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73-656: Greymouth ( / ˈ ɡ r eɪ m aʊ θ / ) ( Māori : Māwhera ) is the largest town in the West Coast region in the South Island of New Zealand, and the seat of the Grey District Council . The population of the whole Grey District is 14,800, which accounts for 43% of the West Coast's inhabitants. The Greymouth urban area had an estimated population of 8,640 (June 2024). A large proportion of

146-610: A Māori named Kehu, who had previously visited the West Coast and who had agreed to act as their guide. Brunner discovered coal in the Grey Valley , and several places in the region (notably the town of Brunner and Lake Brunner ) bear his name. Brunner himself named the Grey River after Sir George Grey , Governor of New Zealand. As numbers of colonists continued to increase in Nelson and Canterbury , interest grew in settling

219-407: A larger boundary, covering 340.00 km (131.27 sq mi). Using that boundary, Greymouth Rural had a population of 693 at the 2018 New Zealand census , an increase of 30 people (4.5%) since the 2013 census , and an increase of 129 people (22.9%) since the 2006 census . There were 285 households, comprising 363 males and 330 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.1 males per female. The median age

292-484: A rock outcrop gives a view of Cobden and the final lookout provides a panorama of the lower Grey Valley. Located off Turumaha Street next to Anzac Park, this short loop walk takes you through the Kōwhai Forrest, half of which is bounded by the mudflats of Blaketown Lagoon. There are some boardwalks which follow through estuarine vegetation. This walk is located in the only substantial forest area close to Greymouth. It

365-695: A second explosion on 24 November dashed all hope of survival for the miners. Pike River Coal went into receivership in the wake of the disaster and was purchased by Solid Energy , which closed the Spring Creek Mine in 2012 with the loss of 220 jobs and went into voluntary administration in August 2015. After the decline in coal mining and forestry, the West Coast economy has become increasingly dependent on ecotourism . Thousands of coal mining jobs had declined to just 60, and hundreds of tourism jobs had replaced them. During Greymouth's boom years, much of

438-744: A smaller boundary, covering 27.45 km (10.60 sq mi). Using that boundary, Greymouth had a population of 7,962 at the 2018 New Zealand census , a decrease of 156 people (−1.9%) since the 2013 census , and a decrease of 267 people (−3.2%) since the 2006 census . There were 3,345 households, comprising 3,933 males and 4,038 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.97 males per female, with 1,398 people (17.6%) aged under 15 years, 1,356 (17.0%) aged 15 to 29, 3,573 (44.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,641 (20.6%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 90.9% European/ Pākehā , 10.6% Māori , 1.5% Pasifika , 3.8% Asian , and 2.1% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas

511-515: Is a sandbar at the mouth of the Grey River . It is notorious in New Zealand and more than 44 ships have been wrecked there while entering, leaving or mooring in the harbour. The first shipwreck happened on 13 September 1863 when the schooner Gipsy carrying mostly gold diggers from Sydney, was caught in a northeasterly gale. Sixteen lives have been lost since 1865, when the Nugget drifted out of

584-463: Is accessed 20 km (12 mi) south of Greymouth, which is the most direct route to or from Christchurch. The town is also the western terminus of the Midland line from Christchurch. Large coal trains often operate from Greymouth on this line to Christchurch. The famous TranzAlpine train also terminates at Greymouth. The Greymouth Airport is only 1.9 km (1.2 mi) south of the centre of

657-517: Is at Shantytown . Other towns and settlements include: The West Coast region is governed by the West Coast Regional Council. Currently, it is chaired by Peter Haddock. The subnational gross domestic product (GDP) of the West Coast was estimated at NZ$ 2,373 million in the year to March 2022, 0.7% of New Zealand's national GDP. The regional GDP per capita was estimated at $ 72,127 in the same period. The region had one of

