110-761: Kahurangi National Park is a national park in the northwest of the South Island of New Zealand. It is the second largest of the thirteen national parks of New Zealand . It was gazetted in 1996 and covers 5,193 km (2,005 sq mi), ranging from the Buller River near Murchison in the south, to the base of Farewell Spit in Golden Bay in the north. The park has no single dominant landform, but includes an unusually wide variety of landscapes, including mountain ranges, rivers, gorges, raised peneplains and karst features such as caves and arches. Many of
220-615: A Southern Mayoral Council . Supported by Waitaki Mayor Alex Familton and Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt , Bob Parker said that increased cooperation and the forming of a new South Island-wide mayoral forum were essential to representing the island's interests in Wellington and countering the new Auckland Council . There are 23 territorial authorities within the South Island: 4 city councils and 19 district councils. Three territorial authorities ( Nelson City Council , and
330-536: A Provincial Council that elected its own Speaker and Superintendent. Secession movements have surfaced several times in the South Island. A Premier of New Zealand , Sir Julius Vogel , was amongst the first people to make this call, which was voted on by the New Zealand Parliament as early as 1865. The desire for the South Island to form a separate colony was one of the main factors in moving
440-417: A basin at around 200 m (660 ft) elevation that is covered in dense forest and drained by the Ōpārara River . It is located 20 kilometres (12 mi) north of Karamea . The basin is notable for a network of caves rich in fossils, and its large natural rock arches. Ōpārara Arch is New Zealand’s largest natural arch, at 200 m (660 ft) in length and 37 m (121 ft) in height. The area
550-817: A basis for the government of the colony, which was centralised in Auckland . New Munster consisted of the South Island. The name New Munster was given by the Governor of New Zealand , Captain William Hobson , in honour of Munster , the Irish province in which he was born. The situation was altered in 1846 when the New Zealand Constitution Act 1846 divided the colony into two provinces : New Ulster Province (the North Island north of
660-465: A general geographic region, or merely gave a waka name. Initiatives like the Iwi Helpline are trying to make it easier for people to identify their iwi , and the proportion who "don't know" dropped relative to previous censuses. Some established pan-tribal organisations may exert influence across iwi divisions. The Rātana Church, for example, operates across iwi divisions, and
770-414: A generally recognised territory ( rohe ), but many of these overlap, sometimes completely. This has added a layer of complication to the long-running discussions and court cases about how to resolve historical Treaty claims. The length of coastline emerged as one factor in the final (2004) legislation to allocate fishing-rights in settlement of claims relating to commercial fisheries. Iwi can become
880-531: A generous franchise. Grey implemented the ordinance with such deliberation that neither Council met before advice was received that the United Kingdom Parliament had passed the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852 . This act dissolved these provinces in 1853, after only seven years' existence, and New Munster was divided into the provinces of Wellington Province , Canterbury , Nelson , and Otago . Each province had its own legislature known as
990-748: A group), Ngāti Poneke (Māori who have migrated to the Wellington region), and Ngāti Rānana (Māori living in London). Ngāti Tūmatauenga ("Tribe of Tūmatauenga ", the god of war) is the official Māori-language name of the New Zealand Army , and Ngā Opango ("Black Tribe") is a Māori-language name for the All Blacks . In the southern dialect of Māori, Ngāti and Ngāi become Kāti and Kāi , terms found in such iwi as Kāti Māmoe and Kāi Tahu (also known as Ngai Tahu). Each iwi has
1100-449: A particular hapu may have belonged to different iwi at different times, the tension caused by the social and economic power moving from the iwi down rather than from the hapu up, and the fact that many iwi do not recognise spouses and adoptees who do not have kinship links. In the 2006 census, 16 per cent of the 643,977 people who claimed Māori ancestry did not know their iwi . Another 11 per cent did not state their iwi , or stated only
1210-437: A population of 1,185,282 at the 2023 New Zealand census , an increase of 80,745 people (7.3%) since the 2018 census , and an increase of 180,882 people (18.0%) since the 2013 census . Of the total population, 202,311 people (17.1%) were aged under 15 years, 225,048 (19.0%) were 15 to 29, 538,965 (45.5%) were 30 to 64, and 218,958 (18.5%) were 65 or older. At the 2018 census, there were 571,656 males and 577,914 females, giving
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#17327870868651320-531: A population of 1,260,000 as of June 2024, the South Island is home to 24% of New Zealand's 5.3 million inhabitants. After the 1860s gold rushes in the early stages of European settlement of the country, the South Island had the majority of the European population and wealth. The North Island's population overtook the South Island's in the early 20th century, with 56% of the New Zealand population living in
1430-438: A prospective vehicle for ideas and ideals of self-determination and/or tino rangatiratanga . Thus does Te Pāti Māori mention in the preamble of its constitution "the dreams and aspirations of tangata whenua to achieve self-determination for whānau , hapū and iwi within their own land". Some Tūhoe envisage self-determination in specifically iwi -oriented terms. Increasing urbanisation of Māori has led to
1540-457: A quarter of the country's population, the South Island is sometimes humorously nicknamed the "mainland" of New Zealand by its residents. The island is also known as Te Waka a Māui which means " Māui 's Canoe ". In some modern alliterations of Māori legends, the South Island existed first, as the boat of Māui, while the North Island was the fish that he caught . Various Māori iwi sometimes use different names, with some preferring to call
