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Ashburton Forks
Locality
Thomsons Track crossing the North Branch of Ashburton River / Hakatere
Coordinates: 43°43′44″S 171°34′23″E / 43.729°S 171.573°E / -43.729; 171.573
Country	New Zealand
Region	Canterbury
Territorial authority	Ashburton District
Ward	Western
Electorates	Rangitata Te Tai Tonga (Māori)
Government
• Territorial authority	Ashburton District Council
• Regional council	Environment Canterbury
• Mayor of Ashburton	Neil Brown
• Rangitata MP	James Meager
• Te Tai Tonga MP	Tākuta Ferris

Ashburton Forks, formerly known as Spreadeagle, is a defined locality on the Canterbury Plains between the forks of the Ashburton River / Hakatere and within the Ashburton District of the Canterbury Province of New Zealand's South Island. It is approximately 50 km west of Ashburton and about 17 km from the foot of the Southern Alps.

Early settlers

A hotel was established there in the late 1870s and, in 1880, was owned by a Mr Philip Tesch. William Campbell, blacksmith by trade, of Oakfield Demesne, County Donegal established a blacksmith business next to the hotel in 1882 and purchased the nearby Spreadeagle Farm with his wife Mary (née Falloon). The hotel and blacksmith shop burnt down in 1892. William Campbell died a few weeks later from consumption. William Campbell Jnr, son of William and Mary Campbell, continued to work the Spreadeagle Farm until his death in 1936. Mary Campbell was postmistress at Spreadeagle/Ashburton Forks until 1928. She died in 1932 and is buried in the nearby town of Methven.

Demographics

The statistical area of Ashburton Forks, which also includes Mount Somers, covers 859.39 km (331.81 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 2,680 as of June 2024, with a population density of 3.1 people per km.

Ashburton Forks had a population of 2,214 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 207 people (10.3%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 528 people (31.3%) since the 2006 census. There were 840 households, comprising 1,197 males and 1,017 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.18 males per female. The median age was 33.0 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 501 people (22.6%) aged under 15 years, 468 (21.1%) aged 15 to 29, 1,065 (48.1%) aged 30 to 64, and 183 (8.3%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 82.9% European/Pākehā, 5.6% Māori, 1.1% Pasifika, 10.4% Asian, and 5.7% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 22.5, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 48.6% had no religion, 42.1% were Christian, 0.3% had Māori religious beliefs, 1.1% were Hindu, 0.4% were Muslim, 0.3% were Buddhist and 2.0% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 303 (17.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 243 (14.2%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $41,800, compared with $31,800 nationally. 285 people (16.6%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,104 (64.4%) people were employed full-time, 309 (18.0%) were part-time, and 21 (1.2%) were unemployed.

See also

• Ashburton, nearby major town
• Methven, nearby major town

References

1. "Ashburton Forks, Canterbury". NZ Topo Map. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
2. "Ashburton Forks". nzetc.victoria.ac.nz. 1903. Archived from the original on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
3. "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
4. "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
5. ^ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Ashburton Forks (336800). 2018 Census place summary: Ashburton Forks

• Populated places in the Canterbury Region