1864.{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/G/GoldDiscoveries/WakamarinaAndTheWestCoast/en|title=Gold Discoveries – Wakamarina and the West Coast|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of New Zealand (1966)}}

The surface gold was worked out within two years and most of the miners moved to new gold discoveries on the West Coast.{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/EarthSeaAndSky/MineralResources/GoldAndGoldMining/6/en|title=Gold and gold mining – Other goldfields|encyclopedia=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand}}{{cite book |title=Marlborough: A Provincial History |editor1-first=Alister |editor1-last=McIntosh |editor1-link=Alister McIntosh |editor2-first=William Edward |editor2-last=Redman |editor3-first=William Raymond |editor3-last=Allen |publisher=Marlborough Provincial Historical Committee |location=Blenheim |year=1940 |page=241 }} Steam dredges continued to work the river into the 20th century.{{cite book|title=Click – A Captured Moment – Marlborough's Early Heritage|author=Marlborough Historical Society|year=2005|isbn=0-473-10475-X|pages=200|publisher=Marlborough Historical Society|location=Blenheim}}

Canvastown School is a coeducational full primary (years 1–8) school with a decile rating of 5 and a roll of 29.{{cite web|url=http://www.tki.org.nz/e/schools/display_school_info.php?school_id=3186|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020323225402/http://www.tki.org.nz/e/schools/display_school_info.php?school_id=3186|url-status=dead|archive-date=2002-03-23|title=Te Kete Ipurangi – Canvastown School|publisher=Ministry of Education}} The school was built in 1877{{cite web|url=http://www.nram.govt.nz/record.php?id=1559&parent=nramindexbyvolume&volume=X|title=Canvastown School (X1719)|publisher=National Register of Archives and Manuscripts|access-date=2008-05-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081017202025/http://www.nram.govt.nz/record.php?id=1559&parent=nramindexbyvolume&volume=X|archive-date=2008-10-17|url-status=dead}} and celebrated its 125th Jubilee in 2002.{{cite journal|url=http://www.edgazette.govt.nz/notices.php/notices.php?action=view&id=58194|title=Jubilees & reunions: Canvastown School|journal=Education Gazette New Zealand|volume=81|issue=5|date=25 March 2002}} {{dead link|date=April 2009|fix-attempted=yes}}