Levin, New Zealand

Encyclopedia : L : LE : LEV : Levin, New Zealand

Levin is a town in the North Island of New Zealand, the largest town in the Horowhenua district. It is on State Highway 1, 90km north of Wellington and 50km south of Palmerston North. Lake Horowhenua lies two kilometres to the west. The town was named after a director of the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company. The name is a variation of the Jewish clan Levi. The town's Maori name is Taitoko.

Levin is a service centre for the surrounding rural area, plus a centre of light manufacturing. According to the 2001 Census of Population and Dwellings, the resident population was 19,044, a decrease of 1.4% since the 1996 census. A considerable proportion of these (20.4%) were over the age of 65, a considerably higher percentage than the national average. The town celebrated its centenary in 2006.

Famous sons and daughters

Paul Beresford (British politician)
Joy Cowley (novelist)
Rebecca Gibney (actress)
Doug Kidd (politician)
George Silk (photographer)
Carlos Spencer (sportsman)
Jez Brown (radio/television)
Michele A'Court (comedian)
Bronwyn Hayward (disabled rights activist and film maker)

Intersection of Queen Street with Oxford Street (State Highway 1) in Levin town centre

Shibboleth: Unlike the usual pronunciation of the surname, stress is placed on the second syllable of the word. The name thus rhymes with the word "begin".

The Overlander passenger train stops: (North Island Main Trunk Railway)
Auckland (Britomart) \| Middlemore \| Papakura \| Pukekohe \| Hamilton \| Otorohanga \| Te Kuiti \| Taumarunui \| National Park \| Ohakune \| Marton \| Feilding \| Palmerston North \| Levin \| Paraparaumu \| Porirua \| Wellington (Railway Station)

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