Featherston Medical Centre is close to Wellington City and offers a supportive environment with minimal after hours on call.
Featherston, on the south east of the North Island, is the gateway to the popular Wairarapa. It is an historic town that is enjoying a new lease of life, reflected in increasing property values in the area.
The town, with a town population of over 2,500 (40,000 in the wider Wairarapa), services a flat agricultural valley sandwiched between two sets of hill ranges. Sheep, beef, dairy and forestry are the staples, with newcomers such as deer, ostriches, viticulture, olives, organic farming and tourism creating a diverse outdoor-based economy. Many residents work in nearby Hutt Valley (30 minutes’ drive) or Wellington City (55 minutes) with a regular commuter train service making the journey easy.
Featherston is situated close to Lake Wairarapa, the largest wetland complex in the southern half of the North Island. This is 18 kilometres long and six kilometres at its widest point. The shallow lake has abundant flounder, trout and eel and 80 species of bird have reportedly been recorded there. There are several rivers and stream in the area that are suitable for trout fishing and the rugged eastern coastline is popular for boat or surf cast fishing, as well as diving and surfing. Crayfish and paua are abundant local delicacies. The coastal villages of Ngawi and lake Ferry are small but full of character. There is a seal colony and also the Putangirua Pinnacles, dramatic rock formations that were used in the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy. There are numerous walking tracks in the region and hunting is also popular. During summer, when temperatures may reach 30° Celsius, the local rivers are ideal for swimming.
The town of Martinborough, which has several vineyards and produces internationally acclaimed wines, particularly Pinot Noir, is 10 minutes drive to the east of Featherston. Martinborough is well-known for events and festivals, which are held on a grand scale. On the north east coast is Riversdale, a four kilometre swimming beach, and dramatic Castlepoint, for surfing, fishing and generally exploring. Mt Bruce, the National Wildlife Centre, is also easily accessible.
Featherston has very early beginnings in New Zealand’s history. Growth was initially slow until the opening in 1878 of a railway over the steep Rimutaka ranges that separate Wellington with the Wairarapa. In 1955 a rail tunnel through these ranges made the journey much quicker and more comfortable leading to further growth. In recent years a strong community spirit has seen significant development in the area.
Featherston, like other towns in the Wairarapa, has retained its old-wordly charm. The town is well-served locally and regionally for shopping and other services, including a library, golf course and other sports facilities. Featherston has its own pre-schools and primary and schools, with bus services to the regions’ fee-paying schools. Tertiary education is available from Wellington and Masterton.
For further information about this location, please refer to:
www.ero.govt.nz for an official performance evaluation of each New Zealand school
www.featherstoncounty.com provides comprehensive details on places to go and things to do around Featherston
www.stats.govt.nz (statistics by area/community profiles/alphabetical list/f/Featherston) for statistical information about the population of Featherston
The information on these pages was accurate at the time of listing. As some detail may have since changed, NZLocums recommends the information be used as a guideline only.
