Wakanui

Wakanui is a locality in the Ashburton District, New Zealand. The area is rural and close to the sea. Historically it is known as a grain-producing area. It holds New Zealand's largest feedlot, where Wakanui Beef is produced through intensive farming.

For the former electorate, see Wakanui (New Zealand electorate).

Wakanui flour mill in circa 1900

History

The European history of the area started with runs 139, 140, and 150 being taken up in 1854 and 1855. Wakanui is located between Ashburton and the sea, and east of the Ashburton River / Hakatere. An early owner (probably not the initial owners) was the Kermode and Moore partnership, with George Henry Moore as manager.[1][2]

When Kermode and Moore sold their holdings, the land was subdivided (this process finished by 1877) and more people moved into the area. Around that time, an extensive irrigation system was implemented, which was extended across all of Ashburton County, and that opened the dry but fertile land for wheat growing. Some 3,000 miles (4,800 km) of irrigation races were built throughout the county.[3]

An electoral redistribution was carried out just prior to the 1881 election and the Wakanui electorate was formed (by splitting off areas from the Coleridge and Selwyn electorates). The Wakanui electorate was in existence for two electoral cycles and was dis-established in 1887.[4]

In 1879, a large flour mill was erected in Wakanui. The five-storey building was a landmark for the rural location. In 1906, the mill building was hauled over 6 miles (9.7 km) to Ashburton. It was deemed advisable that none of the machinery be removed and in all the building weighed an estimated 260 metric tons (260 long tons; 290 short tons). The building survived the relocation without damage.[5][6]

Wakanui School

Wakanui School opened in 1876 with an initial roll of 35 pupils. In the early decades, the roll peaked in 1890 but at the fiftieth jubilee, the roll was back where it started as more schools had opened throughout the county.[3] A full primary school (i.e. serving years 1 to 8), the roll was 122 in July 2019.[7]

Wakanui Beef

These days, the name Wakanui is known best for New Zealand's largest feedlot.[8] Owned by ANZCO Foods, beef is produced here; the meat is sold under the brand name Wakanui Beef.[9] The feedlot is consented for 19,000 cattle and it held 14,000 in 2018.[10] While the feedlot has been in operation since 1991, it only became widely known when animal rights group SAFE published drone footage of it in 2018 and called for feedlots to be banned.[11][12] Damien O'Connor, as Minister of Agriculture, weighed in on the debate in support of the feedlot. He called it "innovative" and said it was, in general, "very well managed"; he added, "the image of pastoral farming is the one New Zealand promotes and it is the mainstay of our industry".[12][13]

References
  1. Gardner, Jim. "Moore, George Henry". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  2. Acland, Leopold George Dyke (1946). The Early Canterbury Runs: Containing the First, Second and Third (new) Series. Christchurch: Whitcombe and Tombs Limited. pp. 149–154. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  3. "Wakanui: School jubilee, 1876–1926". The Press. XLII (18805). 24 September 1926. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  4. McRobie, Alan (1989). Electoral Atlas of New Zealand. Wellington: GP Books. pp. 45–53. ISBN 0-477-01384-8.
  5. Berry, Mark (3 May 2020). "Wakanui, New Zealand". Windmill World. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  6. "Simple tool for big task". Ashburton Guardian. 27 May 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  7. "Wakanui School". Ministry of Education. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  8. Peden, Robert (24 November 2008). "Five Star feed lot". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  9. Hallinan, Lynda (26 August 2018). "Grainwashing: The inconvenient truth of Wakanui beef". Sunday Star-Times. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  10. Campbell, John (23 August 2018). "NZ's largest feedlot: 'We take great care of our animals'". Checkpoint. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  11. Fleming, Zac (20 August 2018). "SAFE calls for end to feedlots". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  12. Rowe, Don (23 August 2018). "Why you should give a damn about feedlots". The Spinoff. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  13. "Federated Farmers hits back at 'vegan fundamentalists' SAFE". Radio New Zealand. 21 August 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2020.

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