1650-476: A result of complex biogeographic processes, and indicates that during the Pleistocene ice ages, the area was an important refuge. The complex geology and landforms have allowed unique plant communities to develop in localised environments, leading to a high rate of endemism. The park has exceptional botanical diversity. New Zealand has around 2,400 species of native plants, and over half of these are found in
1760-675: A result the Wairau Affray was the only conflict of the New Zealand Wars to occur in the South Island. The island became rich and prosperous and Dunedin boomed during the 1860s Otago gold rush , which was shaped by extensive Chinese immigration . After the gold rush the " drift to the north " meant the North Island displaced the South as the most populous. The South Island is shaped by the Southern Alps , which run along
1870-450: A sex ratio of 0.99 males per female. In the early years of European settlement in New Zealand, the South Island's overall percentage of the New Zealand population was far higher, equalling or even exceeding the population of the North Island. This was exacerbated by the New Zealand Wars and the Otago gold rush of the 1860s. Since that time, the South Island's population as a percentage of
1980-552: A site near the mouth of the Whakapoāi ( Heaphy River ) showing evidence of local Māori hunting bush moa , kekeno , and kurī . Excavation of the same site also demonstrated connections to trade routes running throughout New Zealand, with pounamu from the Arahura region and obsidian from Mayor Island / Tūhua in the Bay of Plenty both being used in the area. Māori interaction with
2090-480: A situation where a significant percentage do not identify with any particular iwi . The following extract from a 2000 High Court of New Zealand judgment discussing the process of settling fishing rights illustrates some of the issues: ... 81 per cent of Maori now live in urban areas, at least one-third live outside their tribal influence, more than one-quarter do not know their iwi or for some reason do not choose to affiliate with it, at least 70 per cent live outside
2200-657: A year or so, with Kāi Tahu maintaining the upper hand. Ngāti Toa never again made a major incursion into Kāi Tahu territory. In 1836, the Ngāti Tama chief Te Pūoho led a 100-person war party, armed with muskets , down the West Coast and over the Haast Pass . They fell on the Ngāi Tahu encampment between Lake Wānaka and Lake Hāwea , capturing ten people and killing and eating two children. Te Puoho took his captives over
2310-505: Is New Zealand's second-largest national park, with an area of 5,193 km (2,005 sq mi). It covers most of the north-west corner of the South Island, and extends from the Buller River near Murchison in the south, to the base of Farewell Spit in Golden Bay in the north. The park has no single dominant landform, but includes an unusually wide variety of landscapes, including mountain ranges, rivers, gorges, raised peneplains and karst features such as caves and arches. Many of
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#17327870868652420-489: Is a tussock-covered basin at around 600 m (2,000 ft) elevation, surrounded by forest. It occupies an area of around 6,500 ha (16,000 acres). The area has unusual flora and fauna and was first declared as a sanctuary in 1915. This area is a peneplain, a low-relief plain formed from prolonged erosion. Beneath the tussock in the Gouland Downs are sandstone and mudstone sedimentary rocks that were formed in
2530-679: Is both singular and plural in the Māori language, and is typically pluralised as such in English. Iwi groups trace their ancestry to the original Polynesian migrants who, according to tradition, arrived from Hawaiki . Some iwi cluster into larger groupings that are based on whakapapa (genealogical tradition) and known as waka (literally ' canoes ' , with reference to the original migration voyages ). These super-groupings are generally symbolic rather than logistical. In pre-European times, most Māori were allied to relatively small groups in
2640-412: Is considered as one of the most outstanding examples of limestone karst landscapes in New Zealand. There are multiple short walks in the area that are popular with visitors. The Honeycomb Hill Cave area in the basin was discovered in 1976, and in 1982 was given the status of a site of global significance in paleozoology due to discoveries of bones of several species that had become extinct. In 1984,
2750-585: Is in the park, upstream of Seddonville . The Aorere River and its tributaries have a catchment area of 573 km (221 sq mi) draining the Haupiri and Wakamarama ranges in the north of the park. The river flows northwards for 40 km (25 mi) into Golden Bay at the town of Collingwood . The Wangapeka River drains eastern regions of the park, and has a catchment area of 479 km (185 sq mi). The oldest fossils ever found in New Zealand were identified during an expedition in 1948 in
2860-425: Is known for its steep cliffs. The boundary of the park extends to mean high water springs , so does not include beaches below the high tide mark. The entire coastline from Kōhaihai to Kahurangi Point is considered nationally significant because it is almost totally unmodified, and includes a narrow strip of highly diverse coastal forest, including nīkau palms . The nīkau palms are New Zealand's only native species in
2970-531: Is located in the central and western areas of the park, inland of the Ōpārara Basin and to the south of the route of the Heaphy Track. The centre of the wilderness area is Lake Aorere adjacent to Mount Domett (elevation 1,645 m (5,397 ft). The wilderness area includes the catchments of the Roaring Lion , Spey, Burgoo, Beautiful, and Ugly rivers, among others. It takes around a week to traverse
3080-459: Is one of the largest marine reserves around the North or South Islands. The northern end of the coast is a habitat for fur seals (Kekeno) and Hector's dolphins , and driftwood along the coast is a habitat for animals like earwigs, sandhoppers and spiders. Rocky reefs and seastacks provide a habitat for encrusting animals, invertebrates and inshore fish that thrive in murky waters. The Gouland Downs
