Tarras

{{Infobox settlement

| name = Tarras

| settlement_type = Village

| pushpin_map = New Zealand

| pushpin_map_caption = Location of Tarras within New Zealand

| coordinates = {{coord|44|50|S|169|25|E|region:NZ-OTA|display=inline,title}}

| 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

| population_footnotes =

| population_total =

| population_as_of =

| timezone1 = NZST

| utc_offset1 = +12

| timezone1_DST = NZDT

| utc_offset1_DST = +13

| postal_code_type = Postcode

| postal_code =

| area_code_type = Area code

| area_code = 03

| blank_name = Local iwi

| blank_info = Ngāi Tahu

}}

File:Tarras 27.jpg

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.{{cite book |last1=Duff |first1=Geoffrey P |title=Sheep May Safely Graze: The Story of Morven Hills Station and the Tarras District |date=1978 |publisher=G Duff |location=Central Otago District |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3NJ_MgAACAAJ}}

Shrek, a hermit Merino sheep, was caught in the hills of Tarras on 15 April 2004,{{cite web |url=http://www.odt.co.nz/regions/central-otago/163660/shrek-celebrity-sheep-dies |title=Shrek the celebrity sheep dies |work=Otago Daily Times |date=6 June 2011 |accessdate=25 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120110074931/http://www.odt.co.nz/regions/central-otago/163660/shrek-celebrity-sheep-dies |archive-date=10 January 2012 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }} after hiding away in caves for six years.{{cite news|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-04/29/content_327336.htm|title=Hermit sheep 'Shrek' shorn of 6-year-old woolly fleece|accessdate=4 December 2007|date=29 April 2004|work=China Daily|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071218211454/http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-04/29/content_327336.htm|archive-date=18 December 2007|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}} He was shorn live on national television,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3665735.stm|title=NZ's famous sheep gets TV haircut|accessdate=4 December 2007|date=28 April 2004|publisher=BBC|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071006183843/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3665735.stm|archive-date=6 October 2007|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article845690.ece|title=Shrek the sheep shorn at last|access-date=27 January 2008|date=28 April 2004|publisher=BBC|location=London|first=Jenny|last=Booth|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090516074400/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article845690.ece|archive-date=16 May 2009|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} to produce fleece for men's coats.{{cite web|url=http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/content/aap/sl/wool/bull4544.pdf|title=2002 Australian wool production survey, giving (p. 6) average Merino fleece weights.|work=agric.wa.gov.au|access-date=2 October 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080903145125/http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/content/aap/sl/wool/bull4544.pdf|archive-date=3 September 2008|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|url=http://www.sunnyvalley.com.au/Docs/SunnyValley2004Newsletter.pdf|title=Merino stud ram listed (p 3) with fleece weight of 16.2 kg.|work=sunnyvalley.com.au|access-date=2 October 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080719034323/http://www.sunnyvalley.com.au/Docs/SunnyValley2004Newsletter.pdf|archive-date=19 July 2008|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} Shrek was euthanised on 6 June 2011 on a veterinarian's advice, at the age of 16.

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.{{cite web | title=Maori Point Vineyard|url=http://www.maoripoint.co.nz}}{{cite web | title=Swallows Crossing Vineyard |url=http://www.swallowscrossing.co.nz}} They are formally classified as being in the Bendigo sub-region of the Central Otago wine region.{{cite web |title=Bendigo Vineyards and Wineries |url=http://www.cowa.org.nz/vineyard-directory/bendigo.html |website=Central Otago Winegrowers Association}}

Sunny and dry climate

Tarras is one of the driest areas in New Zealand, with annual rainfall of between {{convert |300|and |500|mm|in}}.{{cite web |title=Lindis catchment and Bendigo-Tarras Basin: Information Sheet |url=http://www.orc.govt.nz/Documents/Publications/Regional/Water/minimum%20flow/Lindis%20Information%20sheet%20-%202014.pdf |website=Otago Regional Council |page=2 |date=April 2014}}

The valley around Tarras is the sunniest in Otago, with over 2,100 sunshine hours per year.

