Swannanoa, New Zealand

The Swannanoa-Eyreton statistical area, which also includes Eyreton, covers 61.77 km² (23.85 sq mi).[1] It had an estimated population of 1,030 as of June 2021,[2] with a population density of 17 people per km².

Swannanoa-Eyreton had a population of 954 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 48 people (5.3%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 255 people (36.5%) since the 2006 census. There were 333 households. There were 468 males and 486 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.96 males per female. The median age was 42.6 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 180 people (18.9%) aged under 15 years, 177 (18.6%) aged 15 to 29, 489 (51.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 108 (11.3%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 94.3% European/Pākehā, 6.0% Māori, 0.9% Pacific peoples, 2.2% Asian, and 2.5% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).

The proportion of people born overseas was 16.7%, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people objected to giving their religion, 55.7% had no religion, 33.3% were Christian and 2.5% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 165 (21.3%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 120 (15.5%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $39,100, compared with $31,800 nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 429 (55.4%) people were employed full-time, 159 (20.5%) were part-time, and 15 (1.9%) were unemployed.[3]

Swannanoa School is a state co-educational full primary school[4] with a decile rating of 10 and a roll of 309 students (as of March 2021).[5] The principal is Brian Price.[6] The school's country fair is held every March.

VINCENT Black Lightning

New Zealand motorcycle speed record holder Russell Wright gained the Motorcycle land-speed record, reaching 184.83 miles per hour on a Vincent-HRD Black Lightning motorcycle loaned by David Topliss, of Nelson on 2 July 1955, on Tram Road.[7] A plaque commemorates the achievement.

Tram Road, the main road through Swannanoa, is an almost dead straight, ten-mile-long two-lane road. It is a popular location for speed trial events. This World Record is unusual as most that were officially recognised were achieved in the United States on open expanses of salt flat while this world record was achieved on a narrow, public road "still drying out from rain the night before".

After he had set one world record, Wright dismounted, and a Scottish immigrant, Bob Burns, attached a light sidecar to the Lightning. Burns then set another world record for sidecars. His two runs averaged 162 miles per hour (261 km/h)[8]

The name Swannanoa originated from American John Evans Brown (Yankee Brown), who named the land he settled after a Native American settlement. The Swannanoa Homestead has for many years been farmed by the Petrie Family.

• Swannanoa
• Residents adjacent to Swannanoa, NC, USA, visit Swannanoa, NZ, in April 2017, per their Black Mountain News