Darfield is the main town between Christchurch and the West Coast region. It is often called "The township under the nor'west arch" in reference to a characteristic weather phenomenon that often creates an arch of cloud in an otherwise clear sky to the west of the township. This is caused by the condensation of water particles channelled upwards over the Southern Alps.
Darfield lies in the Malvern district's arable and pastoral farming area. It is a gateway to the scenic Waimakariri and Rakaia rivers and the Southern Alps, and is also a popular lift-off place for hot air ballooning.
Darfield is located around the former junction of the railway lines coming from Christchurch and going to Whitecliffs (where coal was mined) and Springfield and on to the West Coast.
History
Darfield was first known as White Cliffs Junction, but was then renamed in 1879 to Horndon Junction. This name was changed again to avoid confusion with Hornby [railway] Junction (close by in Christchurch).
Darfield acquired its name from John Jebson who named it after the village in Yorkshire, England. The name refers to a field frequented by deer.[4]
A stone mill for grinding flour was built in 1887. It was powered by the Selwyn County Council's water race.
2000s–present
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake occurred near Darfield at 4:35 am on 4 September 2010, causing widespread damage to both the town and to surrounding areas including the city of Christchurch.[5]
Fonterra invested $500 million in a milk processing plant which was opened in 2013 in Darfield. This includes the world's largest dryer which is used in the process to make instant wholemilk powder.[6][7]
Climate
Located on the Canterbury Plains at an altitude of 193 m (633 ft) above sea level, the Köppen-Geiger climate classification for Darfield is Cfb (Oceanic). On several days a year, Darfield is subject to the nor'west Foehn wind, which is very dry and has the capability to raise the temperature by several degrees per hour. On the contrary, the town is also susceptible to cold blasts from the Southern Ocean, especially during winter, when a southerly wind blows.
The average annual temperature in Darfield is 11.9 °C (53 °F). The highest recorded temperature is 40.7 °C (105 °F), set on 7 February 1973, while the lowest recorded temperature is −11.8 °C (11 °F), set on 7 June 2012. The highest minimum temperature is 25.7 °C (78 °F), set on 6 February 2011, while the lowest maximum temperature is 0.6 °C (33 °F), set on 12 July 2017. On average every year Darfield can expect to see 45 days exceeding 25 °C (77 °F) and 8 days exceeding 30 °C (86 °F) while seeing on average 34 nights that drop below 0 °C (32 °F).[8]
Climate data for Darfield (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1939–2015)
Darfield is described by Statistics New Zealand as a small urban area, and covers 17.58 km2 (6.79 sq mi).[2] It had an estimated population of 3,400 as of June 2024,[3] with a population density of 193 people per km2.
Before the 2023 census, the town had a smaller boundary, covering 15.14 km2 (5.85 sq mi).[2] Using that boundary, Darfield had a population of 2,724 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 327 people (13.6%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 750 people (38.0%) since the 2006 census. There were 1,053 households, comprising 1,338 males and 1,389 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.96 males per female. The median age was 43.9 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 507 people (18.6%) aged under 15 years, 435 (16.0%) aged 15 to 29, 1,218 (44.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 564 (20.7%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 94.6% European/Pākehā, 6.6% Māori, 1.4% Pasifika, 2.0% Asian, and 3.1% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 16.3, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 52.5% had no religion, 38.3% were Christian, 0.2% were Hindu, 0.2% were Muslim, 0.1% were Buddhist and 1.1% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 348 (15.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 462 (20.8%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $36,400, compared with $31,800 nationally. 450 people (20.3%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,146 (51.7%) people were employed full-time, 324 (14.6%) were part-time, and 39 (1.8%) were unemployed.[11]
The population of Darfield was 830 people in 1971.[12]
Education
Darfield has numerous kindergartens. The original Darfield school was opened in 1883 with a total of 18 students attending. By 1902 the school had two teachers and ninety-three students children on the school roll.[13]
Darfield Primary School is Darfield's sole primary school, catering for years 1 to 6.[14] It has 285 students.
Darfield High School is Darfield's sole intermediate/high school, catering for years 7 to 13.[15] It has 820 students. The school was established in 1951 as a secondary school, and expanded to cover intermediate students in 1978.[16]
Both schools are coeducational. Rolls are as of August 2024.[17]
Industry
Many industries are present in Darfield, including brick-making, seed cleaning, and a Fonterrafactory, which processes milk powder. The factory has a series of railway sidings and a container loading centre.[18]
Services
SH73/South Terrace, October 2013
Darfield has a shopping precinct along the main street, including a Four Square supermarket. The town also has many churches, most notably St Joseph's Catholic Church and Trinity Church (Anglican, Methodist, Presbyterian). Darfield has two resthomes.
Selwyn is not connected to a district wide sewage scheme. This necessitates all homes to have their own septic tanks.[7]
Recreation
Darfield has a domain, which includes duck ponds and the community centre. Football and rugby fields, tennis courts and a Scouts building are also located in the domain.
McHughs Forest Park is located northwest of Darfield. It was planted in 1893 to provide timber for mid Canterbury. It contains a mix of Douglas Fir, Pinus Radiata, Macrocarpa, Larch, Spruce and other exotic species. There are a series of walking tracks within the forest.
Darfield is served by the Midland railway line. The TranzAlpine train stops twice daily (request only); en route to the West Coast and on its return trip back to Christchurch.
