{{about|the suburb|the school|Nelson Central School}} {{Short description|Central business district of Nelson, New Zealand}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2021}} {{Infobox settlement |name = Nelson Central |native_name = |native_name_lang = |settlement_type = Suburb |image_skyline = Queens garden Nelson view 3.png |imagesize = |image_alt = |image_caption = Queens Garden |nickname = |motto = | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 13 |map_alt = |map_caption = |coordinates = {{coord|41|16|30|S|173|17|00|E|region:NZ|display=inline,title}} |coor_pinpoint = |coordinates_footnotes = |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = New Zealand |subdivision_type1 = Region |subdivision_name1 = [[Nelson, New Zealand|Nelson]] |subdivision_type2 = Ward |subdivision_name2 = {{ubl|Central General Ward|Whakatū Māori Ward}} |seat_type = [[New Zealand electorates|Electorates]] |seat = {{ubl|[[Nelson (New Zealand electorate)|Nelson]]|[[Te Tai Tonga]] ([[Māori electorates|Māori]])}} |government_footnotes = |leader_title = Territorial Authority |leader_name = [[Nelson City Council]] |established_title = |established_date = |founder = |government_type = |governing_body = |leader_title1 = [[Mayor of Nelson, New Zealand|Nelson City Mayor]] |leader_name1 = {{NZ officeholder data|Nelson City Mayor|y}} |leader_title2 = [[Nelson (New Zealand electorate)|Nelson MP]] |leader_name2 = {{NZ officeholder data|Nelson MP|y}} |leader_title3 = [[Te Tai Tonga|Te Tai Tonga MP]] |leader_name3 = {{NZ officeholder data|Te Tai Tonga MP|y}} |leader_title4 = |leader_name4 = |unit_pref = Metric |area_footnotes = <ref name="Area"/> |area_note = |area_water_percent = |area_rank = |area_total_km2 = 1.25 |area_land_km2 = |area_water_km2 = |area_urban_km2 = |area_rural_km2 = |area_metro_km2 = |area_blank1_km2 = |area_blank2_km2 = |length_km = |width_km = |dimensions_footnotes = |elevation_footnotes = |elevation_m = |population_footnotes = {{NZ population data 2023 SA2||||y}} |population_as_of = {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|||y}} |population_total = {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Nelson Central-Trafalgar|y}} |population_density_km2 = auto |population_note = |population_demonym = |timezone = [[Time in New Zealand|NZST]] |utc_offset = +12 |timezone_DST = NZDT |utc_offset_DST = +13 |postal_code_type = Postcode |postal_code = 7010 |area_code_type = |area_code = 03 |iso_code = |website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} --> |module = |footnotes = }} '''Nelson Central''' is the central suburb and [[central business district]] of [[Nelson, New Zealand|Nelson]], New Zealand.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bdn.co.nz/nelson/|title=Solar Power Nelson|website=bdnsolar|access-date=2 February 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nzta.govt.nz/assets/projects/nelson-southern-link/NSLI-programme-business-case.pdf|title=Nelson Southern Link Investigation|access-date=2 February 2019}}</ref>
==Amenities==
The suburb includes the [[Christ Church Cathedral, Nelson|Christ Church Cathedral]] and the surrounding Church Hill reserve.<ref name="NCCparks">{{cite web |title=Nelson Parks and Reserves |url=http://www.nelson.govt.nz/recreation/recreation/parks-and-reserves/ |website=gdc.govt.nz |publisher=[[Gisborne District Council]]}}</ref>
[[Nelson Provincial Museum]], the regional museum, is located in Nelson Central.<ref name="Nelson Provincial Museum">{{cite web |title=Nelson Provincial Museum |url=https://www.nelsonmuseum.co.nz/ |publisher=Nelson Provincial Museum}}</ref><ref name="nzmuseums-Nelson Provincial Museum">{{cite web |title=Nelson Provincial Museum on NZ Museums |url=https://nzmuseums.co.nz/collections/3348/the-nelson-provincial-museum |website=nzmuseums.co.nz |publisher=[[Te Papa]] |access-date=20 December 2021 |archive-date=28 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220128200523/https://nzmuseums.co.nz/collections/3348/the-nelson-provincial-museum |url-status=dead }}</ref> It opened in its first form in 1842, making it New Zealand's first and oldest museum.<ref name="nelsonmuseum-opening">{{cite book |last1=Stafford |first1=D |title=The Library from the sea: Public Library 1842-1992 |date=1992 |publisher=Friends of the Nelson Library |location=Nelson |pages=2-4}}</ref>
The Suter Art Gallery was established in 1899,<ref name="The Suter Art Gallery">{{cite web |title=The Suter Art Gallery |url=https://thesuter.org.nz |publisher=The Suter Art Gallery}}</ref><ref name="nzmuseums-The Suter Art Gallery">{{cite web |title=The Suter Art Gallery on NZ Museums |url=https://www.nzmuseums.co.nz/collections/3001/the-suter-te-aratoi-o-whakatu |website=nzmuseums.co.nz |publisher=[[Te Papa]]}}</ref>
Other public reserves and facilities in the area include Anzac Memorial Park, Erin Reserve, Hallowell Cemetery, Old Bank Lane Gardens, Paru Paru Reserve, Princes Lookout Reserve, Quakers Acre Cemetery, Queens Gardens, the Riverside Reserve and Pool Complex, and Rutherford Park.<ref name="NCCparks" />
==Demographics== The Nelson Central-Trafalgar statistical area covers {{Convert|1.25|km2||abbr=on}}.<ref name="Area">{{Cite web|title=Stats NZ Geographic Data Service|url=https://datafinder.stats.govt.nz/data/|at=Statistical Area 2 2023 (generalised)|access-date=30 April 2026}}</ref> It had an estimated population of {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Nelson Central-Trafalgar|y}} as of {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|||y|y||,}} with a population density of {{Decimals|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Nelson Central-Trafalgar|y}}|R}}/1.25|0}} people per km<sup>2</sup>.
