Twizel
Town in the South Island of New Zealand / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the castle in England, see Twizell Castle.
Twizel (/ˈtwaɪzəl/) is the largest town in the Mackenzie District, in the Canterbury Region of the South Island of New Zealand. The town was founded in 1968 to house construction workers on the Upper Waitaki Hydroelectric Scheme. Today, Twizel is a service and tourist town for visitors to the area. It has a resident population of 1,850 (June 2023);[2] during the summer, holidaymakers nearly triple the town's population.
Quick Facts Country, Region ...
Twizel | |
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Coordinates: 44°15′S 170°06′E | |
Country | New Zealand |
Region | Canterbury |
Territorial authority | Mackenzie District |
Ward | Pukaki Ward |
Community | Twizel Community |
Founded | 1968 |
Electorates |
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Government | |
• Territorial authority | Mackenzie District Council |
• Regional council | Environment Canterbury |
• Mayor of Mackenzie | Anne Munro |
• Waitaki MP | Miles Anderson |
• Te Tai Tonga MP | Tākuta Ferris |
Area | |
• Total | 15.54 km2 (6.00 sq mi) |
Elevation | 470 m (1,540 ft) |
Population (June 2023)[2] | |
• Total | 1,850 |
• Density | 120/km2 (310/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+12 (NZST) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+13 (NZDT) |
Postcode(s) | 7901 |
Area code | 03 |
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![Thumb image](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Twizel_and_Lakes_Ruataniwha_and_Benmore%2C_New_Zealand.jpg/640px-Twizel_and_Lakes_Ruataniwha_and_Benmore%2C_New_Zealand.jpg)
Nearby Lake Ruataniwha supports rowing, sailing and water skiing. Twizel is 37 km (29 minutes drive) east of Lake Ōhau village, 30 km (20 minutes drive) north of Omarama and 60 km (42 minutes drive) south of Lake Tekapo.