{{Use New Zealand English|date=March 2024}} {{Infobox settlement <!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions --> | name = Tarras | settlement_type = Village | pushpin_map = New Zealand | pushpin_map_caption = Location of Tarras within New Zealand | coordinates = {{coord|44|50|S|169|25|E|region:NZ-OTA|display=inline,title}} | 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 | elevation_m = 290 | population_footnotes = | population_total = | population_as_of = | timezone1 = NZST | utc_offset1 = +12 | timezone1_DST = NZDT | utc_offset1_DST = +13 | postal_code_type = Postcode | postal_code = | area_code_type = Area code | area_code = 03 | blank_name = Local [[iwi]] | blank_info = [[Ngāi Tahu]] }} [[File:Tarras 27.jpg|thumb|Tarras (July 2021)]] '''Tarras''' is a small farming settlement in [[Central Otago]], in the [[South Island]] of New Zealand.
Tarras is located on the slopes above the upper reaches of the [[Clutha River / Mata-Au|Clutha Valley]], on [[New Zealand State Highway 8|State Highway 8]]. It is the first village reached by travellers heading south through the [[Lindis Pass]], and is close to the junction where travellers from [[Aoraki / Mount Cook]] turn west towards [[Lake Hāwea (town)|Lake Hāwea]], [[Wānaka]], and [[Haast Pass / Tioripatea]].
== Farming and agriculture ==
Most farms in the Tarras district run [[sheep]], principally [[merino]] farmed for their super-fine wool. Some also raise other sheep breeds and [[deer]]. Many farms have converted to [[beef cattle]] since the 2010 introduction of large-scale irrigation.<ref name=duff>{{cite book |last1=Duff |first1=Geoffrey P |title=Sheep May Safely Graze: The Story of Morven Hills Station and the Tarras District |date=1978 |publisher=G Duff |location=Central Otago District |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3NJ_MgAACAAJ}}</ref>
[[Shrek (sheep)|Shrek]], a hermit Merino sheep, was caught in the hills of Tarras on 15 April 2004,<ref name="auto">{{cite web |url=http://www.odt.co.nz/regions/central-otago/163660/shrek-celebrity-sheep-dies |title=Shrek the celebrity sheep dies |work=[[Otago Daily Times]] |date=6 June 2011 |accessdate=25 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120110074931/http://www.odt.co.nz/regions/central-otago/163660/shrek-celebrity-sheep-dies |archive-date=10 January 2012 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref> after hiding away in caves for six years.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-04/29/content_327336.htm|title=Hermit sheep 'Shrek' shorn of 6-year-old woolly fleece|accessdate=4 December 2007|date=29 April 2004|work=China Daily|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071218211454/http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-04/29/content_327336.htm|archive-date=18 December 2007|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref> He was shorn live on national television,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3665735.stm|title=NZ's famous sheep gets TV haircut|access-date=4 December 2007|date=28 April 2004|publisher=BBC|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071006183843/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3665735.stm|archive-date=6 October 2007|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article845690.ece|title=Shrek the sheep shorn at last|access-date=27 January 2008|date=28 April 2004|publisher=BBC|location=London|first=Jenny|last=Booth|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090516074400/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article845690.ece|archive-date=16 May 2009|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> to produce fleece for men's coats.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/content/aap/sl/wool/bull4544.pdf|title=2002 Australian wool production survey, giving (p. 6) average Merino fleece weights.|work=agric.wa.gov.au|access-date=2 October 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080903145125/http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/content/aap/sl/wool/bull4544.pdf|archive-date=3 September 2008|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sunnyvalley.com.au/Docs/SunnyValley2004Newsletter.pdf|title=Merino stud ram listed (p 3) with fleece weight of 16.2 kg.|work=sunnyvalley.com.au|access-date=2 October 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080719034323/http://www.sunnyvalley.com.au/Docs/SunnyValley2004Newsletter.pdf|archive-date=19 July 2008|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Shrek was [[Animal euthanasia|euthanised]] on 6 June 2011 on a veterinarian's advice, at the age of 16.<ref name="auto"/>
[[Vineyards]] have been established in the area since 2000. The vineyards grow mainly [[pinot noir]] and [[riesling]] grapes, with some plantings of [[pinot gris]]. The Tarras vineyards include Maori Point Vineyard and Swallows Crossing Vineyard.<ref name=maoripoint>{{cite web | title=Maori Point Vineyard|url=http://www.maoripoint.co.nz}}</ref><ref name=swallows>{{cite web | title=Swallows Crossing Vineyard |url=http://www.swallowscrossing.co.nz}}</ref> They are formally classified as being in the [[Bendigo, New Zealand|Bendigo]] sub-region of the [[Central Otago wine region]].<ref name=cowa>{{cite web |title=Bendigo Vineyards and Wineries |url=http://www.cowa.org.nz/vineyard-directory/bendigo.html |website=Central Otago Winegrowers Association |access-date=2015-04-17 |archive-date=2018-01-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180120065144/http://cowa.org.nz/vineyard-directory/bendigo.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Sunny and dry climate==
Tarras is one of the driest areas in New Zealand, with annual rainfall of between {{convert |300|and |500|mm|in}}.<ref name=ORC>{{cite web |title=Lindis catchment and Bendigo-Tarras Basin: Information Sheet |url=http://www.orc.govt.nz/Documents/Publications/Regional/Water/minimum%20flow/Lindis%20Information%20sheet%20-%202014.pdf |website=Otago Regional Council |page=2 |date=April 2014 |access-date=2015-04-17 |archive-date=2016-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304114545/http://www.orc.govt.nz/Documents/Publications/Regional/Water/minimum%20flow/Lindis%20Information%20sheet%20-%202014.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
