My+Favourite+place

Places of the Heart __Cromwell __ 

Cromwell is my favourite place, because my family are there. My family owns the Wooing Tree opposite the Big Fruit. Cromwell is known for wine, vineyards and orchards. I like to go boating on Lake Dunstan, with my family and friends. I like walking my two Labradors Oakley and Bounty. In Cromwell I also ride my motorbike on the vineyard. Cardrona is 90 minutes away from Cromwell, so most weekends I go up Snowboarding. I love snowboarding with Dad, Danielle and my friends. Cromwell is the best. It's either Hot or Cold.

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My Favourite Place Poem ( Cromwell ) media type="file" key="Cromwell Poem.mov" width="298" height="77" New Zealand media type="custom" key="5575459"

Features of Cromwell is the vineyards. There is over 10 award winning vineyard's in Cromwell. The lake is also a big feature in Cromwell. Lake Dunstan is a man-made lake. The lake formed on the Clutha River as the Clyde Dam was constructed. Parts of the town was relocated to a new area in Cromwell. Cromwell is the farthest place from the Sea in New Zealand. //Natural //
 * __Features__** //Cultural//

Cromwell Chafer Beetles. Cromwell Chafer is a flightless chafer beetle whose natural area is 500 hectares but is now reduced to 100 hectares because of the buildings and constructions in Cromwell. The Cromwell Chafer is in the same family as Dung beetles. This beetle is found in a area of sand dunes beneath there is a bed of gravel. Cromwell Chafer are nocturnal, active during the spring and summer. They do more on hot nights, but if it is lower than 6 degrees the stay in the soil. Hedgehogs and Small Owls are predators of the beetle. The site they live on has been protected since 1983.

__**History**__ //Gold Mining history//

Cromwell was once known as the Rays Junction being at the meeting of the Clutha and Kawarau Rivers. In 1862 gold was discovered below the Junction by two miners Hartley and Reilly. When the word of a gold strike was out, there was thousands of miners coming to Cromwell. As gold ran out Cromwell became the place for farming and fruit growing.  //Clyde Dam history//  Cromwell use to be known as the Rays Junction being at the meeting of the Clutha and Kawarau Rivers, which was noted for the difference between the colour in the waters of the rivers. In the early 1990s the river confluence was drowned, as was the old town center. The decision to build Clyde Dam and use Cromwell as the accommodation base brought many changes to the town. 1/3 of the town was rebuilt on higher ground.