Carterton was the first place in the world to elect a transgender mayor , Georgina Beyer . Beyer went on to set another world 's first record , becoming the MP for Wairarapa in 1999 . On 7 January 2012 , a hot air balloon crashed just north of the town , killing eleven people and making headlines around the world . The balloon came into contact with a high-voltage power line supplying the town , resulting in the balloon catching fire and the town losing power briefly . In 1956 , along with Masterton , Carterton became the joint first town in New Zealand to use the 111 Emergency Number
a hot air balloon crashed
2012 Carterton hot air balloon crash
Carterton, New Zealand