3190-507: Is sparsely populated and still predominantly rural areas or nature reserves. However, there are 15 urban areas in the South Island with a population of 10,000 or more: Iwi Iwi ( Māori pronunciation: [ˈiwi] ) are the largest social units in New Zealand Māori society . In Māori , iwi roughly means ' people ' or ' nation ' , and is often translated as " tribe ", or "a confederation of tribes". The word
3300-525: Is the deepest known cave in New Zealand. It has been explored to a depth of 1,024 metres, and its 33.4 kilometres of cave passages make it New Zealand's second longest. Kahurangi National Park is known for its biodiversity. A metaphor used in describing the park is that it is a "tectonic ark" that separated from Gondwana around 80 million years ago. There is a particularly high rate of endemism for both flora and fauna, with many notable species that are not found elsewhere. The high level of endemism has arisen as
3410-441: Is the largest Christian denomination in the South Island with 12.7 percent affiliating, closely followed by Catholicism at 12.1 percent and Presbyterianism at 11.7 percent. These figures are somewhat skewed between the regions of the south, due largely to the original settlement of southern cities (Dunedin, for example, was founded by Scottish Presbyterians, whereas Christchurch was founded by English Anglicans). The South Island
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3520-624: Is the largest of the three major islands of New Zealand in surface area, the other being the smaller but more populous North Island and sparsely populated Stewart Island . It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait , to the west by the Tasman Sea , to the south by the Foveaux Strait and Southern Ocean , and to the east by the Pacific Ocean. The South Island covers 150,437 square kilometres (58,084 sq mi), making it
3630-737: The States General of the Netherlands , and that name appeared on his first maps of the country. Dutch cartographers changed the name to Nova Zeelandia in Latin, from Nieuw Zeeland , after the Dutch province of Zeeland . It was subsequently Anglicised as New Zealand by British naval captain James Cook of HM Bark Endeavour who visited the islands more than 100 years after Tasman during (1769–70). The first European settlement in
3740-462: The Cobb Reservoir – a hydro-electric storage lake that is entirely surrounded by the national park. The tablelands to the west of Mount Arthur are a rolling landscape of tussock and karst features at an elevation of around 1,200 m (3,900 ft). The area is surrounded by the peaks of Mount Lodestone (1,462 m), Mount Arthur (1,795 m) and Mount Peel (1,654 m). The Ōpārara Basin is
3850-519: The Crown Range to Lake Wakatipu and thence to Southland, where he was killed, and his war party destroyed by the southern Ngāi Tahu leader Tūhawaiki . Kāi Tahu and Ngāti Toa established peace by 1839, with Te Rauparaha releasing the Kāi Tahu captives he held. Formal marriages between the leading families in the two tribes sealed the peace. The first Europeans known to reach the South Island were
3960-660: The Department of Conservation . Much of what was the North-west Nelson Forest Park formed the basis of the new park. Kahurangi Point , regarded as the boundary between the West Coast and Tasman Regions , is located in the park, as is Mount Owen . There is archaeological evidence that Māori had settled the Kahurangi coastline from around 1380 CE , with pā sites on coastal ridges and evidence of more substantial habitation found around several of
4070-825: The Firth of Clyde ) – the John Wickliffe and the Philip Laing . Captain William Cargill , a veteran of the Peninsular War , served as the colony's first leader : Otago citizens subsequently elected him to the office of Superintendent of the Province of Otago . While the North Island was convulsed by the New Zealand Wars of the 1860s and 1870s, the South Island, with its low Māori population,
4180-579: The Heaphy Track , a popular tramping and mountain biking track that is classified as one of New Zealand's Great Walks . Another multi-day tramping track in the park is the Wangapeka Track . In addition to tramping, rafting and caving are popular activities. Several locations in the national park were used during the making of The Lord of the Rings film series. The park is managed by
4290-517: The Local Government Act 2002 gives the South Island (and its adjacent islands) seven regional councils for the administration of regional environmental and transport matters and 25 territorial authorities that administer roads, sewerage, building consents, and other local matters. Four of the territorial councils (one city and three districts) also perform the functions of a regional council and are known as unitary authorities under
4400-534: The Lower Palaeozoic era around 400 to 500 million years ago. They are some of the oldest rocks in New Zealand. These rocks were worn down by erosion to form the peneplain around 100 million years ago. They were then submerged beneath a shallow sea, and limestone was deposited on top of the older sedimentary rocks. The land was subsequently uplifted, and erosion removed most of the limestone, leaving isolated outcrops that now appear like tree-covered islands in
4510-728: The Māori King Movement , though principally congregated around Waikato / Tainui , aims to transcend some iwi functions in a wider grouping. Many iwi operate or are affiliated with media organisations. Most of these belong to Te Whakaruruhau o Nga Reo Irirangi Māori (the National Māori Radio Network), a group of radio stations which receive contestable Government funding from Te Māngai Pāho (the Māori Broadcast Funding Agency) to operate on behalf of iwi and hapū . Under their funding agreement,
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4620-561: The North-west Nelson Forest Park as part of the amalgamation of eight forest parks in the region, under the management of the New Zealand Forest Service . At the time, many of the tracks in the park were overgrown. The Forest Service started on a programme of work to promote recreation in the park, including cutting new tracks and building huts. An environmental lobby group, the Maruia Society, advocated for
