Avalon, New Zealand

{{Short description|Suburb of Lower Hutt, New Zealand}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=June 2021}} {{Infobox New Zealand suburb | name = Avalon | image = File:Avalon television studios, Lower Hutt, NZ (cropped).JPG | caption1 = Avalon Studios | city1 = Lower Hutt | council = Hutt City Council | ward = Northern | established = | area = 203 | areasource = <ref name="Area"/> | population = {{Decimals|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Avalon West|y}}|R}}+{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Avalon East|y}}|R}}|0}} | popdate = {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|||y}} | popsource = {{NZ population data 2023 SA2||||y}} | population_density_km2 = auto | trainstations = | ferryterminals = | airports = | hospitals = | coordinates = {{coord|-41.1931|174.9404|region:NZ-WGN_type:city(4662)|display=it}} | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 13 | caption2 = }} {{Adjacent place | centre = Avalon | north = | northeast = Taitā | east = Wingate | southeast = Naenae | south = Epuni | southwest = Boulcott | west = Belmont | northwest = | location_map = }} thumb|The Smiling Windmills are kinetic sculptures in Avalon Park '''Avalon''' is a suburb of Lower Hutt, in the Wellington Region of New Zealand. It was formed as a private residential development in the 1970s on land formerly occupied by market gardens on the left (eastern) bank of the Hutt River.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Taonga|first=New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu|title=Hutt Valley – central and west|url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/wellington-places/page-9|access-date=2021-12-11|website=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |language=en}}</ref> It features mostly California-inspired designed houses, often split-level, with 3 or 4 bedrooms. It also features Avalon Park, one of the biggest playgrounds in Lower Hutt.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Avalon Park|url=https://www.huttvalleynz.com/experience/see-and-do/avalon-park/|access-date=2021-12-11|website=www.huttvalleynz.com|language=en-NZ}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Avalon Park - Places New Zealand|url=https://places.nz/8942|access-date=2021-12-11|website=places.nz|language=en}}</ref>

The Hutt City Council formally defines Avalon as the area bounded by Percy Cameron Street and the Wingate Overbridge in the north, the Hutt Valley rail line in the east, Fairway Drive and Daysh Street in the south, and the Hutt River in the west.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huttcity.govt.nz/Documents/maps/HuttCityWardsSuburbs.pdf |title=Hutt City Wards and Suburbs |publisher=Hutt City Council |access-date=25 August 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130209145201/http://huttcity.govt.nz/Documents/maps/HuttCityWardsSuburbs.pdf |archive-date=9 February 2013 }}</ref>

== Avalon Studios ==  {{Redirect|Avalon Studios|the comics company|Avalon Studios (comics company)}} Avalon came to the attention of most New Zealanders as the early centre of the country's nationwide television-broadcasting production, particularly with the opening of the purpose-built '''Avalon Studios''' in 1975. Given that New Zealand started regular public television-broadcasting for the first time in 1960, and instituted networked television in 1969 with only a single (and state-owned) channel available to viewers, the sole provider of television-broadcasting acquired a monopoly position of immense influence within the New Zealand mass media, and the name "Avalon" summarised and expressed that clout for many years.

Avalon also became the focus of New Zealand film-production - through and building on the National Film Unit, which Peter Jackson bought in the late 1990s and incorporated into his Park Road Post facility. Avalon was the filming location for the 2002 television show ''100 Hours''.

Television New Zealand (founded in 1980) inherited the Avalon real-estate and continued to operate some functions from Avalon, even though its activities mostly moved to Auckland in the course of the 1980s. Avalon produced television-shows such as ''Good Morning'' and the New Zealand Lotteries Commission's live Lotto draw.

Avalon Studio comprises two main buildings; a 10-storey tower and a single-story warehouse-style building.<ref>{{Cite web|title=STUDIOS|url=https://avalonstudios.co.nz/studios/|access-date=2021-12-11|website=Avalon Film & Television Studios {{!}} Wellington NZ|language=en-US}}</ref> The tower is a 10-storey concrete building.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-11-19|title=Tower at former Avalon TVNZ base to become apartment complex|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/real-estate/123444812/tower-at-former-avalon-tvnz-base-to-become-apartment-complex|access-date=2021-12-11|website=Stuff |language=en}}</ref> The main tower was built in 1975, it was designed in a Soviet-era architecture style.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Media|url=https://www.avalonapartments.co.nz/media|access-date=2021-12-11|website=Avalon Apartments|language=en}}</ref> It has 10-storeys with 23,000m2 of floor space,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Home {{!}} Avalon Apartments {{!}} Lower Hutt|url=https://www.avalonapartments.co.nz/|access-date=2021-12-11|website=Avalon Apartments|language=en}}</ref> there are also a number of satellites on top. When the tower was first built it dominated the skyline in Lower Hutt City, it is still the tallest building in Avalon.

