ASHBURTON
Ashburton is ‘big’ town that punches
above its weight but has the feel to a visitor of a ‘Christian’ town
with very conservative values. No fault with this observation.
Ashburton is slowly and increasingly
becoming a dormitory suburb of Christchurch. Ashburton is a strong and
proud community and the evidence of the place is everywhere. Gardens,
flower baskets and the care of Ashburton's heritage are on display
everywhere.
Ashburton covers a quite long north
south travel of 5kms and is a flat township without any landmarks.
Something the place needs. The town is laid out
around two central squares either side of the railway line and main
highway, Baring Square East and Baring Square West. The west side
being the ‘desirable’ preference.
Ashburton services a primarily wealthy
community of all of the necessary services and Christchurch as a
provider is a call that is avoided. Shop at home is the Ashburton
credo.
Ashburton is a very dry
climate and experiences a greater range of temperatures. It is not
uncommon to record temperatures greater than 35°C in summer winter
will have regular frosts and the potential for a snowfall.
Ashburton has two museums; the
‘vintage car’ museum from the southern approach is poorly signed after
turning left, but it is there. The cbd museum is a class presentation.
The Aircraft Museum at the local
airfield is a world class offer that has big plans for the future.
Three of Ashburton's churches are of a
cathedral dimension n .
The treatment of all of the War
Memorials is outstanding. 
Ashtburton does not have any hotels on
the west side of the tracks but does have the classic hotel
proposition. 
Ashburton is a must visit town
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