Fairlie, New Zealand


Fairlie is a Mackenzie District service town located in the Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand. As of the 2013 census, the population was 717.
From 1884 to 1968, the town was served by the Fairlie Branch railway, though until 1934, this branch line actually terminated a kilometre beyond Fairlie in Eversley.
Fairlie is commonly known as the gateway to the Mackenzie Basin. The town was initially called Fairlie's Creek, a name purportedly chosen by David Hamilton, the brother-in-law of James Lister, who had built a boarding house near the creek. The name Hamilton had been suggested, but was rejected due to similarity to Hamilton, New Zealand. David Hamilton suggested the town be named Fairlie after Fairlie, Scotland, which he had visited as part of his honeymoon.
Fairlie hosts the annual Mackenzie District Agricultural and Pastoral show every Easter Monday. The 105th annual show was in 2006.
Being on the tourist highway between Christchurch and Queenstown, tourism is fast becoming a major industry within the town.

Education

Fairlie has three schools.