4730-487: The Tasman and Marlborough District Councils) also perform the functions of a regional council and thus are known as unitary authorities. This is a list of political parties, past and present, who have their headquarters in the South Island. Compared to the more populated and multi-ethnic North Island, the South Island has a smaller, more homogeneous resident population of 1,260,000 (June 2024). The South Island had
4840-497: The rock wren , kea , blue duck (whio), and species such as the great spotted kiwi and kākā (both classified as vulnerable). Other native birds that can be found in the park include pipit , kererū , the New Zealand falcon , weka , robin , fantail , bellbird , grey warbler , tūī , tomtit , rifleman , fernbird and brown creeper . In addition to the whio, freshwater birds that are found in wetlands and waterways in
4950-469: The world's 12th-largest island , constituting 56% of New Zealand's land area. At low altitudes, it has an oceanic climate . The major centres are Christchurch , with a metropolitan population of 521,881, and the smaller Dunedin (population 134,600). The economy relies on agriculture, fishing, tourism, and general manufacturing and services. Prior to European settlement, Te Waipounamu was sparsely populated by three major iwi , Kāi Tahu , Kāti Māmoe , and
5060-774: The Cobb Valley at a site that is now within Kahurangi National Park. The fossils were identified as trilobites from the Cambrian (542–490 Ma), the first period of the paleozoic era. A tramping hut near to the location of the find is known as Trilobite Hut. Fossils of takahē have been found at Mt Arthur and in the Euphrates Cave on the Garibaldi Plateau. The Euphrates Cave skull supports "the hypothesis that takahē were widespread across
5170-612: The Department of Internal Affairs in the year ending 31 March 1916. In 1918, the Department of Lands and Survey reported that 16,000 acres (6,500 ha) of Crown land, including the Gouland Downs, had been reserved under the Scenery Preservation Act 1903 . The protected area was reported to be rare and valuable, and included the habitat of kākāpō , kiwi , weka , and other native birds. In 1970, approximately 360,000 ha (890,000 acres) of land were gazetted as
5280-545: The Kahurangi coast were almost exterminated within two decades. The establishment of the New Zealand Company ’s settlement at Nelson in 1841 led to exploitation of timber, flax and coal resources in the region. One of the early European settlers to discover the tablelands in the Mount Arthur area was Thomas Salisbury. He wrote to The Colonist in 1863, claiming to have discovered gold in stream beds in
5390-546: The Moriori culture, an emphasis on pacifism , proved disadvantageous when Māori warriors arrived in the 1830s aboard a chartered European ship. In the early 18th century, Kāi Tahu , a Māori tribe who originated on the east coast of the North Island , began migrating to the northern part of the South Island. There they and Kāti Māmoe fought Ngāi Tara and Rangitāne in the Wairau Valley . Ngāti Māmoe then ceded
5500-649: The New Zealand government. When New Zealand was separated from the colony of New South Wales in 1841 and established as a Crown colony in its own right, the Royal Charter effecting this provided that "the principal Islands, heretofore known as, or commonly called, the 'Northern Island', the Middle Island', and 'Stewart's Island', shall henceforward be designated and known respectively as ' New Ulster ', ' New Munster ', and ' New Leinster '". These divisions were of geographical significance only, not used as
5610-705: The North Island in 1911. The drift north of people and businesses continued throughout the twentieth century. The island has been known internationally as the South Island for many years. The Te Reo Māori name for it Te Waipounamu now also has official recognition but it remains seldom used by most residents. in the Māori language. Said to mean "the Water(s) of Greenstone ", Te Waipounamu possibly evolved from Te Wāhi Pounamu ("the Place of Greenstone"). When Captain James Cook visited in 1769, he recorded
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#17327870868655720-504: The South Island Te Waka o Aoraki , referring to another Māori legend called the story of Aoraki, as after the world was created, Aoraki and his three brothers came down in a waka to visit their mother, Papatūānuku the earth mother, only to crash after failing to perform a karakia on their way back home to their father, Ranginui (also known as Raki) the sky father, in turn causing the waka to transform into an island and
5830-863: The South Island was founded at Bluff in 1823 by James Spencer, a veteran of the Battle of Waterloo . In January 1827, the French explorer Jules Dumont d'Urville arrived in Tasman Bay on the corvette Astrolabe . A number of landmarks around Tasman Bay were named by d'Urville and his crew, including d'Urville Island , French Pass and Torrent Bay . Following the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in February 1840, Lieutenant-Governor Captain William Hobson declared British sovereignty over New Zealand in May 1840 and
5940-586: The South Island's subalpine habitats and lowland areas at the time of human arrival in New Zealand". The geology of Kahurangi National Park is complex, and is the most diverse of any of New Zealand's protected areas. It includes the best sequence of palaezoic rocks in the country. The complexity of these rock formations suggest that they result from the collision of three former continents. The park has extensive limestone and marble formations, natural arches, sinkholes and bluffs. It also includes three of New Zealand's largest cave systems. The Ellis Basin cave system
6050-461: The South Island, along with the rest of New Zealand, briefly became a part of the Colony of New South Wales . This declaration was in response to France's attempts to colonise the South Island at Akaroa and the New Zealand Company attempts to establish a separate colony in Wellington , and so Hobson declared British sovereignty over all of New Zealand on 21 May 1840 (the North Island by treaty and