At the end of 2010 there were rumours the show ''Good Morning'' would shift to Auckland,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Media: Mallard sees red over Avalon Studios |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/imediai-mallard-sees-red-over-avalon-studios/4EQGUQRYR6EHIQEZKJJXQ7BY64/ |access-date=2022-10-12 |website=The New Zealand Herald |date=4 October 2010 |language=en-NZ}}</ref> and it was known the contract by the Totalisator Agency Board (TAB) shows Trackside (horse racing) and the Lotto draws was to end in mid-2013.<ref name=":0" /> In 2011 TVNZ announced that it would sell off the site for good by 2013 and shift its remaining shows to Auckland, thus consolidating the broadcaster's Auckland focus.<ref name="Stuff.co.nz_4849787">{{cite web |url= http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/4849787/TVNZ-moving-Good-Morning-selling-Avalon-studio |title= TVNZ moving Good Morning, selling Avalon studio |date= 5 April 2011 |work= The Dominion Post |access-date= 17 September 2011}}</ref><ref name="Stuff.co.nz_4868116">{{cite web |url= http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/arts-life/4868116/The-rise-and-fall-of-Avalon |title= The rise and fall of Avalon |date= 11 April 2011 |author= Tom Hunt and Paul Easton |work= The Dominion Post |access-date= 17 September 2011}}</ref>

In April 2012 a consortium, Avalon Holdings, bought the Avalon Studios with the expectation of officially taking possession in early 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/business/commercial-property/6823792/New-owners-for-Avalon-Studios |title= New owners for Avalon Studios |author= Hank Schouten |date= 2012-04-28 |work= The Dominion Post }} </ref><ref>''Media3'', 29 September 2012</ref>{{qn|date=November 2018}} In 2017 the studio facilities were used for filming of the Scarlett Johansson starrer ''Ghost in the Shell''.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2020/06/08/action-filmmakers-back-to-work-in-new-zealand-after-coronavirus.html| title = Action! Filmmakers back to work in New Zealand after coronavirus - Entertainment - The Jakarta Post}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nzfilm.co.nz/news/wellington%E2%80%99s-ghost-shell-transformation|title=Wellington's Ghost in the Shell transformation|publisher=New Zealand Film Commission|date=16 March 2017}}</ref> In March 2019 an application was lodged to transform the 10-storey Avalon Tower into 61 residential units.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/property/110952966/application-lodged-to-transform-lower-hutts-avalon-tower-into-apartments|title = Application lodged to transform Lower Hutt's Avalon Tower into apartments|date = 4 March 2019}}</ref>

==Demographics== Avalon, comprising the statistical areas of Avalon West and Avalon East, covers {{Convert|2.03|km2||abbr=on}}.<ref name="Area">{{Cite web|title=Stats NZ Geographic Data Service|url=https://datafinder.stats.govt.nz/data/|at=Statistical Area 3 2023 (generalised)|access-date=19 February 2026}}</ref> It had an estimated population of {{Decimals|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Avalon West|y}}|R}}+{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Avalon East|y}}|R}}|0}} as of {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|||y|||,}} with a population density of {{Decimals|({{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Avalon West|y}}|R}}+{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Avalon East|y}}|R}})/2.03|0}} people per km2.

{{Historical populations|2006|4,662|2013|4,803|2018|5,094|2023|5,247|percentages=pagr|align=left|source=<ref name="Census 2023"/><ref name="Census 2018">{{NZ census 2018|Avalon West (244400) and Avalon East (245200)}}</ref> }} Avalon had a population of 5,247 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 153 people (3.0%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 444 people (9.2%) since the 2013 census. There were 2,493 males, 2,730 females, and 24 people of other genders in 2,013 dwellings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_005&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=doTotal%2Bdo1.55630%2B244400%2B245200.2023&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_DWD_003|publisher=Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses}}</ref> 3.0% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 40.9 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 912 people (17.4%) aged under 15 years, 885 (16.9%) aged 15 to 29, 2,301 (43.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,149 (21.9%) aged 65 or older.<ref name="Census 2023"/>

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 54.3% European (Pākehā); 15.8% Māori; 15.1% Pasifika; 26.4% Asian; 3.0% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 1.7% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 93.7%, Māori by 4.5%, Samoan by 5.8%, and other languages by 24.1%. No language could be spoken by 2.2% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 33.0, compared with 28.8% nationally.<ref name="Census 2023"/>

