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Leithfield
State Highway 1 at the turn off to Leithfield Beach
Coordinates: 43°12′S 172°44′E / 43.200°S 172.733°E / -43.200; 172.733
Country	New Zealand
Region	Canterbury
Territorial authority	Hurunui District
Ward	South Ward
Electorates	Kaikōura Te Tai Tonga
Government
• Territorial Authority	Hurunui District Council
• Regional council	Environment Canterbury
• Mayor of Hurunui	Marie Black
• Kaikoura MP	Stuart Smith
• Te Tai Tonga MP	Tākuta Ferris
Area
• Total	1.58 km (0.61 sq mi)
Population
• Total	1,040
• Density	660/km (1,700/sq mi)

Leithfield is a small town in north Canterbury, New Zealand. It is on State Highway 1, 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) south of Amberley and 42 kilometres (26 mi) north of Christchurch and 11.8 kilometres north of Waikuku. The Leithfield area consists of two semi-distinct areas, Leithfield Beach to the east of State Highway 1 and Leithfield Village adjacent to and immediately to the west of State Highway 1. Leithfield sits just south of the South Branch of the Kowai River.

Leithfield's regional importance is behind that of Amberley with its wine industry and the tourist centre of Hanmer Springs. This is due in large part to its proximity to the district centre at Amberley. Despite this proximity, the Leithfield community supports a school, library, summer swimming pool, and many small businesses.

History

Leithfield was founded in 1857 by John Leith. He purchased a windmill in 1862 and brought it from Christchurch to Leithfield in order to mill wheat. The mill building was 23 metres tall and each sail was 12 metres long making it the tallest building in Canterbury at the time. Unfortunately the Canterbury nor'westerly winds damaged the mill building making it inoperable. In 1880, Leithfield was a town of 700 people. It had three churches, a police station, a court, a school, three hotels and five shops.

Demographics

Leithfield and Leithfield Beach are both defined by Statistics New Zealand as rural settlements and cover 1.29 km (0.50 sq mi) and 0.29 km (0.11 sq mi) respectively. They had an estimated combined population of 1,040 as of June 2024, with a population density of 658 people per km. Both are included in Balcairn statistical area.

The two settlements had a population of 981 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 27 people (2.8%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 216 people (28.2%) since the 2006 census. There were 396 households, comprising 462 males and 510 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.91 males per female, with 168 people (17.1%) aged under 15 years, 132 (13.5%) aged 15 to 29, 486 (49.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 195 (19.9%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 94.5% European/Pākehā, 11.0% Māori, 1.8% Pasifika, 0.9% Asian, and 1.5% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 58.4% had no religion, 30.6% were Christian, 0.3% were Hindu, 0.3% were Buddhist and 1.5% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 69 (8.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 189 (23.2%) people had no formal qualifications. 120 people (14.8%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 408 (50.2%) people were employed full-time, 117 (14.4%) were part-time, and 18 (2.2%) were unemployed.

Balcairn statistical area

Balcairn, which also includes Amberley Beach and surrounds but does not include Amberley, covers 130.51 km (50.39 sq mi). It had an estimated population of 2,520 as of June 2024, with a population density of 19.3 people per km.

Balcairn had a population of 2,343 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 153 people (7.0%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 471 people (25.2%) since the 2006 census. There were 921 households, comprising 1,161 males and 1,182 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.98 males per female. The median age was 47.0 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 417 people (17.8%) aged under 15 years, 315 (13.4%) aged 15 to 29, 1,134 (48.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 477 (20.4%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 95.5% European/Pākehā, 7.8% Māori, 1.3% Pasifika, 1.3% Asian, and 1.8% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 15.1, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 54.2% had no religion, 34.8% were Christian, 0.3% were Hindu, 0.3% were Buddhist and 2.0% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 267 (13.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 417 (21.7%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $31,100, compared with $31,800 nationally. 294 people (15.3%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 987 (51.2%) people were employed full-time, 336 (17.4%) were part-time, and 39 (2.0%) were unemployed.

Education

Leithfield School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students, with a roll of 115 as of August 2024.

References

1. ^ "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
2. ^ "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
3. "Leithfield - Hurunui District Council". hurunui.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
4. ^ "Leith's field of dreams". Stuff. 31 January 2009. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
5. 2018 Census place summary: Balcairn
6. ^ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7023886, 7023887, 7023888, 7023889, 7023890, 7023892, 7023893 and 7023894.
7. "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
8. ^ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Balcairn (312800). 2018 Census place summary: Balcairn
9. "Leithfield School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
10. "Leithfield School Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.

• Populated places in the Canterbury Region
• Hurunui District