6160-650: The South Island. Four Māori died and three were wounded in the incident, while among the Europeans the toll was 22 dead and five wounded. Twelve of the Europeans were shot dead or clubbed to death after surrendering to Māori who were pursuing them. The Otago Settlement, sponsored by the Free Church of Scotland , took concrete form in Otago in March 1848 with the arrival of the first two immigrant ships from Greenock (on
6270-410: The South by discovery). Seven days after the declaration, the Treaty was signed at Akaroa on 28 May. On 17 June 1843, Māori and British settlers clashed at Wairau in what became known as the Wairau Affray . Also known as the Wairau Massacre in most older texts, it was the first serious clash of arms between the two parties after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi and the only one to take place in
6380-454: The airstream continues to the east beyond the mountains, it holds much less moisture, leading to reduced annual rainfall in the east. The effect can be seen in the west to east progression of average annual rainfall in towns to the north of the park boundary, with Collingwood having 3,371 mm (132.7 in), Tākaka having 2,012 mm (79.2 in), and Motueka 1,341 mm (52.8 in). The park receives high annual rainfall, with
6490-399: The annual rainfall can reach 6,000 mm (240 in). However, on the eastern side of the park, the climate is typically drier. In prevailing westerly conditions, moisture-laden air from the Tasman Sea is forced to rise over the high elevations of the western ranges. As the air rises, it cools and the stored water vapour condenses to form rain. This is known as orographic precipitation . As
6600-415: The average annual rainfall in many areas exceeding 4,800 mm (190 in). Rainfall intensity can exceed 240 mm (9.4 in) in 24 hours, over much of the park. The high annual rainfall and high intensity, combined with the complex landforms and mountainous terrain creates a large number of steep rivers with the potential to cause significant flooding of low-lying land in the flood plains surrounding
6710-458: The average daily high temperature is between 21 °C (70 °F) and 23 °C (73 °F) with lows between 10 °C (50 °F) and 11 °C (52 °F). July is the coldest month, with average daily high of 13 °C (55 °F) and lows of 1 °C (34 °F). The average annual rainfall at Karamea, at the western boundary of the park is around 2,400 mm (94 in) but at sites with western exposure and at higher elevations,
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#17327870868656820-469: The burial-areas of the ancestors . Māori author Keri Hulme 's novel The Bone People (1985) has a title linked directly to the dual meaning of bone and "tribal people". Many iwi names begin with Ngāti or with Ngāi (from ngā āti and ngā ai respectively, both meaning roughly ' the offspring of ' ). Ngāti has become a productive morpheme in New Zealand English to refer to groups of people: examples are Ngāti Pākehā ( Pākehā as
6930-490: The capital of New Zealand from Auckland to Wellington that year. Several South Island nationalist groups emerged at the end of the 20th century and beginning of the 21st. The South Island Party fielded candidates in the 1999 general election but cancelled its registration in 2002. Several internet-based groups advocate their support for greater self-determination . On 13 October 2010, South Island Mayors led by Bob Parker of Christchurch displayed united support for
7040-692: The country's total population has steadily decreased, with the population of the South island now being less than that of the North Island's largest city, Auckland. This growing disparity has stabilised in recent years, with both the 2013 and 2018 censuses showing the South Island to have a very similar percentage of the national population (around 23%–24%). At the 2023 census, 82.8% of South Islanders identified as European ( Pākehā ), 11.3% as Māori , 3.4% as Pacific peoples , 10.5% as Asian , 1.6% as Middle Eastern/Latin American/African, 1.4% as other ethnicities. Percentages add to more than 100% as people can identify with more than one ethnicity. Europeans form
7150-405: The crew of Dutch explorer Abel Tasman who arrived in his ships Heemskerck and Zeehaen . In December 1642, Tasman anchored at the northern end of the island in Golden Bay / Mohua which he named Moordenaar's Bay (Murderers Bay) before sailing northward to Tonga following a clash with Māori. Tasman sketched sections of the two main islands' west coasts. Tasman called them Staten Landt , after
7260-406: The early 1600s from the western North Island by way of the Marlborough Sounds and successfully displaced local Māori. This dominance of the region lasted for roughly 200 years, until other iwi began to encroach on the area in the early 1800s. Ngāti Tūmatakōkiri eventually succumbed to invasions by Ngāti Apa from the Kāpiti Coast to the northeast, Ngāti Kuia from the east, and Ngāi Tahu from
7370-479: The east coast regions north of the Waiau Toa / Clarence River to Kāi Tahu. Kāi Tahu continued to push south, conquering Kaikōura . By the 1730s, Kāi Tahu had settled in Canterbury , including Banks Peninsula . From there they spread further south and into the West Coast . In 1827–28, Ngāti Toa under the leadership of Te Rauparaha successfully attacked Kāi Tahu at Kaikōura. Ngāti Toa then visited Kaiapoi Pā , ostensibly to trade. When they attacked their hosts,
7480-400: The establishment of a new national park in the area from the 1980s. In 1987, the management of the North West Nelson Forest Park was transferred to the newly formed Department of Conservation. The following year, an area of 86,946 ha (214,850 acres) within the Forest Park was designated as the Tasman Wilderness Area under the National Parks Act 1980 section 14, as an important step towards
7590-400: The far south of the island. Around the same time, a group of Māori migrated to Rēkohu (the Chatham Islands ), where, in adapting to the local climate and the availability of resources, they eventually evolved into a separate people known as the Moriori with its own distinct language – closely related to the parent culture and language in mainland New Zealand . One notable feature of
