Foxton

Story

Foxton is a town in the Manawatu-Wanganui region of New Zealand. It is located on the lower west coast of the North Island, in the Horowhenua district, 30km southwest of Palmerston North and 15km north of Levin. The town is located close to the banks of the Manawatu River. The small coastal settlement of Foxton Beach is located 6km to the west, close to the river mouth.The 2006 census population was 2715.Foxton was named after Sir William Fox, and has a history of flax stripping, which was used to make wool packs, matting, and rope. Other industries associated with the town have included clothing manufacture and sawmilling. The town is known for producing the soda drink Foxton Fizz., although the products are now made in Putaruru.ClimateThe area is sand country with a temperate climate, average monthly temperatures ranging from 8 °C to 17.4 °C, with a minimum/maximum of -4 °C to 27 °C. Foxton has an average of about 2,000 sunshine hours a year, and average precipitation of about 900 mm annually. The prevailing winds in the area are west-northwest and have driven the sand back from the coast to create the most extensive transgressive sand dune system in New Zealand.