Eketahuna

Infobox Settlement
name=Eketahuna


mapsize=160px
subdivision_type=Country
subdivision_name=NZL
subdivision_type1=Region
subdivision_name1=Manawatu-Wanganui
subdivision_type2=Territorial authority
subdivision_name2=Tararua District
subdivision_type3=Ward
subdivision_name3=South Tararua
seat_type=Electorate
seat=Wairarapa
leader_title= MP
leader_party= National
leader_name= John Hayes
leader_title1= Mayor
leader_name1= Maureen Reynolds
population_urban=579
timezone= NZST
utc_offset= +12
timezone_DST= NZDT
utc_offset_DST= +13
postal_code_type= Postcode
postal_code=4900
area_code=06

Eketahuna is a small rural service town, the most southerly in the Tararua District in the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is sometimes considered to be in northern Wairarapa. It was originally called Mellenskov, but was renamed soon after its founding. [ [http://www.horizons.govt.nz/images/Resource%20Policy%20&%20Information/regional_policy_statement6.htm Horizons Regional Council - Regional Policy Statement] ]

The town is located at the foot of the Tararua Ranges which lie to the west. It is 35 kilometres north of Masterton and a similar distance south of Palmerston North. It is situated on State Highway 2 and the eastern bank of the Makakahi River.

Eketahuna is considered by some to be the epitome of stereotypical rural New Zealand towns, and is occasionally used in conversation to represent "the real New Zealand". The 2001 census recorded Eketahuna's population at 579.

New Zealanders colloquially refer to the town of Eketahuna the way other English speakers refer to Timbuktu, i.e., the middle of nowhere, "the sticks", the end of the world. Likewise, Eketahuna is a booming metropolis compared to the mythical town of Waikikamukau (pronounced "Why-kick-a-moo-cow").

The Mount Bruce bird sanctuary is located to the south of the town.

Trivia: the name of the town, when spoken, sounds like a sentence in Afrikaans which translates to "I have a chicken". This is a source of amusement to immigrant Afrikaans-speaking South Africans in New Zealand.

Notes

ee also

*List of towns in New Zealand
*Regions of New Zealand

External links

* [http://tararua.net/eketahuna.html Eketahuna information]
* [http://www.eketahuna.net.nz/ "Eketahuna-net"]