7700-429: The first Chinese migrants had been invited by the Otago Provincial government, they quickly became the target of hostility from white settlers and laws were enacted specifically to discourage them from coming to New Zealand. The South Island has no separately represented country subdivision , but is guaranteed 16 of the electorates in the New Zealand House of Representatives . A two-tier structure constituted under
7810-488: The first systematic discovery campaign led to finds of the bones of fifty birds, most of which were extinct species. In 2008, an area of 38 ha (94 acres) was designated as the Honeycomb Hill Caves Specially Protected Area. Access to this area is restricted and by permit only. The Tasman Wilderness Area is protected as a wilderness area under the National Parks Act 1980 section 14. The Tasman Wilderness covers 86,946 ha (214,850 acres) within Kahurangi National Park. It
7920-467: The form of hapū ( ' sub-tribes ' ) and whānau ( ' family ' ). Each iwi contains a number of hapū ; among the hapū of the Ngāti Whātua iwi, for example, are Te Uri-o-Hau , Te Roroa , Te Taoū , and Ngāti Whātua-o-Ōrākei . Māori use the word rohe to describe the territory or boundaries of iwi. In modern-day New Zealand , iwi can exercise significant political power in
8030-499: The formation of a new national park. Although the area does not have the iconic geographic features of previously established New Zealand national parks, at the time of its creation there was increasing interest in protecting biodiversity and geodiversity. Creation of a new national park was recommended by the Conservation Authority in 1993, but the Kahurangi National Park was not established until 1996. The new park
8140-486: The four brothers into the mountain ranges on top of it. Charcoal drawings can be found on limestone rock shelters in the centre of the South Island, with over 550 sites stretching from Kaikōura to North Otago . The drawings are estimated to be between 500 and 800 years old and portray animals, people and fantastic creatures, possibly stylised reptiles. Some of the birds pictured are long extinct, including moa and Haast's eagles . They were drawn by early Māori , but by
8250-506: The growing New Zealand Māori population tried to keep a connection to their culture, family history, spirituality, community, language and iwi . The Victoria University of Wellington Te Reo Māori Society campaigned for Māori radio, helping to set up Te Reo o Poneke, the first Māori-owned radio operation, using airtime on Wellington student-radio station Radio Active in 1983. Twenty-one iwi radio stations were set up between 1989 and 1994, receiving Government funding in accordance with
8360-602: The historical Waitaha , with major settlements including in Kaiapoi Pā near modern-day Christchurch . During the Musket Wars expanding iwi colonised Te Tau Ihu , a region comprising parts of modern-day Tasman , Nelson and Malborough , including Ngāti Kuia , Rangitāne , Ngāti Tama , and later Ngāti Toarangatira after Te Rauparaha's wars of conquest. British settlement began with expansive and cheap land purchases early on, and settlers quickly outnumbered Māori. As
8470-463: The inland areas of the region was generally less common. Outside of frequently used trade routes connecting the top of the South Island to the West Coast, this was typically limited to seasonal hunting expeditions rather than the more permanent habitation along the coast. For much of the region's history, Ngāti Tūmatakōkiri were mana whenua (held authority in) the region, having arrived in
8580-548: The island from north to south. They include New Zealand's highest peak, Aoraki / Mount Cook , at 3,724 metres (12,218 feet). The high Kaikōura Ranges lie to the northeast. The east side of the island is home to the Canterbury Plains , while the West Coast is renowned for its rough coastlines, such as Fiordland , a very high proportion of native bush and national parks , and the Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers . With
8690-587: The island's name phonetically as "Toai poonamoo". In the 19th century, some maps identified the South Island as Middle Island or New Munster (named after Munster province in Southern Ireland) with the name South Island or New Leinster was used for today's Stewart Island / Rakiura . In 1907, the Minister for Lands gave instructions to the Land and Survey Department that the name Middle Island
8800-513: The landforms within the park are considered to be nationally or internationally significant. Its geology is complex, and is the most diverse of any of New Zealand's protected areas. It includes the best sequence of palaezoic rocks in the country. The complexity of these rock formations suggest that they result from the collision of three former continents. Kahurangi National Park also contains 80% of all New Zealand's alpine species. It also contains around 18 endemic bird species. The park includes
8910-575: The landforms within the park are considered to be nationally or internationally significant. The western boundary of the park follows the route of the Heaphy Track along the coast from just south of the Kōhaihai River past Scotts Beach and north to the mouth of the Heaphy River . The route of the Heaphy Track then moves inland, but the park boundary carries on along the coastline to just past Kahurangi Point . This northern section of coastline
9020-747: The majority in all districts of the South Island, ranging from 75.9% in Christchurch City to 92.1% in the Waimakariri district . The proportion of South Islanders born overseas at the 2018 census was 21.4%. The most common foreign countries of birth are England (22.0% of overseas-born residents), Australia (8.8%), the Philippines (7.9%), Mainland China (6.5%) and India (5.4%). Around 48.6 percent of South Islanders affiliate with Christianity and 3.1 percent affiliate with non-Christian religions, while 45.8 percent are irreligious. Anglicanism
9130-562: The management of land and of other assets. For example, the 1997 Treaty of Waitangi settlement between the New Zealand Government and Ngāi Tahu , compensated that iwi for various losses of the rights guaranteed under the Treaty of Waitangi of 1840. As of 2019 the tribe has collective assets under management of $ 1.85 billion. Iwi affairs can have a real impact on New Zealand politics and society. A 2004 attempt by some iwi to test in court their ownership of
