Hunterville


Hunterville is a small community on State Highway 1, in the Rangitikei district of the North Island of New Zealand. It is located halfway between Taupo and Wellington and has a population of 429, a decrease of 15 people from 2006.
The township was named for George Hunter, who was a member of the Wellington Provincial Council. It straddles the state highway as well as the main trunk railway in the foothills forming the gateway to the Central Plateau.
Kiwiburn, the New Zealand Burning Man regional burn, has been held there since 2014.
The closest airport or airfield to Hunterville is RNZAF Base Ohakea, an important Royal New Zealand Air Force base, which is sited 33 km to the south west. 6 km north of Hunterville is Vinegar Hill.
The Hunterville railway station on the North Island Main Trunk line opened in 1887 and closed in 1988.
Hunterville is well known for its statue of the huntaway, a specialised herding dog that uses its voice to drive the sheep. The town festival and market held on the first Saturday after Labour Day has a "Shepherds Shemozzle" - a race with man and dog with shepherds travelling from all over New Zealand to compete for the top prize.
Hunterville has marae, affiliated with Ngāti Hauiti hapū. Otāhuhu Marae and Te Ruku a Te Kawau meeting house is a meeting place for Ngāti Haukaha. Rātā or Te Hou Hou or Potaka Marae and Hauiti meeting house are affiliated with Ngāti Ruaanga and Ngāti Tamateraka.

Education

Hunterville Consolidated School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students, with a roll of as of.

Notable people