Glentunnel
Encyclopedia
Glentunnel is a small village in the Selwyn District
of the Canterbury
region of New Zealand
's South Island
. It is officially recognised as a "populated area less than a town". The 2001 New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings
gave Glentunnel's population as 129. It is located on State Highway 77
and was served by the Whitecliffs Branch, a branch line
railway, from the line's opening on 3 November 1875 through to its closure on 31 March 1962. Few remnants of the railway remain in the town, with the station's platform incorporated into the backyard of a private residence.
Industrial activity such as lignite
coal
mining and the manufacture of pottery
and brick
s used to take place in the region around Glentunnel. This was the reason the railway was built, but activity declined sharply in the 20th century and has been effectively non-existent since the 1980s.
The historic Deans family homestead located in Glentunnel was extensively damaged by the 2010 Canterbury earthquake
, so much so that it has been described as being "practically in ruins".
Selwyn District
The Selwyn District is a predominantly rural area in central Canterbury, on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island. It is named after the Selwyn River, which is in turn named after Bishop George Selwyn, the first Anglican bishop of New Zealand who, in 1843 and 1844, travelled the length of...
of the Canterbury
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.-...
region of 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 officially recognised as a "populated area less than a town". The 2001 New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings
New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings
The New Zealand government department Statistics New Zealand conducts a census of population and dwellings every five years. The census scheduled for 2011 was cancelled due to circumstances surrounding the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, however, and legislation introduced to hold the next...
gave Glentunnel's population as 129. It is located on State Highway 77
New Zealand State Highway network
The New Zealand State Highway network is the major national highway network in New Zealand. Just under 100 roads in both the North and South Islands are State Highways...
and was served by the Whitecliffs Branch, 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...
railway, from the line's opening on 3 November 1875 through to its closure on 31 March 1962. Few remnants of the railway remain in the town, with the station's platform incorporated into the backyard of a private residence.
Industrial activity such as lignite
Lignite
Lignite, often referred to as brown coal, or Rosebud coal by Northern Pacific Railroad,is a soft brown fuel with characteristics that put it somewhere between coal and peat...
coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
mining and the manufacture of pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
and brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
s used to take place in the region around Glentunnel. This was the reason the railway was built, but activity declined sharply in the 20th century and has been effectively non-existent since the 1980s.
The historic Deans family homestead located in Glentunnel was extensively damaged by the 2010 Canterbury earthquake
2010 Canterbury earthquake
The 2010 Canterbury earthquake was a 7.1 magnitude earthquake, which struck the South Island of New Zealand at 4:35 am on local time ....
, so much so that it has been described as being "practically in ruins".