Religious affiliations were 38.9% Christian, 7.4% Hindu, 2.1% Islam, 0.6% Māori religious beliefs, 1.3% Buddhist, 0.4% New Age, 0.2% Jewish, and 1.7% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 41.6%, and 5.8% of people did not answer the census question.<ref name="Census 2023"/>

Of those at least 15 years old, 1,104 (25.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 1,998 (46.1%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 1,239 (28.6%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $39,800, compared with $41,500 nationally. 474 people (10.9%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 2,085 (48.1%) full-time, 444 (10.2%) part-time, and 138 (3.2%) unemployed.<ref name="Census 2023">{{Cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_008&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=hq011%2Bhq010%2Bhq009%2Bhq008%2Bhq007%2Bhq006%2Bhq005%2Bhq004%2Bhq003%2Bhq002%2Bhq001%2Bhq000%2Bws1%2Bsp99%2Bra80%2Bra08%2Bra07%2Bra06%2Bra05%2Bra01%2Bra04%2Bra03%2Bra02%2Bra00%2Brb1%2Bls66%2Bls03%2Bls02%2Bls05%2Bls04%2Bls01%2Beg6%2Beg5%2Beg4%2Beg3%2Beg2%2Beg1%2BbiTotal%2Bbi0%2Bbi1%2BasTotalLG%2Bas4%2Bas3%2Bas2%2Bas1%2Bws4%2Bws3%2Bws2%2Bge3%2Bge2%2Bge1%2Brc%2BasMed%2BegTotal%2BlsTotal%2BgeTotal%2BrbTotal%2BraTotal%2BhqTotal%2BibTotal%2Bib7%2Bibmed%2BwsTotal.55630.2013%2B2018%2B2023&to[TIME]=false&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_IND_003&ly[cl]=CEN23_YEAR_001|publisher=Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses|at=Avalon (55630)}}</ref>

{{table alignment}} {| class="wikitable defaultright col1left" |+Individual statistical areas |- !Name !! Area (km2) !! Population !! Density (per km2) || Dwellings !! Median age !! Median income |- | Avalon West || 1.21 || 2,778 || 2,296 || 1,068 || 45.9 years || $38,800<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_008&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=hq011%2Bhq010%2Bhq009%2Bhq008%2Bhq007%2Bhq006%2Bhq005%2Bhq004%2Bhq003%2Bhq002%2Bhq001%2Bhq000%2Bws1%2Bsp99%2Bra80%2Bra08%2Bra07%2Bra06%2Bra05%2Bra01%2Bra04%2Bra03%2Bra02%2Bra00%2Brb1%2Bls66%2Bls03%2Bls02%2Bls05%2Bls04%2Bls01%2Beg6%2Beg5%2Beg4%2Beg3%2Beg2%2Beg1%2BbiTotal%2Bbi0%2Bbi1%2BasTotalLG%2Bas4%2Bas3%2Bas2%2Bas1%2Bws4%2Bws3%2Bws2%2Bge3%2Bge2%2Bge1%2Brc%2BasMed%2BegTotal%2BlsTotal%2BgeTotal%2BrbTotal%2BraTotal%2BhqTotal%2BibTotal%2Bib7%2Bibmed%2BwsTotal.244400.2013%2B2018%2B2023&to[TIME]=false&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_IND_003&ly[cl]=CEN23_YEAR_001|publisher=Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses|at=Avalon West}}</ref> |- | Avalon East || 0.81 || 2,469 || 3.048 || 945 || 36.1 years || $41,200<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_008&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=hq011%2Bhq010%2Bhq009%2Bhq008%2Bhq007%2Bhq006%2Bhq005%2Bhq004%2Bhq003%2Bhq002%2Bhq001%2Bhq000%2Bws1%2Bsp99%2Bra80%2Bra08%2Bra07%2Bra06%2Bra05%2Bra01%2Bra04%2Bra03%2Bra02%2Bra00%2Brb1%2Bls66%2Bls03%2Bls02%2Bls05%2Bls04%2Bls01%2Beg6%2Beg5%2Beg4%2Beg3%2Beg2%2Beg1%2BbiTotal%2Bbi0%2Bbi1%2BasTotalLG%2Bas4%2Bas3%2Bas2%2Bas1%2Bws4%2Bws3%2Bws2%2Bge3%2Bge2%2Bge1%2Brc%2BasMed%2BegTotal%2BlsTotal%2BgeTotal%2BrbTotal%2BraTotal%2BhqTotal%2BibTotal%2Bib7%2Bibmed%2BwsTotal.245200.2013%2B2018%2B2023&to[TIME]=false&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_IND_003&ly[cl]=CEN23_YEAR_001|publisher=Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses|at=Avalon East}}</ref> |- ! New Zealand !! !! !! !! !! style="text-align:right;"|38.1 years !! style="text-align:right;"| $41,500 |}

==Education== Avalon has five schools.