9240-532: The mouth of the Patea River ), and New Munster Province (and the southern portion of the North Island , up to the mouth of the Patea River , the South Island and Stewart Island). Each province had a Governor and Legislative and Executive Council, in addition to the Governor-in-Chief and Legislative and Executive Council for the whole colony. The 1846 Constitution Act was later suspended, and only
9350-475: The official opening, a ministerial party led by the prime minister, Jim Bolger , Denis Marshall, and Nick Smith (MP for the Tasman electorate ) was flown by helicopter to Balloon Hut, south of the Cobb Reservoir. From there, they walked out via Flora Hut. Five small parcels consisting of unmodified coastal areas and forest with high conservation values totalling 900 ha (2,200 acres) were added to
9460-523: The palm family, and the section of coastline north of Kōhaihai is one of the easiest places to see large groves. The grove close to the Kohaihai end of the Heaphy Track is claimed to be the largest in the South Island. The Kahurangi Marine Reserve is not part of the national park but is immediately adjacent to its western coastline. It extends along 16 km (9.9 mi) between Wekakura Point and Crayfish Point, and 5 km (3.1 mi) out to sea. It
9570-461: The park in 2016. In 2007, Kahurangi National Park was added to the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites , along with Farewell Spit and the Canaan karst system. The Mōkihinui River is a river on the West Coast about 40 kilometres north of Westport . The river catchment area is a largely unmodified landscape of open tussock, podocarp-beech forests, and the pristine river itself. The area
9680-513: The park include the Australasian bittern (classified as vulnerable), and the New Zealand scaup . The park is also a key habitat for powelliphanta , a group of carnivorous native land snails. Of the 64 known species of powelliphanta , 29 are endemic — found only in Kahurangi National Park. Both of New Zealand's only native land mammals, the short-tailed bat (pekapeka) and the long-tailed bat (pekapeka tou-roa) have been identified in
9790-591: The park provided habitat for cave dwelling species. One notable example is the Nelson cave spider Spelungula , a monotypic genus of large-clawed spiders that has only been found in caves in the northwestern part of the South Island. A new species of flightless cricket was discovered in the park in 2023. South Island The South Island ( Māori : Te Waipounamu [tɛ wɐ.i.pɔ.ʉ.nɐ.mʉ] , lit. 'the waters of Greenstone ', officially South Island or Te Waipounamu or archaically New Munster )
9900-480: The park, including 67 that are endemic – found nowhere else. The range of species present in the park far exceeds the diversity of native plants in any other New Zealand National Park. Further, Kahurangi National Park has 80% of all New Zealand's alpine species. Notable plants that are endemic to Kahurangi National Park or the immediately adjacent region include: The fauna of the park includes around 18 endemic bird species including some classified as endangered such as
10010-611: The park. The Karamea River drains to the Tasman Sea through the Ōtūmahana Estuary at Karamea, and is the largest river in the park. It has a catchment area of 1,210 km (470 sq mi) including its tributaries that represents around 23% of the entire area of Kahurangi National Park. Another major river draining the western areas of the park is the Mōkihinui, with a total catchment area of approximately 750 km (290 sq mi) of which 685 km (264 sq mi)
10120-466: The park. A new species of skink, Oligosoma kahurangi was identified in 2021. It was found in slate scree in montane tussock grassland. It has been classified as Threatened − Nationally Critical. There is a wide diversity of terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates in the park, and many of these are endemic, such as the Mt Arthur giant wētā . The extensive areas of karst and multiple cave systems within
10230-607: The provincial government provisions were implemented. Early in 1848 Edward John Eyre was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of New Munster. The Provincial Council of New Munster had only one legislative session, in 1849, before it succumbed to the virulent attacks of settlers from Wellington . Governor Sir George Grey , sensible to the pressures, inspired an ordinance of the General Legislative Council under which new Legislative Councils would be established in each province with two-thirds of their members elected on
10340-620: The river mouths and estuaries in the area. The Anaweka waka found near the park's western boundary was built as early as 1226 CE, and was sailed as late as 1400 CE. It is one of only two-long distance voyaging canoes known to have survived to modern times, and was probably used for return journeys from New Zealand back to the Pacific. The mouth of the Anaweka River , where the waka was discovered, supported many settlements. The area had an abundance of food resources, with middens from
10450-399: The seabed and foreshore areas polarised public opinion (see New Zealand foreshore and seabed controversy ). In Māori and in many other Polynesian languages , iwi literally means ' bone ' derived from Proto-Oceanic * suRi ₁ meaning ' thorn, splinter, fish bone ' . Māori may refer to returning home after travelling or living elsewhere as "going back to the bones" — literally to
10560-623: The size of the park by 14%. The area added to the park includes part of the route of the Old Ghost Road , a 85-kilometre (53 mi) mountain biking and hiking trail that follows a historic gold miners' route. The significance of the Mokihinui region to the Ngāi Tahu iwi and Ngāti Waewae, the rūnanga for the area, was marked with the placement of a pouwhenua in July 2019. Kahurangi