{{cite book

|page=31

|url=http://docs.niwa.co.nz/library/public/NIWAsts67.pdf

|publisher=NIWA

|title=The Climate and Weather of Otago

|edition=2nd

|last1=Macara |first1=G.R.

}}

The valley is hot in summer, with a median average daily temperature over {{convert|22|C|K}}, and cold in winter: the median average daily minimum is then below {{convert|-2|C|F}}.

Community

The Anglican and Presbyterian Tarras Church includes kneelers created to celebrate the centennial of New Zealand women's suffrage.A Tapestry of Tarras: Local Stories Told in Stitches. Dunedin: [Women’s Division of Federated Farmers, Tarras Branch, 1997].

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,{{cite web |title=Tarras School Official School Website |url=http://www.tarras.school.nz |website=tarras.school.nz}}{{cite web |title=Tarras School Ministry of Education School Profile |url=https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/find-school/school/profile?school=3843 |website=educationcounts.govt.nz |publisher=Ministry of Education}} with a roll of {{NZ school roll data|3843|y}} as of {{NZ school roll data|||y|}}.{{cite web |title=Tarras School Education Review Office Report |url=http://www.ero.govt.nz/report-view?id=3843 |website=ero.govt.nz |publisher=Education Review Office}}

The school has published a children's books about Shrek the sheep to raise funds for the school and its students.{{cite web |title=Cromwell and Bannockburn |url=https://centralotagonz.com/discover/our-towns-and-communities/cromwell-and-bannockburn |website=centralotagonz.com |publisher=Central Otago Tourism}} The book was written by school children and edited by teachers and parents.{{cite web |title=Shrek: The Famous Hermit Sheep of Tarras |url=https://www.thechildrensbookshop.co.nz/p/nz-picture-books-shrek-the-famous-hermit-sheep-of-tarras |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112015456/https://www.thechildrensbookshop.co.nz/p/nz-picture-books-shrek-the-famous-hermit-sheep-of-tarras |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 12, 2020 |website=thechildrensbookshop.co.nz |publisher=The Children's Bookshop}}

International airport proposal

In July 2022, an investigative journalist revealed{{Cite web |title=Tarras: A tiny town in airport shock - full report |url=https://crux.org.nz/crux-news/tarras-a-tiny-town-in-airport-shock-full-report/ |access-date=2022-09-08 |website=Crux |language=en-NZ}} that Christchurch Airport had been secretly buying up farmland between highways {{NZSH|8}} and {{NZSH|8a}} next to Tarras, with the intention of creating a new international airport.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/23/new-airport-mooted-for-new-zealands-south-island-ski-area|title=New airport mooted for New Zealand's South Island ski area|newspaper=The Guardian |date=23 July 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/central-otago/new-airport-mooted-central-otago|title=New airport mooted for Central Otago|date=22 July 2020|first=Mark|last=Price|newspaper=Otago Daily Times }} 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.{{Cite news |title=Small Otago village locals outraged at proposed airport |language=en |work=Newshub |url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/travel/2020/07/small-otago-village-locals-outraged-at-proposed-airport.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724170603/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/travel/2020/07/small-otago-village-locals-outraged-at-proposed-airport.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 24, 2020 |access-date=2022-09-08}}{{Cite web |date=2021-02-11 |title=Tarras airport proposal rejected by 74% of Upper Clutha residents survey finds |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/436211/tarras-airport-proposal-rejected-by-74-percent-of-upper-clutha-residents-survey-finds |access-date=2022-09-08 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz}}{{Cite web |title=Protest against Tarras International Airport proposal |url=https://metronews.co.nz/article/protest-against-tarras-airport-proposal |access-date=2022-09-08 |website=METRONEWS |date=13 May 2021 |language=en}}

External links

[http://www.tarrasnz.com/ Tarras Community Trust]
[http://www.tarras.school.nz/ Tarras School]
[http://historyrfd.net/lindis/ Learning from the Lindis]

References

Category:Populated places in Otago