Hokitika

The West Coast

Home to just 30,000 people, the West Coast area covers from Karamea in the North to Haast in the deep south. Westland alone has 8,000 people living in and enjoying the West Coast lifestyle. To drive the length of the West Coast takes approx.9 hours, the equivalent of driving from Wellington to Auckland. The West Coast is broken up into three districts; Buller, Greymouth and from the Taramakau River south to Haast is the Westland District.

The Westland District is home to many small towns steeped in history which dates back to the first Maori to settle here. The West Coast boasts many Maori place names to this day. People are proud to be Coasters and love referring to the Coast as home. West Coasters are known for their hospitality and being pioneering, hardy, down to earth, people.

Hokitika

Hokitika translates into English as – A Place of Return.

Hokitika became famous for the 1860’s Gold Rush, and is famous today for its celebrated Pounamu, dairy farming, and the world famous Wildfoods Festival which is held on the second Saturday in March every year.

European settlers soon found gold in the early 1860’s and came in their droves to make their fortune. Hokitika became the main port for travellers to land at. In its hey-day Hokitika’s Revell Street hosted over 100 hotels. The Tambo (pictured) was one of the many boats that shipwrecked on the infamous Hokitika bar.

Arahura

Just 5 minutes north of Hokitika is the famous Arahura River and legend has it that in the West Coast of the South Island there was a taniwha, or monster, named Poutini, who was in love with a beautiful woman named Waitaiki. He abducted her and was chased by Waitaiki’s husband. As her husband was closing in, Poutini took Waitaiki to the mouth of the Arahura River and turned her into greenstone, an aspect of his being. Today, Poutini is considered the spiritual guardian of pounamu, as well as the land and the people of the West Coast. Pounamu from the Arahura River is much sort after and ‘stoning’ and carving provide a much needed income for many people on the West Coast.

Ross

It was in Ross, 20 minutes south of Hokitika that the largest gold nugget in New Zealand was found in 1909. The “Honourable Roddy Nugget” was as big as a man’s fist and weighed 99 ounces. It was purchased by the N.Z. government and presented to King George V as a coronation gift.

 Ross remains a gold town to this day complete with a man-made lake – having previously been a gold mine – which is now the focal point of the districts popular fireworks display each year.

Many gold mining towns such as Kumara, Kaniere, Goldsborough and Blue Spur sprang up overnight and as more gold was discovered the population grew. Many descendents still remain on the area today. Along with mining, other services were needed to support the growing population. The timber industry on the Coast emerged from the gold mining days and continues to provide employment in the Westland District.

Today, the Westland District is well known as having some of the best dairy farms in the world. The conditions on the Coast are near to perfect in providing the best quality milk which is exported all over the world from Westland Milk Products located in Hokitika.

The tourist industry on the Coast is absolutely huge. People come from all the corners of the earth to marvel in the beauty of the Coast.

From the Southern Alps to the sea, the West Coast is abounding with spectacular rainforest and the most amazing flora and fauna on the planet.

Pukekura

Further south is the small town of Pukekura, pop. 2 (the Mayor and Mayoress of Pukekura), is a famously favourite tourist attraction complete with a massive Sandfly perched precariously on the front of the café which promotes the equally famous taste sensation of possum pies.

Hari Hari

As you continue on the West Coast journey south you travel through Hari Hari – famous for the first trans-Tasman solo flight landing. Yes, the plane landed upside down in swamp but Guy Menzies was still thrilled with his effort and the locals have a memorial dedicated to this great aviator in the main road of the township.

Whataroa

Whataroa is a known national and international haven for bird watchers to marvel at the natural habitat and nesting habits of the White Heron (Kotuku). This is the only place in New Zealand that these magnificent birds breed between September to March each year. Not just a birdwatcher's paradise, but an adventure paradise for everyone, Whataroa offers Rainforest Nature Tours all year round letting visitors experience first-hand the wonders and untouched beauty of South Westland.

Glacier Country

After travelling over Mt Hercules and through Whataroa before long you will find yourself in Glacier Country. It’s no wonder that the massive Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers are world famous as they are so accessible and spectacular.

Haast

As pioneers tried to tame the West Coast they travelled into its wilderness surveying and staked claim to many areas that had not previously seen man’s footprint. Times were tough but the pioneers were tougher and small communities were inhabited and thrived. Many of these pioneering families remain in the South Westland area to this very day. In 2010 Haast residents celebrated 50 years of the opening of the Haast Pass.

White Gold

Inanga – Whitebait – the Coast is famous for more than yellow gold! Whitebait is caught up and down the West Coast and is a much sort after delicacy. Years ago there was so much whitebait about that people dug it into their garden for compost.

Whitebait was so thick in the waterways that fences had to be made in creeks and rivers so that horses could have clear water to drink. Nowadays whitebait is a valuable commodity and can get a foot in the door to most things – on the promise of a kilo or two of West Coast ‘White Gold’.

The West Coast whitebait season runs from the 1st September until the 14th November each year and all along the Coast river’s whitebait stands spring up out of nowhere. Whitebaiting or ‘baiting is a time consuming passion that flows deep in any West Coaster’s veins. Catching a ‘feed’ for the family and some for the neighbours is usually good enough for most whitebaiters, however as these little see-through fish are much sort after and most people sell their catch which is distributed far and wide.