730-907: Is in Greymouth. The region has been included in the "Top 10 Coastal Drives of the World" by Lonely Planet . The region has the only New Zealand nesting place of the kōtuku (white heron) , at the Waitangiroto Nature Reserve , visited by tours from the small farming township of Whataroa . This rare bird appears on the $ 2 coin. Over 80% of West Coast land is administered by the Department of Conservation, much of this being in National Parks. These include from north to south, parts of Kahurangi NP, Paparoa NP, parts of Arthurs Pass NP, Westland NP, parts of Aspiring NP plus

803-429: Is located on Marsden Road and is a 25 minute loop track. Halfway along the track is a deviation to a lookout point with views of regenerating forest. This walk is accessed via North Beach Road, Cobden or Seven Mile Road, Rapahoe and is 5.5 km one way. It is a well-formed walk through coastal bush with stunning cliff top views. This forest track passes by tailraces and dams and through tunnels built by gold miners in

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876-495: Is now sold nationwide. Greymouth has several state primary schools offering education up to year 8, and Greymouth High School and John Paul II High School providing secondary education. There are also state-integrated Catholic primary and secondary schools. Tai Poutini Polytechnic has its head office based in Greymouth. It also has campuses in Auckland, Christchurch, Hokitika, Reefton, Wanaka and Westport. Founded in 1992,

949-592: Is still an alternative name for the Grey River. The first Europeans to visit the site of what is now Greymouth were Thomas Brunner and Charles Heaphy in 1846. Brunner and Heaphy were detailed by the Nelson Land Company to investigate the country south of the Buller and to report on its resources and potential as a field for further settlement. They set out from Nelson on 17 March 1846 accompanied by

1022-538: Is the least populous of New Zealand's sixteen regions. The West Coast is also the most sparsely populated region, with just 1.50 people per square kilometre (3.88 per square mile). West Coast Region had a population of 33,390 in the 2023 New Zealand census , an increase of 1,815 people (5.7%) since the 2018 census , and an increase of 1,242 people (3.9%) since the 2013 census . There were 17,031 males, 16,245 females and 117 people of other genders in 14,793 dwellings. 2.7% of people identified as LGBTIQ+ . The median age

1095-562: Is the only region of New Zealand where coal mining is still widely practiced. The name Westland is used by some New Zealanders to refer to the whole of the West Coast, including Grey District , Buller District and Fiordland , and can also refer to the short-lived Westland Province of 1873–76. Fiordland is on the west coast, but is in the Southland Region rather than the West Coast Region. Inhabitants of

1168-431: The 2010 Canterbury earthquake , many of Greymouth's heritage buildings were found to be unsafe, and the combination of earthquake-strengthening costs and being on lease land makes many of them uneconomic to restore and occupy. Greymouth is also known for its pounamu ("greenstone", a form of jade ) carving industry which goes back to Māori origins. The town's local brewery, Monteith's , has produced beer since 1868 which

1241-582: The Arahura Deed . This was signed in Māwhera by leading chiefs on 21 May 1860: it sold the entire West Coast to the Crown for just £300 (equivalent to NZ$ 38,060 in 2021), apart from a scattering of reserves totalling 4,000 ha (40 km). (Just after the signing, Mackay capsized his canoe in the Grey River, and some of the writing in the document is smudged to this day.) The reserves included Māwhera, now

1314-767: The Canterbury Plains and in the Firth of Thames , they have been almost completely destroyed for settlement and agriculture. Scenic areas include the Haast Pass , Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers , Hokitika Gorge , Lake Brunner , the Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki , the Oparara Arches and the Heaphy Track . The region has very high rainfall due to the prevailing northwesterly wind pattern and

1387-629: The Lauderdale was heading to Greymouth from Nydia Bay and on 27 June struck the north tiphead, ending up stranded on the Blaketown beach after, at one point, being grounded against another shipwreck from 1908, the Hawea . The Lauderdale is one of three wrecks which remain on the Greymouth coastline in the twenty-first century and in April 2016 a local Blaketown family unveiled a commemorative plaque on

1460-772: The Left Bank Art Gallery in Greymouth is located in the former Bank of New Zealand building on the left bank of the Grey River. It is operated by the West Coast Society of the Arts and exhibits the works of artists from Karamea to Haast and holds the National Pounamu Collection. In 2007 the first Art in the Park event was organised in Greymouth at Dixon Park by Linda and Ashley Morley, South Africans living in New Zealand. They brought