10670-463: The south, losing a decisive battle to the latter near Whanganui Inlet . Mana whenua status in the area was contested for much of the early 19th century, eventually settling with Te Atiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui , Ngāti Rārua and Ngāti Tama having authority in the Tasman region and Ngāi Tahu controlling from Kahurangi Point south. Early Europeans to visit the area were sealers. The seal colonies along
10780-483: The stations must produce programmes in the local Māori language and actively promote local Māori culture. A two-year Massey University survey of 30,000 people published in 2003 indicated 50 per cent of Māori in National Māori Radio Network broadcast areas listened to an iwi station. An Auckland University of Technology study in 2009 suggested the audience of iwi radio stations would increase as
10890-551: The summer of 1831–32 Te Rauparaha attacked the Kaiapoi pā (fortified village). Kaiapoi was engaged in a three-month siege by Te Rauparaha, during which his men successfully sapped the pā. They then attacked Kāi Tahu on Banks Peninsula and took the pā at Onawe . In 1832–33 Kāi Tahu retaliated under the leadership of Tūhawaiki and others, attacking Ngāti Toa at Lake Grassmere . Kāi Tahu prevailed, and killed many Ngāti Toa, although Te Rauparaha again escaped. Fighting continued for
11000-426: The tableland, and this led to a gold rush to the area. His brother John grazed sheep in the area in 1875. The special character of flora and fauna in the region was recognised prior to 1920. One particular example is the Gouland Downs, an area with unusual geology and vegetation, situated at around 600 m (2,000 ft) elevation to the west of Mt Perry. The Gouland Downs was one of eleven sanctuaries designated by
11110-654: The time Europeans arrived, local Māori did not know the origins of the drawings. Early inhabitants of the South Island were the Waitaha . They were largely absorbed via marriage and conquest by the Kāti Māmoe in the 16th century. Kāti Māmoe were in turn largely absorbed via marriage and conquest by the Kāi Tahu who migrated south in the 17th century. While today there is no distinct Kāti Māmoe organisation, many Kāi Tahu have Kāti Māmoe links in their whakapapa and especially in
11220-408: The traditional tribal territory and these will have difficulties, which in many cases will be severe, in both relating to their tribal heritage and in accessing benefits from the settlement. It is also said that many Maori reject tribal affiliation because of a working-class unemployed attitude, defiance and frustration. Related but less important factors, are that a hapu may belong to more than one iwi,
11330-409: The tussock landscape. The remaining areas of the Gouland Downs have shallow and infertile soil where the only plants that thrive are tussocks and rushes. The Cobb region is a montane catchment on argillite , ancient volcanics, and ultramafics . It supports beech and conifer-beech forests, valley floor scrub and tussock-grasslands, and sub-alpine grasslands. The region includes several alpine lakes and
11440-430: The two main islands of New Zealand are called the North Island and the South Island , with the definite article . It is also normal to use the preposition in rather than on , for example "Christchurch is in the South Island", "my mother lives in the South Island". Maps, headings, tables, and adjectival expressions use South Island without "the". As it is 32% larger than the North Island but contains less than
11550-728: The well-prepared Kāi Tahu killed all the leading Ngāti Toa chiefs except Te Rauparaha. Te Rauparaha returned to his Kapiti Island stronghold. In November 1830, Te Rauparaha persuaded Captain John Stewart of the brig Elizabeth to carry him and his warriors in secret to Akaroa , whereby in subterfuge they captured the leading Kāi Tahu chief, Tama-i-hara-nui , and his wife and daughter. After destroying Tama-i-hara-nui's village, they took their captives to Kapiti and killed them. John Stewart, though arrested and sent to trial in Sydney as an accomplice to murder, nevertheless escaped conviction. In
11660-459: The wilderness area in any direction. Tracks, facilities and the use of vehicles are prohibited, in accordance with its status as a wilderness. The weather in Kahurangi National Park is very changeable, especially at high altitudes. After heavy rainfall many rivers and streams become impassable. In winter, heavy snowfalls may occur at higher altitudes. For the Heaphy Track, in January and February,
11770-748: Was based largely on the area that had previously been the North West Nelson Forest Park, along with the Tasman Wilderness Area. At the time of approval, the new national park was the 13th national park to be established in New Zealand, and protected 452,000 ha (1,120,000 acres) of land. In his announcement about the establishment of the park, the Minister of Conservation , Denis Marshall said: "It consists of extensive areas of native forest and limestone and marble landscape which has international significance". For
11880-520: Was generally peaceful. In 1861, gold was discovered at Gabriel's Gully in Central Otago , sparking a gold rush . Dunedin became the wealthiest city in the country, and many in the South Island resented financing the North Island's wars. In the 1860s, several thousand Chinese men, mostly from the Guangdong province, migrated to New Zealand to work on the South Island goldfields. Although
11990-647: Was highly rated for its biodiversity values, but prior to 2019, it was classified as stewardship land − the lowest level of protection for publicly-owned conservation land. In 2007, Meridian Energy had proposed to build the Mokihinui Hydro project on the river. The project was controversial and in May 2012 it was cancelled. In 2019, 64,400 ha (159,000 acres) of land in the Mōkihinui River catchment, including 15 km (9.3 mi) of river bed, were added to Kahurangi National Park. The addition increased
12100-542: Was not to be used in the future. "South Island will be adhered to in all cases". Although the island had been known as the South Island for many years, in 2009 the New Zealand Geographic Board found that along with the North Island, the South Island had no official name. After a public consultation, the board officially named the island South Island or Te Waipounamu in October 2013. In prose,
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