42-649: Little Wanganui is a dairy-farming village on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand, on the Little Wanganui River . It is 77 kilometres (48 mi) north of Westport and 21 kilometres (13 mi) south of Karamea , at the opposite end of the Karamea Beach. The settlement has a pub , community hall, and volunteer fire brigade, and in 2013 the population was 207. There is
84-453: A Household School from 1917 until a schoolhouse was built. The road to Blue Duck Creek was narrow and frequently washed away by floods; an exceptionally large flood in 1922 destroyed a critical bridge connection with Little Wanganui, and settlers began to leave the area. The school closed in 1922. On 17 June 1929 the magnitude 7.3 Murchison earthquake struck the area, causing extensive slips and damage to buildings. A huge natural dam formed in
126-527: A population of 207 at the 2013 New Zealand census , an increase of 3 people since the 2006 census. There were 111 males and 96 females. 95.2% were European/Pākehā, 3.2% were Māori, 1.6% were Pacific peoples and 0.0% were Asian. The first school in Little Wanganui was a room in the Rasmussen farmhouse, and a government-sponsored schoolroom opened in 1894; the first teacher, Miss Julia Curtin, was on
168-467: 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, the area was famous across New Zealand for its richness in pounamu greenstone. Kāi Tahu traded millions of modern New Zealand dollars ' worth of
210-456: A salary of £20. A school building was constructed at the beachfront in 1902, and replaced in 1907 at the cost of £225; the roll gradually increased to 23 in the 1920s. After the Murchison earthquake the schoolroom was threatened by erosion, and was relocated in 1931 at a cost of £189 to the middle of the settlement, beside the main road to Westport. The school closed in 1946 when Little Wanganui
252-508: A surfing beach, and the Little Wanganui River is popular for whitebaiting and fishing for brown trout . The area was occupied intermittently by Ngāi Tahu Māori, and later by European sealers in 1836 and gold miners in 1864. Organised settlement started in the 1870s, helped by a government settlement scheme. The wharf was at first a mooring pile in the middle of the river, replaced by a proper wharf about 500 m upstream from
294-606: A team of locals volunteered their time and skills to build the hall and wire it for electricity. With yellow pine pilings and matai flooring, it opened on 17 December 1954. In 1955, the Little Wanganui Hotel was also relocated 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from the former port to the Karamea Highway; the timber from the old hotel was used to build the new pub. The western end of the Wangapeka Track
336-464: A trunk up to 2 m diametre. The leaves are linear to sickle-shaped, 10–15 mm long and 1.5–2 mm broad. The seed cones are highly modified, reduced to a central stem 3–4 cm long bearing 1-6 scales, each scale maturing berry-like, 10–15 mm long, violet-purple with a soft edible pulp covering the single seed . The seeds are dispersed by the New Zealand pigeon (kererū), which eats
378-466: 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
420-576: 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
462-907: 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
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#1732794115345504-548: Is located to the north-east of Little Wanganui, at the end of Wangapeka Road. West Coast, New Zealand The West Coast ( Māori : Te Tai Poutini , lit. 'The Coast of Poutini, 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
546-518: 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 the Canterbury Plains and in the Firth of Thames , they have been almost completely destroyed for settlement and agriculture. Scenic areas include
588-725: 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 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
630-499: 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 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
672-480: The 'berries' and passes the seeds in its droppings . The scientific name taxifolia derives from the resemblance of the leaves to those of the yew ( Taxus ). In the past the species, like the other species of Prumnopitys , was often included in Podocarpus ; in this species under the name Podocarpus spicatus . It is distinguished from Prumnopitys ferruginea (miro) by the shorter, more slender leaves and
714-399: 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
756-552: 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 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
798-627: 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, 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
840-409: The Little Wanganui gorge; this burst three months later, the flood of mud and boulders destroying 4 miles of road and numerous structures, but causing no loss of life. One consequence of the Murchison earthquake was the filling in of the river mouth with silt and gravel washed down from the mountains, making navigation increasingly hazardous. Shipping stopped in 1946, and in 1952 the port was closed and
882-718: 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
