This document summarizes research on place-making initiatives in Timaru District, New Zealand. Timaru has a population of around 44,000 people and a diverse economy including agriculture, manufacturing, and services. It faces challenges of an aging population, difficulties attracting workers, and lack of resources to pursue new economic opportunities. Local efforts are being made in areas like tourism development, downtown revitalization, and place promotion. However, the research concludes that achieving success requires a long-term, collaborative approach with significant investment beyond local resources alone. Some level of external support is needed to realize the full potential of place-based regeneration activities.

1. RE-
MAKING PLACE IN
A GLOBALISING
WORLDHarvey C. PERKINS
People and Places / University of Auckland, Christchurch, New Zealand
h.perkins@auckland.ac.nz
Mike MACKAY
AgResearch, Christchurch, New Zealand
mike.mackay@agresearch.co.nz
Martin ESPIG
AgResearch, Christchurch, New Zealand
martin.espig@agresearch.co.nz
2020 ISSRM – Virtual Conference, Hosted by IASNR July 11-26, 2020

2. THE
FUTURE OF
NEW
ZEALAND’S
RURAL AND
SMALL
TOWNS
 After a multi-decade hiatus, New
Zealand politicians and their advisers
are renewing their interest in the future
of rural and small towns.
 At both national and local levels,
questions are being raised about:
economic diversification, demographic
and environmental change and the best
ways of achieving positive
transformation.

3. TIMARU
DISTRICT,
SOUTH
CANTERBU
RY, NEW
ZEALAND
 Using a study of Timaru District in the
South Island of New Zealand, we
interpret a range of place-making
initiatives and an allied place promotion
programme:
 https://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-
herald/news/105252957/bringing-people-
to-south-canterbury-for-employment-
and-lifestyle
 The research is part of New Zealand’s
Building Better Homes, Towns and
Cities National Science Challenge:
 https://www.buildingbetter.nz/research/t
hriving_regions.html

5.  Population c. 44,000, increasing modestly after a period of decline between the early
1980s and 2000
 A broad economic base in manufacturing, agriculture, and services. Agriculture is
heavily influenced by dairy, with horticulture, intensive cropping, meat and wool also
playing important roles
 Significant employment in manufacturing, food and beverage processing, engineering
and distribution operations. Retailing and hospitality also play a notable role. Timaru
also has a higher than average health care and social assistance sector when
compared to the New Zealand average
 Serviced by a regional airport, an active port with a rail link to an inland port in
Rolleston, south of Christchurch
 The district’s central location on the South Island’s east coast and proximity to the
visually spectacular high country and mountains of the interior make it important for
servicing transiting international tourists travelling from the Christchurch
International Airport and also for domestic tourists

7. TIMARU
(PLACE
PROMOTIO
N VIDEO)
https://youtu.be/qv13dnhd1V8

8. TIMARU’S
REGENER
ATION
CHALLEN
GES AND
LOCAL
RESPONSE
S
 Timaru District is like many others rural
jurisdictions in New Zealand: despite having a
strong base in primary and secondary
production; affordable housing; significant
health, educational and social services; an
attractive rural environment and a cadre of
locals engaging actively in a range of
regeneration activities, it faces a series of
challenges.
 These challenges include difficulties attracting
and retaining workers; an aging population; and
a lack of resources and expertise to pursue new
lines of economic and cultural activity.
 Efforts are being made to overcome these
challenges, exemplified particularly in areas
such as tourism development, down-town
revitalisation, labour recruitment and training,
and place promotion.

9. WHAT
MORE
NEEDS TO
BE DONE
TO
ACHIEVE
SUCCESS?
 These almost-exclusively locally resourced
place-based regeneration activities are, however,
moving only slowly.
 We conclude that in situations such as those
being faced in Timaru, place-making and allied
promotion demands a local collaborative
approach, and long-term significant investment
in skills, information sharing and programme
development.
 Local resources are often insufficient and some
level of external (central government)
investment is needed if the potential of such
efforts is to be achieved.