1533-543: The Taniwha ') is a region of New Zealand on the west coast of the South Island . It is administered by the West Coast Regional Council , and is known co-officially as Te Tai Poutini . It comprises the territorial authorities of Buller District , Grey District and Westland District . The principal towns are Westport , Greymouth and Hokitika . The region, one of the more remote areas of

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1606-486: The Westland Province , until the abolition of the provincial system in 1876. The West Coast gold rush between 1864 and 1867 created numerous gold rush towns such as Ōkārito, which at one time was the largest town on the West Coast but quickly almost vanished as miners moved on. After that time, the population dwindled, but the main towns that still exist had become established. Following greenstone and gold,

1679-492: The 19th century and is a 1.1 km loop track. It is approximately 30 km southeast of Greymouth. Archaeological evidence shows Māori settlements on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island dating back to 1300–1400 AD. Located at Karamea , Westport (Kawatiri), Bruce Bay (Mahitahi) and Jackson Bay (Okahu), excavations have identified in-ground cooking ovens (hāngī) and middens (rubbish tips). They show that these early Māori ate moa and seals as well as fish from

1752-399: The 2019–2020 season, there were 150,000 milking cows on the West Coast, 3.0% of the country's total herd. The cows produced 50,700 tonnes of milk solids, worth $ 365 million at the national average farmgate price ($ 7.20 per kg). Other industries are the manufacturing and sales of greenstone jewellery, sphagnum moss gathering and stone-collection for garden landscaping. Monteith's brewery

1825-517: The Brunner Field. Brunner (1861–1935), Tyneside (1876–1954), Wallsend (1894–1932), Coal Pit Heath (1877–1893), Coolgardie (1894–1932), Pig and Whistle (1900–1944), South Brunner (1906–1907), St Kilda (1907–1921), North Brunner (1908–1920), Dobson (1920–1968). The 10 mines produced over 8 million tonnes of coal. The coal reserves in the district including - measured, indicated, and inferred total 164 million tonnes. Fishing has long been important to

1898-551: The Coal Creek valley though a mixed beech-podocarp forest. The walk is approximately 3.6 km return and is accessed 8 km northeast of Greymouth at Runanga. This is a zigzag uphill track taking in four lookouts across Greymouth and the Grey Valley. The first lookout shows the Greymouth town centre and the Grey River. The second lookout provides a view of central Greymouth from a greater elevation. The third lookout at

1971-602: The District, 65%, is part of the Conservation Estate owned and managed by the Department of Conservation making Greymouth a natural centre for walkers and trampers. The town is located at the mouth of the Grey River , on a narrow coastal plain close to the foot of the Southern Alps . In clear weather, Aoraki / Mount Cook can be clearly seen to the south from near the town. The mouth of the river divides

2044-499: The Grey River overseeing a group of Māori digging up the Brunner Seam on the Grey River bank. John Rochfort undertook the original survey of the site of the township in 1865. Greymouth was proclaimed a borough on 16 July 1868, and on 26 August 1868 an election was held. On 16 September 1868, the new borough council held its first meeting and unanimously elected Edward Masters as the first mayor of Greymouth . From 1853 until

2117-598: The Grey River, with many of the most significant being assigned names: for example, the Great Flood (1872), the Jubilee Flood (1887), the Big Flood (1905), The Biggest Since 1887 (1936), The Biggest Since 1936 (1977), The Big One (May 1988) and The Biggest (September 1988). After the two floods in 1988 the mayor of Greymouth , Barry Dallas , organised the construction of a flood protection wall. Rising 2 m above

2190-516: The Grey Valley and is known locally as the Barber, which can be seen as well as felt because a mist accompanies the cold wind. In the early twentieth century the Barber was also known as the "gorge wind". It was reported that there were changes to the direction, severity and coldness of the wind in that era and this change was attributed to the felling of trees on the Coast Road leading north towards

