Flavour of New Zealand
NZ popular culture 1960 onward
NZ popular culture 1960 onward
Excerpts from Strange Facts & True about New Zealand should be seen as having validity as of its publishing date of 1981.
The oldest pub in New Zealand which is still operating from its original site is the Thistle Inn, on the corner of Sydney and Mulgrave Streets in Wellington. The Thistle Inn was built in 1840 and was opened between July and October of that year by the original publican, William Couper. 1
In the southern Hawke’s Bay district of the North Island, about 14 km from Porangahau, is a hill 300 m high which bears the longest placename now in use in the world. The unofficial version has 85 letters; Taumatawhakatangihangakaoauauotamatea (turipukakapikimaungahoronuku) pokaiwhenuakitanatahu and means: “the brow of the hill where Tamatea, the man with the big knees who slid, climbed and swallowed mountains, known as Traveler, played on his flute to his loved one”. The official version does not include the letters in parenthesis, and thus has only 57 letters. For obvious reasons, the name is usually shortened to Taumata. 1
The highest rainfall ever recorded over a 12-month period in New Zealand occurred at Frews Hut, Westland, between 14 March 1967 and 14 March 1968. In that year Frews Hut, which has the highest average rainfall of 8,180 mm, received 10,670 mm of rain (editor’s note: that’s 35 feet). 1
The tallest fern in New Zealand is a tree fern of the mamaku species (Cyathea medullaris) which grows over 12 m tall and has a stem 30 cm thick. Individual fronds can grow up to 5 m long and 2 m across. 1