The valley around Tarras is the sunniest in Otago, with over 2,100 sunshine hours per year.<ref name=NIWA> {{cite book |page=31 |url=http://docs.niwa.co.nz/library/public/NIWAsts67.pdf |publisher=[[National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research|NIWA]] |title=The Climate and Weather of Otago |edition=2nd |last1=Macara |first1=G.R. }} </ref> The valley is hot in summer, with a median average daily temperature over {{convert|22|C|K}}, and cold in winter: the median average daily minimum is then below {{convert|-2|C|F}}.<ref name="NIWA"/>
==Community== The Anglican and Presbyterian Tarras Church includes kneelers created to celebrate the centennial of [[Women's suffrage in New Zealand|New Zealand women's suffrage]].<ref name=tapestry>''A Tapestry of Tarras: Local Stories Told in Stitches''. Dunedin: [Women’s Division of Federated Farmers, Tarras Branch, 1997].</ref>
Tarras Rural Women publish the community newsletter, ''Tarras Talk''.<ref name=tapestry />
The Tarras Tearooms is a historic waystation for travellers through the Lindis Pass.<ref name=tapestry />
==Education==
Tarras School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,<ref name="official3843">{{cite web |title=Tarras School Official School Website |url=http://www.tarras.school.nz |website=tarras.school.nz}}</ref><ref name="moe3843">{{cite web |title=Tarras School Ministry of Education School Profile |url=https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/find-school/school/profile?school=3843 |website=educationcounts.govt.nz |publisher=[[Ministry of Education (New Zealand)|Ministry of Education]]}}</ref> with a roll of {{NZ school roll data|3843|y}} as of {{NZ school roll data|||y|}}.<ref name="ero3843">{{cite web |title=Tarras School Education Review Office Report |url=https://www.ero.govt.nz/institution/3843/tarras-school |website=ero.govt.nz |publisher=[[Education Review Office]]}}</ref>
The school has published a children's books about [[Shrek (sheep)|Shrek the sheep]] to raise funds for the school and its students.<ref name="centraltourism">{{cite web |title=Cromwell and Bannockburn |url=https://centralotagonz.com/discover/our-towns-and-communities/cromwell-and-bannockburn |website=centralotagonz.com |publisher=Central Otago Tourism}}</ref> The book was written by school children and edited by teachers and parents.<ref name="childrensbookshop">{{cite web |title=Shrek: The Famous Hermit Sheep of Tarras |url=https://www.thechildrensbookshop.co.nz/p/nz-picture-books-shrek-the-famous-hermit-sheep-of-tarras |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112015456/https://www.thechildrensbookshop.co.nz/p/nz-picture-books-shrek-the-famous-hermit-sheep-of-tarras |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 12, 2020 |website=thechildrensbookshop.co.nz |publisher=The Children's Bookshop}} </ref>
==International airport proposal== {{main|Central Otago Airport}}
In July 2022, an investigative journalist revealed<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Tarras: A tiny town in airport shock - full report |url=https://crux.org.nz/crux-news/tarras-a-tiny-town-in-airport-shock-full-report/ |access-date=2022-09-08 |website=Crux |language=en-NZ}}</ref> that [[Christchurch Airport]] had been secretly buying up farmland between highways {{NZSH|8}} and {{NZSH|8a}} next to Tarras, with the intention of creating a new international airport.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/23/new-airport-mooted-for-new-zealands-south-island-ski-area|title=New airport mooted for New Zealand's South Island ski area|newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=23 July 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/central-otago/new-airport-mooted-central-otago|title=New airport mooted for Central Otago|date=22 July 2020|first=Mark|last=Price|newspaper=[[Otago Daily Times]] }}</ref> After the airport company was forced to announce their plans, there was widespread concern within the community and indeed throughout Central Otago about the proposed airport.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news |title=Small Otago village locals outraged at proposed airport |language=en |work=[[Newshub]] |url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/travel/2020/07/small-otago-village-locals-outraged-at-proposed-airport.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724170603/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/travel/2020/07/small-otago-village-locals-outraged-at-proposed-airport.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 24, 2020 |access-date=2022-09-08}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-02-11 |title=Tarras airport proposal rejected by 74% of Upper Clutha residents survey finds |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/436211/tarras-airport-proposal-rejected-by-74-percent-of-upper-clutha-residents-survey-finds |access-date=2022-09-08 |website=[[RNZ]] |language=en-nz}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Protest against Tarras International Airport proposal |url=https://metronews.co.nz/article/protest-against-tarras-airport-proposal |access-date=2022-09-08 |website=METRONEWS |date=13 May 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
==External links== * [http://www.tarrasnz.com/ Tarras Community Trust] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190614043647/http://tarrasnz.com/ |date=2019-06-14 }} * [http://www.tarras.school.nz/ Tarras School] * [http://historyrfd.net/lindis/ Learning from the Lindis] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304075103/http://historyrfd.net/lindis/ |date=2016-03-04 }}
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Central Otago}}
[[Category:Populated places in Otago]]