2263-625: The Greymouth area from hot summer days and cold winter nights. Snow is rare, with the last reported event occurring on 4 August 2019. On 10 March 2005, a major tornado , which started as a waterspout , made landfall in the suburb of Blaketown. It quickly moved through the town passing just south of the main town centre. The tornado was one of the largest reported in recent history in the West Coast region, caused millions of dollars in damage, and injured several people. Previous tornadoes which had struck Greymouth on 16 June 2003 and 28 March 2001 had destroyed several buildings. A katabatic wind blows down

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2336-650: The South Westland World Heritage Area. Each of these parks have flora and fauna common to all areas, as well as species, like kiwi, particular to those areas. Four roads run into the West Coast Region. The main road running the length of the region is State Highway 6 . It connects to the Tasman District in the north through the Buller Gorge , and to Otago in the south via Haast Pass . Two roads connect to Canterbury to

2409-587: The Taramakau River in 1864 by two Māori, Ihaia Tainui and Haimona Taukau. By the end of the year there were an estimated 1800 prospectors, many of them around the Hokitika area, which in 1866 was briefly the most populous settlement in New Zealand. The region was divided between Nelson Province and Canterbury Province from 1853: in 1873 the Canterbury portion of the region formed its own province,

2482-503: The West Coast Cycle Trail, telling its story. This plaque is within sight of the wreck remains which appear and disappear on the shoreline with the tides. The Abel Tasman and the Hawea are the other two remaining wrecks. Greymouth covers 27.70 km (10.70 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 8,640 as of June 2024, with a population density of 312 people per km. Before the 2023 census, Greymouth had

2555-546: The West Coast are colloquially known as "Coasters". The region reaches from Kahurangi Point in the north to Awarua Point in the south, a distance of 600 km. It has an area of 23,246 km . To the west is the Tasman Sea (which like the Southern Ocean can be very rough, with four-metre swells common), and to the east are the Southern Alps . Much of the land is rugged, with a coastal plain where much of

2628-480: The West Coast, but the land was still owned by Māori – Poutini Ngāi Tahu . In 1857 Poutini Ngāi Tahu chiefs wrote to Donald McLean, the New Zealand government land purchase officer, offering to sell the land for £2500, as long as some land was reserved for their use and they kept their rights to the pounamu (greenstone) of the Arahura River . In 1859, James Mackay was sent to broker a purchase deal, known as

2701-469: The abolition of provinces in 1876, Greymouth was first part of Canterbury Province (the West Coast part of the Province was known as West Canterbury) and then part of an independent Westland Province . However Cobden, on the north (or right) bank of the Grey River was a part of Nelson Province from 1853 to 1876. The boundary between the Canterbury and Nelson provinces had been set as a straight line from

2774-415: The area was famous across New Zealand for its richness in pounamu greenstone. Kāi Tahu traded millions of modern New Zealand dollars ' worth of the stone across New Zealand , making Te Tai Poutini one of the wealthiest regions in the country. After the arrival of Europeans, the region became famed for its vast and mostly untapped gold reserves, which historically had not been highly valued. The region

2847-420: The census question. Of those at least 15 years old, 2,658 (9.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 15,825 (56.6%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 8,490 (30.4%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $ 32,700, compared with $ 41,500 nationally. 1,956 people (7.0%) earned over $ 100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15

2920-519: The census's question about religious affiliation, 59.3% had no religion, 30.7% were Christian , 0.4% had Māori religious beliefs , 0.4% were Hindu , 0.4% were Buddhist and 1.7% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 69 (11.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 144 (24.9%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $ 32,100, compared with $ 31,800 nationally. 93 people (16.1%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15

2993-478: The centre of Greymouth. On 22 July 1864 the Nelson became the first steamer to cross the Grey bar and steam up the Grey River. Aboard the 'Nelson' were Matthew Batty and Reuben Waite plus approximately 70 prospectors. Reuben Waite would open the first store in Greymouth on the banks of the Grey River at the corner of which is now Waite Street and Mawhera Quay. Matthew Batty would become the first European coal miner on

