Raglan, New Zealand

:"For the electorate see Raglan (NZ electorate)"

Raglan is a small beachside town located 48km west of Hamilton, New Zealand on State Highway 23.

According to the 2006 New Zealand Census the population of Raglan was 2,637. [http://www.stats.govt.nz/census/census-outputs/quickstats/snapshotplace2.htm?id=3526500&type=au&ParentID=1000003|NZ Census 2006]

Geography

Raglan is associated with Whaingaroa Harbour (also known as Raglan Harbour) on the west coast of the Waikato region in New Zealand's North Island. The harbour runs 12km inland from the entrance, for the most part is less than 2km wide, and is the northernmost of three large inlets in the Waikato coast.

Southwest of the township stands the extinct volcano of Mt Karioi. According to Māori legend the Karioi was a jilted Māori Princess who, upon discovering that love was lost, lay down and rests until this day.

Raglan was named after Fitzroy Somerset, 1st Lord Raglan, who was the commander of British forces in the Crimean War at the time the township was settled in 1855.

urf Breaks

Raglan is best known for its surf. Eight kilometres from the Raglan township is a series of surf breaks including Indicators, Whale Bay, and Manu Bay. Manu Bay was featured in the 1966 movie "The Endless Summer".

Indicators is a left hand point break that breaks for up to 600m, from 2 to 10 feet+ (Hawaiian scale). It is a long-walled, fast wave with occasional barrels, particularly on the low tide. It picks up a lot of swell and is very consistent. On big days the wave can link up with the next break called Whale Bay.

Whale Bay is a left hand point break that breaks up to 200m in length, from about 2 to 8 feet+. It has two sections, an inside hollow section up to about 4 feet that breaks very close to the rocks, and an outside, slower section from 4 feet up. It has been rumoured by locals to link up with the next break further down-Manu Point-but only on very large swells, making a potential ride of up to 2km from the top of Indicators, which locals say has only been achieved once.

Manu Point is a left hand point break which works from 2 to 10 feet+, breaking over 300m. It has alternate hollow and wall sections, occasional barrels, and is usually about 2/3 the size of Indicators.

There is also a beach break further down from Manu Point. Ruapuke is another beach break well to the west around the point. There is rumoured to be another left hand point break further west from Indicators, that is difficult to access.

Raglan has hosted a world championship surfing event at Ruapuke beach and is home to a learn-to-surf school.

Arts

Visual artists hold the annual Raglan Festival of Art in the Raglan Town Hall and the Raglan Old School Art Centre. Fabric artists show their creations in the biennial ArtoWear competition. For Matariki there are displays of Māori art. Local art is on display in the Show Off Gallery, Kanuka Design, local cafes and the [http://www.raglanartscentre.co.nz Raglan Old School Arts Centre] . The Arts Centre is in a 19th century heritage building, [http://www.raglanartscentre.co.nz/heritage.htm the former Raglan School] .

Music

There's a live music scene in Raglan supported by the International Soundsplash Eco Reggae Festival which happens once a year in summer on the Wainui Reserve, attracting some of the biggest names in roots, reggae and dub, as well as local acts.

The Salt Rock Cafe closed in 2008 and the Musician's Club moved their free "open mike" nights to the Town Hall supper room on the last Thursday of each month. There is also an "open mike happy hour" once a month at the Old School Arts Centre.

The New Zealand reggae band Cornerstone Roots was formed in Raglan.

The Australian accapella folk singer/songwriter Samantha Star has also made Raglan her home.

References

External links

* [http://dmoz.org/Regional/Oceania/New_Zealand/Waikato/Localities/Raglan/ Open Directory Project: Raglan]
* [http://www.raglanweather.co.nz Raglan Weather]
* [http://www.raglanartscentre.co.nz Raglan Arts]
* [http://www.raglan.net.nz Raglan Community Information]
* [http://www.raglansurf.co.nz Raglan Surf]