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#1732794115345924-428: 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 is the least populous of New Zealand's sixteen regions. The West Coast
966-420: 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
1008-401: The divaricating branchlets will wither and drop off. Mataī are the host plant for caterpillars of the New Zealand endemic moth species Pyrgotis zygiana . The seeds of this tree also play host to another endemic moth, Heterocrossa iophaea . The timber of this tree was used extensively in New Zealand for flooring during the mid-20th century. Mataī is not threatened, although as
1050-424: 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
1092-408: The globose violet-purple cones. Unlike the related miro ( Prumnopitys ferruginea ), mataī has a distinctive and long-lasting juvenile stage. The juvenile is a shrub with a tangle of slender, flexible, divaricating branchlets interspersed with a scattering of brown, pale yellow, or dirty white leaves. After a number of years, the adult tree begins to grow out of the top of the juvenile shrub and then
1134-416: 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 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
1176-477: 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 the region is public land administered by the Department of Conservation and the region has some of
1218-498: The region. Air New Zealand flies between Christchurch and Hokitika and Sounds Air between Wellington and Westport. Prumnopitys taxifolia Prumnopitys taxifolia , the mataī ( Māori : mataī ) or black pine , is an endemic New Zealand coniferous tree that grows on the North Island and South Island . It also occurs on Stewart Island / Rakiura (47 °S) but is uncommon there. It grows up to 40 m high, with
1260-510: The remote upriver areas of Wangapeka Valley and Blue Duck Creek. Wangapeka children walked to school in Little Wanganui, several miles away, until a schoolhouse was built in 1921. One of the first wirelesses in the area was installed at the school in 1928. In the 1930s, the Marris and Wollett sawmill began operating in the valley, but the population of Wangapeka gradually fell until the school closed in 1935. At Blue Duck Creek, children attended
1302-442: The river mouth around 1900 to allow for the loading of timber. A signal station was staffed to let boats know when the tide would allow them to enter. In the early 1900s there were monthly arrivals of supply ships from Westport, which would continue on to Karamea to load up on butter, timber, and flax . By the 1920s there were several sawmills in the area, serviced by a busy port. Before World War One families had begun to settle in
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1344-626: 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 the population resides. It is divided into the three local government districts of (from north to south) Buller , Grey and Westland . The land
1386-470: 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 was subsequently settled by thousands of Irish Catholics after the Irish Famine , who constitute the majority of the population, alongside
1428-422: 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
1470-433: The wharf dismantled. The last shipping from Little Wanganui was in 1963–1964, when the flat-bottomed scow Kowai took three loads of rimu timber to Nelson . The Kowai was able to enter and leave the river on the spring tide , but on its third trip missed the tide and ended up on shore for weeks, which strained her timbers; she narrowly avoided sinking on the return trip to Golden Bay and never sailed again. A bridge
1512-481: 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 the West Coast are colloquially known as "Coasters". The region reaches from Kahurangi Point in the north to Awarua Point in
1554-563: 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
1596-597: Was built across the Little Wanganui River in 1910, and a road to Westport constructed in 1916 which followed the coast. After the 1929 earthquake, the coastline was elevated between 40 and 100 feet and suffered enormous slips and landslides. This necessitated a new inland route over the Karamea Bluffs to Westport – a two hour trip on a road that was steep, muddy, and often blocked by slips. Reticulated electricity did not arrive in Little Wanganui until 1962, replacing farm generators. Little Wanganui and its surrounds had
1638-465: Was integrated with Karamea: a teacher-driver took the pupils the 12 miles to Karamea, and the school building was sold and dismantled. In 1953 locals agreed to raise the funds to build a community hall on the site of the schoolhouse; the old hall and hotel were located next to the now-closed port. Rimu and mataī trees donated by a local farmer were felled in Wangapeka and milled at Granite Creek, and
1680-556: 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
1722-487: 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
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1764-491: 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, 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
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