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3066-555: The centre of town was built up in brick Art Deco building on leased land in the Mawhera Reserve. This land was administered for many years by the Department of Maori Affairs , but was returned to the control of the iwi in 1976. At that time Mawhera Inc's total assets were worth $ 2m, but had grown to $ 123m by 2018. Mawhera Inc is now the town's largest landlord, with 1600 shareholders. After regulations were tightened following

3139-551: The citizens of the area was partially alleviated with the creation of the County of Westland – which had all the administrative powers of a provincial council, but saw the legislative powers remain with Parliament in Wellington . Members of Parliament were not happy with having to spend their time on local legislation, and in 1873 the government elevated the county to full provincial status as Westland Province. The Greymouth Bar

3212-569: The concept from South Africa. In 2008 inclement weather meant the organisers sought an alternative venue that was more sheltered from rain. The 2009 Art in the Park was held at Shantytown , and remained there for a couple of years before locating to the Greymouth High School gymnasium. In 1944 the Greymouth Operatic Society was formalised, following a number of successful patriotic reviews and concerts during

3285-558: The country, is also the most sparsely populated. With a population of just 32,900 people, the West Coast is the least populous region in New Zealand. The population in the region grew by 0.4% over the year to July 2023. The region has a rich and important history. The land itself is ancient, stretching back to the Carboniferous period ; this is evident by the amount of carboniferous materials naturally found there, especially coal . First settled by Kāi Tahu in approximately 1200 AD,

3358-424: The east, State Highway 7 through Lewis Pass to North Canterbury and State Highway 73 via Arthur's Pass to Christchurch . The Midland railway line is the only railway line into the region. It links to Christchurch via Arthur's Pass. The TranzAlpine train service runs return between Christchurch and Greymouth daily and freight lines extend to Ngākawau and Hokitika . Daily passenger flights operate into

3431-485: The head of the Hurunui River to Lake Brunner at a time when the area was virtually uninhabited, but the West Coast gold rush straddled that boundary, with a population boom also straddling the boundary. In 1866, there had been a proposal for portions of Canterbury Province, including the urban area of Greymouth and the rural area south, to be annexed and solely administered by Nelson Province. The situation for

3504-445: The legislation required for three of them to retire by rotation on 10 September. All three councillors stood for re-election, but one of them was replaced by Edward Masters . At the first meeting of the council in the following week, Masters was elected the first mayor of Greymouth by his fellow councillors. Barry Dallas was mayor of Greymouth from 1966 to 1968, and from 1980 until the borough's abolition in 1989. He then became

3577-523: The level of the railway embankment and riverside wharf, it was completed in September 1990 at a cost of NZ$ 4m. Since its completion Greymouth has not suffered a significant flood, although the river has come close to the top of the flood wall several times. With 65% of the Grey District forming part of the Conservation Estate, there are many local walks to enjoy. The path gently descends down to

3650-555: The location of the Southern Alps, which give rise to heavy orographic precipitation . The rain shadow effect is responsible for the relatively arid climate of the Canterbury Plains on the other side of the Southern Alps. The region is home to Ngāi Tahu , who value it for the greenstone (pounamu) found there in abundance. The region was only occasionally visited by Europeans until the discovery of gold near

3723-406: The new settlements of Dunollie and Seven Mile. Greymouth businesses would often advertise the benefits of their products, especially clothing to ward off the chill of the Barber. A combination of high intensity rainfall, high topographic relief and short steep rivers often leads to rapid flooding of low-lying land across the West Coast. Since its founding Greymouth has experienced two dozen floods by

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3796-587: The next valuable mineral was coal. Discovered near the Buller River in the mid-1840s, mining began in earnest during the 1860s. By the 1880s coal had become the region's main industry, with mines throughout the northern half of the region, especially around Westport . Many of these continued in operation until the mid-20th century, and several survive. Timber has also long been a major industry, although in recent years there has been an uneasy balance between forestry for wood and forestry for conservation. Much of

3869-399: The population resides. It is divided into the three local government districts of (from north to south) Buller , Grey and Westland . The land is very scenic, with wild coastlines, mountains and a very high proportion of native bush , much of it native temperate rain forest . It is the only part of New Zealand where significant tracts of lowland forest remain: elsewhere, for instance on

