Welcome to
Eltham
Eltham is located in South Taranaki, New Zealand. It is a small town located about 19 kilometres (12 miles) south of Hawera, 13 kilometres west of Kaponga and 11 kilometres (6.8 miles) north of Stratford.
Eltham is famous for cheese making and was the first exporter of butter to England. The town is known as the cradle of the Taranaki dairy industry, and you could even say it's a Cheesy town. Much of Mainland Cheese is produced in the Bridge Street factory in this town. The town's water supply tank was painted, showcasing a large block of cheese in 2002. Emphasizing how symbolic cheese and its production have been.
Aside from cheese production, there are lovely galleries for art exhibitions and beautiful scenic lakes and water bodies to relax. You can also take a walk along with some gardens or other lovely outdoor places in this town. The town had a population of 1,935 at the 2018 population census, with an increase of 4.4% since the 2013 census.
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Essential Tips and Top Highlights for Exploring Eltham
Eltham has been the most industrialized town in New Zealand per capita. This is not solely from the cheese production that goes on here, but other economic activities that attract people from far and near also boosted the town's economy. A significant industry of great importance in Eltham is ANZCO (formerly Riverlands) freezing works, which has a satellite plant in Bulls, Manawatu, to process 1250 head of cattle daily. Eltham's success in dairy production dates back to 1884 when a Chinese businessman Chee Chong, exported the first butter from Eltham to England.
Tourists can also enjoy the charming Victorian and Edwardian buildings and relax with a walk around the beautiful Lake Rotokare which gets its water source from natural springs. Eltham rests at the junction of three roads: the Rawhitiroa Waitotara road, Mountain road, and the Eltham Opunake road. The main truck line from New Plymouth to Wellington runs through this settlement, thirty-six miles southeast of New Plymouth and 215 miles from Wellington. Eltham Golf is situated just off SH3 within the town boundary, an underrated 12 hole course with the 12th hole within an amphitheatre.
Discover the Best Attractions and Activities in Eltham
Eltham is a vibrant and electric city with a captivating scene attractive to visitors. It is a one-stop destination for visitors interested in exploring nature and the Taranaki arts, and it is also an excellent place for a day trip from New Plymouth. Eltham is undoubtedly the most colourful town in New Zealand, with many of the buildings designed with characteristics popping architectural styles. You may want to check the Heritage Mural on King Edward Street, or probably the Police Station mural spray-painted by children. Maybe the Rotokarea Reserve mural on the Village Gallery wall might attract you.
The town offers some natural experience with nearby Lake Rotokare and Rotorangi. Lake Rotorangi is the longest man-made lake in New Zealand, fed by natural springs and native bush. The lake has genuine quality and is enjoyed via a 40-minute Rotorangi Hydro walk. You can enjoy a relaxing walk and Birdwatch in the Rotokare Scenic Reserve and see the surrounding lake, forest and wetland that is pronounced here. There are fantastic animal species and habitats here for native birds, eels and whitebait.
Conclusively, Eltham is a place to be and the activities to do and sites to visit here are enormous. There are historical sites of some lovely country landscapes on the Soldier's Park Walkway. The walkway is approximately 1.3km (0.8 miles) long, with a small waterfall. The tales of Cheese in this town is worth craving for, and it's no surprise that Eltham has a lot of Cheese Bar vendors than grocery stores. The community art gallery showcases artwork from artists all across New Zealand. The Village Gallery, for instance, displays paintings, pottery and lots more.