Earnscleugh

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=December 2021}} {{Infobox settlement | name = Earnscleugh | type = Rural community | image_skyline = | image_caption = | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 9 | coordinates = {{Coord|-45.225|169.324|region:NZ_type:landmark|display=it}} | map_caption = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = [[New Zealand]] | subdivision_type1 = [[Regions of New Zealand|Region]] | subdivision_name1 = [[Otago]] | subdivision_type2 = [[Territorial authorities of New Zealand|Territorial authority]] | subdivision_name2 = [[Central Otago District]] | subdivision_type3 = Ward | subdivision_name3 = Vincent Ward | subdivision_type4 = Community | subdivision_name4 = Vincent Community | seat_type = Electorates | seat = {{ubl|[[Southland (New Zealand electorate)|Waitaki]]|[[Te Tai Tonga]] (Māori)}} | leader_title = {{nowrap|Territorial authority}} | leader_name = [[Central Otago District Council]] | leader_title1 = Regional council | leader_name1 = [[Otago Regional Council]] | leader_title2 = [[Mayor of Central Otago]] | leader_name2 = {{NZ officeholder data|Central Otago District Mayor|y}} | leader_title3 = [[Southland (New Zealand electorate)|Southland MP]] | leader_name3 = {{NZ officeholder data|Southland MP|y}} | leader_title4 = [[Te Tai Tonga|Te Tai Tonga MP]] | leader_name4 = {{NZ officeholder data|Te Tai Tonga MP|y}} | population_as_of = {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|||y}} | population_footnotes = {{NZ population data 2023 SA2||||y}} | population_total = {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Earnscleugh|y}} | population_density_km2 = auto | area_footnotes = <ref name="Area"/> | area_total_km2 = 391.85 | timezone1 = NZST | utc_offset1 = +12 | timezone1_DST = NZDT | utc_offset1_DST = +13 | blank_name = Local [[iwi]] | blank_info = [[Ngāi Tahu]] }} '''Earnscleugh''' is a small settlement and rural community, based alongside the [[Earnscleugh River]] in the [[Central Otago District]], in the [[Otago]] region of New Zealand's [[South Island]].<ref>{{cite map |url=https://www.topomap.co.nz/NZTopoMap?v=2&ll=-45.217266,169.296355&z=14 |title=Earnscleugh, Otago |publisher=NZ Topo Map |first=Gavin |last=Harriss |date=July 2021}}</ref>

The area has vineyards and orchards.<ref name="vineyardsappeal">{{cite news |title=Vineyard’s appeal in case against driller fails |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/rural-life/horticulture/vineyard%E2%80%99s-appeal-case-against-driller-fails |agency=[[Otago Daily Times]] |publisher=Allied Press |date=15 October 2020}}</ref><ref name="pacificworkers">{{cite news |title=Pacific workers could be too late for Central Otago orchards |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/central-otago/pacific-workers-could-be-too-late-central-otago-orchards |agency=[[Otago Daily Times]] |publisher=Allied Press |date=27 November 2020}}</ref><ref name="tractoroperator" />

==History==

===19th century===

The Earnscleugh Station farm was established in the area in 1862. Surveyor [[John Turnbull Thomson]] named it after Earnscleugh Water in south-east Scotland.<ref name="Earnscleugh Station History">{{cite web |title=Earnscleugh Station History |url=https://earnscleughstation.co.nz/our-history/ |website=earnscleughstation.co.nz |publisher=Earnscleugh Station}}</ref>

[[William Fraser (New Zealand politician, born 1840)|William Fraser]] ran the station between 1862 and 1893, first as farm manager and later as owner-operator. Rabbits were introduced to the farm in 1866 and infested the property. The property was abandoned to the Crown in 1985.<ref name="Earnscleugh Station History" />

Dredging began in the area in 1863. The Earnscleugh Tailings Track has New Zealand's only complete record of dredging activity.<ref name="doctrack">{{cite web |title=Earnscleugh Tailings Track |url=https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/otago/places/alexandra-area/things-to-do/earnscleugh-tailings-track/ |website=doc.govt.nz |publisher=[[Department of Conservation (New Zealand)|Department of Conservation]]}}</ref>

===20th century===

Steven Spain farmed the Earnscleugh Station between 1902 and 1948, hiring rabbiters to try to bring the rabbit population under control. Further rabbit outbreaks were recorded, under various station owners, in 1948, the 1970s, and from 1981.<ref name="Earnscleugh Station History" />

A Government-supported rabbit eradication programme, established in 1990, has kept the rabbit population under control since the late 1990s.<ref name="Earnscleugh Station History" />

===21st century===

Earnscleugh was affected by flooding in January 2021.<ref name="2021floods">{{cite news |title=Holidaymakers urged to check roads, growers count cost |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/star-news/star-national/holidaymakers-urged-check-roads-growers-count-cost |agency=[[Otago Daily Times]] |publisher=Allied Press |date=3 January 2021}}</ref>

A tractor operator died in an incident later the same month.<ref name="tractoroperator">{{cite news |last1=Morgan |first1=Jared |title=Tractor operator dies after accident |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/central-otago/tractor-operator-dies-after-accident |agency=[[Otago Daily Times]] |publisher=Allied Press |date=23 January 2021}}</ref>

==Demographics== Earnscleugh statistical area covers {{Convert|391.85|km2||abbr=on}}<ref name="Area">{{Cite web|title=ArcGIS Web Application|url=https://statsnz.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=6f49867abe464f86ac7526552fe19787| access-date=6 December 2021|website=statsnz.maps.arcgis.com}}</ref> and had an estimated population of {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Earnscleugh|y}} as of {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|||y|y||,}} with a population density of {{Decimals|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Earnscleugh|y}}|R}}/391.85|1}} people per km<sup>2</sup>.

{{Historical populations|2006|576|2013|609|2018|699|percentages=pagr|align=left|source=<ref name="Census 2018"/>}} The statistical area had a population of 699 at the [[2018 New Zealand census]], an increase of 90 people (14.8%) since the [[2013 New Zealand census|2013 census]], and an increase of 123 people (21.4%) since the [[2006 New Zealand census|2006 census]]. There were 252 households, comprising 378 males and 321 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.18 males per female. The median age was 47.1 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 108 people (15.5%) aged under 15 years, 120 (17.2%) aged 15 to 29, 345 (49.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 129 (18.5%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 89.7% European/[[Pākehā]], 5.6% [[Māori people|Māori]], 7.7% [[Pasifika New Zealanders|Pasifika]], 2.1% [[Asian New Zealanders|Asian]], and 1.7% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 19.7, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 53.2% had no religion, 39.5% were [[Christianity in New Zealand|Christian]], 0.4% were [[Buddhism in New Zealand|Buddhist]] and 0.9% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 141 (23.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 93 (15.7%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $35,200, compared with $31,800 nationally. 117 people (19.8%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 354 (59.9%) people were employed full-time, 120 (20.3%) were part-time, and 9 (1.5%) were unemployed.<ref name="Census 2018">{{NZ census 2018|Earnscleugh (345200)|earnscleugh|Earnscleugh}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Central Otago District]] [[Category:Populated places in Otago]]