3942-458: The region is public land administered by the Department of Conservation and the region has some of the best remaining stands of native forest, along with a wealth of rare wildlife. Ecotourism is now an important industry, and this goes hand in hand with the conservation efforts. The West Coast region covers 23,245.52 km (8,975.15 sq mi) and has an estimated population of 34,800 as of June 2024, 0.7% of New Zealand's population. It

4015-564: The region. Air New Zealand flies between Christchurch and Hokitika and Sounds Air between Wellington and Westport. Mayor of Grey The Greymouth Borough was constituted in 1868 under the Municipal Corporations Act, 1867. This covered the urban area of Greymouth. After provincial government had been abolished in 1876, counties were formed in the following year. One of those was Grey County that covered an area around Greymouth. The first chairman of Grey County

4088-433: The river and across the bar at night. The cutter was half full of water when the crew came on deck and only one of the two crewmen made it safely to shore. The year 1866 was the most dangerous year for shipping in Greymouth, with five schooners and screw steamers being wrecked due to a number of reasons, including getting stranded on the spit, sheered in current, insufficient tug power and the engine stopped. On 23 June 1910

4161-563: The river and sea. These earliest West Coast people were from east Polynesia. Their stone knives and adzes were made by using the Polynesian flaking method and personal ornaments found on the sites were based on traditional Polynesian shark-tooth designs. These early people were subsumed by later Māori tribes (iwi) who came to the West Coast as population grew and settlement spread. Ngāi Tahu came to Te Tai Poutini (the West Coast) about

4234-629: The start of the nineteenth century. Under Tūhuru Kōkare , a great warrior, they defeated the Ngāti Wairangi in a series of battles for the greenstone (pounamu) coast. The West Coast was one of the principal sources of the highly-prized greenstone which is almost as hard as steel. The Poutini Ngāi Tahu built fortified pā at Māwhera (Greymouth), Ōkārito and Mahitahi (Bruce Bay) and had villages or gardens at other places including Inangahua , Taramakau, Mahinapua , Pouerua , Okuru and Arawhata (Jackson Bay). The name Māwhera (meaning 'wide spread river mouth',

4307-422: The strongest growing regional economies of New Zealand in 2022, though from a rather small base. Industries include mining for coal and alluvial gold , forestry and wood processing, fishing (including whitebaiting ), tourism and farming. Dairy farming has grown strongly – the local dairy co-operative Westland Milk Products remained independent when most others merged to form Fonterra in 2001. In

4380-629: The town into three areas: Blaketown, close to the river's mouth on the south bank; Karoro , to the southeast, separated from Blaketown by a series of small estuarine lagoons; and Cobden , formerly a separate town, on the river's north bank. Greymouth is on State Highway 6 , which connects it with Hokitika in the south and Westport in the north. It also stands at the terminus of State Highway 7 , which runs through Dobson and Reefton , eventually reaching North Canterbury and its junction with State Highway 1 at Waipara, 55 km (34 mi) north of Christchurch, via Lewis Pass . Highway 73

4453-475: The town, despite the fact that the entrance to the Grey River has two notoriously dangerous sandbars ; an inner and outer bar. Beginning in the 1960s, forestry and coal mining began to decline on the West Coast. The planned opening of the Pike River Mine in early 2008 spurred new investments in upgrading port facilities at the town. The opening of the new mine, as well as the planned Spring Creek mine,

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4526-522: The town. Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as oceanic (Cfb). The mean annual rainfall Greymouth receives is high by New Zealand standards and is distributed relatively evenly throughout the year. This is due to its position receiving marine westerlies throughout the year that often do not rise above the Southern Alps . As a result, it creates a rain shadow effect that sees east coast locations having far sunnier and warmer summers. This extreme marine influence also shelters