*'''Avalon Intermediate School''' is a state intermediate (Year 7–8) school,<ref>{{TKI|3031|Avalon Intermediate School}}</ref> and has {{NZ school roll data|3031|y}} students. It opened in 1865 as Taita School, and was renamed Taita South in 1946. In 1956, it became Taita Intermediate School.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://huttcity.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/1240|title=Education in Taita|publisher=Hutt City Heritage Collections|access-date=19 February 2026}}</ref> It later  became Avalon Intermediate.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.taitacentral.school.nz/about-us/our-history/|title=Our History|publisher=Taita Central School|access-date=19 February 2026}}</ref> *'''Avalon School''', also called Te Kura Tuatahi o Motutawa, is a state contributing primary (Year 1–6) school,<ref>{{TKI|2803|Avalon School}}</ref> and has {{NZ school roll data|2803|y}} students. It organised a 40th anniversary reunion in 1996.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/RUBUL19950704.2.16?query=Avalon+Primary|title=Reunions|newspaper=Ruapehu Bulletin|date=4 July 1995}}</ref> *'''Kimi Ora School''' is a state special school for students with physical disabilities,<ref>{{TKI|514|Kimi Ora School}}</ref> and has {{NZ school roll data|514|y}} students. It shares grounds with Naenae College, but has its own entrance.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://kimiora.school.nz/a/v4wq3wF|title=Naenae College Satellite|publisher=Kimi Ora School|access-date=19 February 2026}}</ref> *'''Naenae College''' is a state secondary (Year 9–13) school,<ref>{{TKI|259|Naenae College}}</ref> and has {{NZ school roll data|259|y}} students. The school opened in 1953.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://natlib.govt.nz/records/21102018|title=Naenae College, the first twenty-five years|first1=Ian Henderson|last1=Johnson|first2=Derek E|last2=Wood|publisher=Naenae College|year=1978}}</ref> *'''Naenae Intermediate School''' is a state intermediate (Year 7–8) school,<ref>{{TKI|2921|Naenae Intermediate School}}</ref> and has {{NZ school roll data|2921|y}} students. It was open by 1956.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://natlib.govt.nz/records/30116467|title=Lower Hutt City with Hutt Intermediate Primary School and Waterloo Railway Station to Naenae beyond, Hutt Valley, Wellington Region|publisher=National Library of New Zealand|date=21 March 1956}}</ref>

All these schools are co-educational. Rolls are as of {{NZ school roll data|||y|y||.}}

==Climate==

{{Weather box|width=auto |metric first=y |single line=y |collapsed = Y |location = Lower Hutt (Avalon) (1981–2010) |Jan high C = 21.6 |Feb high C = 22.0 |Mar high C = 20.4 |Apr high C = 17.7 |May high C = 15.3 |Jun high C = 13.1 |Jul high C = 12.4 |Aug high C = 13.2 |Sep high C = 14.9 |Oct high C = 16.0 |Nov high C = 17.7 |Dec high C = 19.8 | year high C = |Jan mean C = 17.6 |Feb mean C = 17.7 |Mar mean C = 16.1 |Apr mean C = 13.6 |May mean C = 11.7 |Jun mean C = 9.7 |Jul mean C = 8.8 |Aug mean C = 9.4 |Sep mean C = 11.1 |Oct mean C = 12.4 |Nov mean C = 14.0 |Dec mean C = 16.0 | year mean C = |Jan low C = 13.6 |Feb low C = 13.4 |Mar low C = 11.9 |Apr low C = 9.4 |May low C = 8.1 |Jun low C = 6.2 |Jul low C = 5.2 |Aug low C = 5.7 |Sep low C = 7.4 |Oct low C = 8.8 |Nov low C = 10.2 |Dec low C = 12.3 | year low C = |rain colour = green |Jan rain mm = 76.3 |Feb rain mm = 61.3 |Mar rain mm = 121.2 |Apr rain mm = 89.6 |May rain mm = 131.1 |Jun rain mm = 132.7 |Jul rain mm = 132.8 |Aug rain mm = 107.2 |Sep rain mm = 78.8 |Oct rain mm = 103.7 |Nov rain mm = 108.6 |Dec rain mm = 93.9 |year rain mm = |source 1 = NIWA<ref name= NIWA> {{cite web |url = http://cliflo.niwa.co.nz |title = CliFlo – National Climate Database : Lower Hutt,Avalon |publisher = NIWA |access-date = 20 May 2024}}</ref> }}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links == * [http://www.avalonstudios.co.nz/ Avalon Studios]

Category:Suburbs of Lower Hutt Category:Populated places on Te Awa Kairangi / Hutt River