{{Historical populations|2006|483|2013|579|2018|675|2023|660|percentages=pagr|align=left|source=<ref name="Census 2023"/><ref name="Census 2018">{{NZ census 2018|Nelson Central-Trafalgar (304700)|nelson-central-trafalgar|Nelson Central-Trafalgar}}</ref>}} Nelson Central-Trafalgar had a population of 660 in the [[2023 New Zealand census]], a decrease of 15 people (−2.2%) since the [[2018 New Zealand census|2018 census]], and an increase of 81 people (14.0%) since the [[2013 New Zealand census|2013 census]]. There were 369 males, 282 females, and 9 people of [[non-binary gender|other genders]] in 309 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%2Bdo1.304700.2023&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> 7.7% of people identified as [[LGBTQ|LGBTIQ+]]. The median age was 40.4 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 63 people (9.5%) aged under 15 years, 171 (25.9%) aged 15 to 29, 300 (45.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 123 (18.6%) aged 65 or older.<ref name="Census 2023"/>
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 70.0% [[European New Zealanders|European]] ([[Pākehā]]); 12.7% [[Māori people|Māori]]; 3.6% [[Pasifika New Zealanders|Pasifika]]; 18.6% [[Asian New Zealanders|Asian]]; 2.3% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.2% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.4%, Māori by 4.1%, Samoan by 0.5%, and other languages by 22.7%. No language could be spoken by 0.9% (e.g. too young to talk). The percentage of people born overseas was 39.1, compared with 28.8% nationally.<ref name="Census 2023"/>
Religious affiliations were 27.3% [[Christianity in New Zealand|Christian]], 4.5% [[Hinduism in New Zealand|Hindu]], 1.8% [[Islam in New Zealand|Islam]], 0.5% [[Māori religious beliefs]], 3.2% [[Buddhism in New Zealand|Buddhist]], 0.5% [[New Age]], and 1.8% other religions. People who answered that they had [[Irreligion in New Zealand|no religion]] were 54.5%, and 6.4% of people did not answer the census question.<ref name="Census 2023"/>
Of those at least 15 years old, 153 (25.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 303 (50.8%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 147 (24.6%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $34,500, compared with $41,500 nationally. 30 people (5.0%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 273 (45.7%) full-time, 93 (15.6%) part-time, and 36 (6.0%) 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.304700.2013%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=Nelson Central-Trafalgar (304700)}}</ref>
==Education==
[[Nelson College for Girls]] is a state secondary school for Year 9 to 13 girls.<ref name="official295">{{cite web |title=Official School Website |url=http://www.ncg.school.nz |website=ncg.school.nz}}</ref><ref name="ero295">{{cite web |title=Education Review Office Report |url=https://www.ero.govt.nz/institution/295/nelson-college-for-girls |website=ero.govt.nz |publisher=[[Education Review Office]]}}</ref> It has a roll of {{NZ school roll data|295|y}} as of {{NZ school roll data|||y|}}.<ref name="moe295">{{cite web |title=Ministry of Education School Profile |url=https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/find-school/school/profile?school=295 |website=educationcounts.govt.nz |publisher=[[Ministry of Education (New Zealand)|Ministry of Education]]}}</ref> It opened in 1883.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ncg.school.nz/history|title=History|publisher=Nelson College for Girls|access-date=30 April 2026}}</ref>
Nelson College for Girls Preparatory School is a private preparatory school for Year 7 to 8 girls, based on the Nelson College for Girls campus.<ref name="ero4121">{{cite web |title=Nelson College for Girls Preparatory School Education Review Office Report |url=https://www.ero.govt.nz/institution/4121/nelson-college-for-girls-prep-school |website=ero.govt.nz |publisher=[[Education Review Office]]}}</ref> It has a roll of {{NZ school roll data|4121|y}}.<ref name="moe4121">{{cite web |title=Nelson College for Girls Preparatory School Ministry of Education School Profile |url=https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/find-school/school/profile?school=4121 |website=educationcounts.govt.nz |publisher=[[Ministry of Education (New Zealand)|Ministry of Education]]}}</ref> In the 1920s the Prep School moved temporarily to [[Fairfield House, Nelson|Fairfield House]] at the end of Trafalgar Street.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fairfieldnelson.org.nz/history/|title=History|publisher=Fairfield House|access-date=30 April 2026}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
{{Nelson, New Zealand}}
[[Category:Suburbs of Nelson, New Zealand]] [[Category:Populated places in the Nelson Region]] [[Category:Central business districts in New Zealand]]