4599-547: The war years. The first production in 1945 was "The Country Girl" with Beverley Patterson in the lead role of 'Marjorie Joy'. In 2021 the Greymouth Operatic Society is a thriving operation, providing the opportunity for local performers, musician and stage crews to learn all things theatre. The aim of the Society is to support, educate, and nurture local talent. West Coast, New Zealand The West Coast ( Māori : Te Tai Poutini , lit.   'The Coast of Poutini,

4672-484: Was Arthur Guinness . Greymouth Borough and Grey County were abolished in the 1989 local government reforms , when the areas became part of Grey District . Since then, the head of the administration has been the mayor of Grey. The first elections were held in Greymouth Borough on 26 August 1868, when nine councillors were elected. Even before the councillors met for the first time, it was discovered that

4745-563: Was 11.5, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 51.3% had no religion, 37.5% were Christian , 0.3% had Māori religious beliefs , 0.7% were Hindu , 0.4% were Muslim , 0.2% were Buddhist and 1.7% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 765 (11.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 1,839 (28.0%) people had no formal qualifications. 876 people (13.3%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15

4818-479: Was 47.1 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 114 people (16.5%) aged under 15 years, 105 (15.2%) aged 15 to 29, 369 (53.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 108 (15.6%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 94.4% European/ Pākehā , 10.4% Māori , 0.4% Pasifika , 0.9% Asian , and 2.2% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas was 9.5, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer

4891-563: Was 48.1 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 5,448 people (16.3%) aged under 15 years, 4,518 (13.5%) aged 15 to 29, 15,861 (47.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 7,563 (22.7%) aged 65 or older. People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 89.7% European ( Pākehā ); 13.5% Māori ; 1.6% Pasifika ; 4.0% Asian ; 0.5% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 4.3% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English

4964-478: Was called the biggest investment happening in the area for a hundred years; coal barges travelling to and from reshipment facilities in Taranaki would have carried containerised cargo to the town and saved the port from closure. On 19 November 2010, there was an explosion at the Pike River Mine , trapping 29 miners. Attempts to rescue the trapped miners were repeatedly delayed due to high levels of methane gas, until

5037-556: Was spoken by 98.0%, Māori language by 2.3%, Samoan by 0.2% and other languages by 5.6%. No language could be spoken by 1.5% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.5%. The percentage of people born overseas was 13.2, compared with 28.8% nationally. Religious affiliations were 29.8% Christian , 0.6% Hindu , 0.2% Islam , 0.3% Māori religious beliefs , 0.4% Buddhist , 0.7% New Age , 0.1% Jewish , and 1.2% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 57.8%, and 9.0% of people did not answer

5110-473: Was subsequently settled by thousands of Irish Catholics after the Irish Famine , who constitute the majority of the population, alongside the indigenous Kāi Tahu and those who come from admixing between the two populations. The region was also heavily sought after by nuclear weapons states in the 1950s for its abundant resources of uranium , which many West Coasters found objectionable. The West Coast

5183-487: Was that 12,819 (45.9%) people were employed full-time, 4,101 (14.7%) were part-time, and 687 (2.5%) were unemployed. There are only four towns with a population over 1,000: Greymouth , Westport , Hokitika and Runanga . These four towns, plus Reefton (population 980), are recognised as urban areas by Statistics New Zealand. During the gold rush days, Hokitika had a population of more than 25,000 with more than 100 pubs . A recreation of an early New Zealand settlement

5256-403: Was that 3,144 (47.9%) people were employed full-time, 1,023 (15.6%) were part-time, and 198 (3.0%) were unemployed. Greymouth Rural statistical area, which stretches between Greymouth and Lake Brunner , covers 338.07 km (130.53 sq mi). It had an estimated population of 810 as of June 2024, with a population density of 2.4 people per km. Before the 2023 census, Greymouth Rural had

5329-461: Was that 315 (54.4%) people were employed full-time, 90 (15.5%) were part-time, and 21 (3.6%) were unemployed. Greymouth was founded during the West Coast gold rush of the 1860s, but for 150 years after this its economy was based on coal mining and native timber forestry . These brought prosperity to the town which at one point had 47 hotels (today it has only six). In 2020 most of the coal mines have now closed yet at there were once ten coal mines in

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