35-622: Arthur's Pass , previously called Camping Flat then Bealey Flats , and for some time officially Arthurs Pass , is a township in the Southern Alps of the South Island of New Zealand, located in the Selwyn district. It is a popular base for exploring Arthur's Pass National Park . Arthur's Pass township is about five kilometres (3.1 mi) south of the mountain pass with the same name. At an elevation of 740 metres (2,430 ft) above sea level,
70-524: A general store, a petrol station, tea rooms and restaurants. Arthurs Pass is well known as a starting point for many excellent tramping tracks within the Arthurs Pass National Park. There are also several good walks from here, including the Devil's Punchbowl Falls, Bealey Valley and Avalanche Peak. The mischievous kea (New Zealand mountain parrot) can be found here. The club skifield Temple Basin
105-750: A population density of 0.05 people per km . Craigieburn had a population of 159 at the 2018 New Zealand census , a decrease of 63 people (−28.4%) since the 2013 census , and a decrease of 39 people (−19.7%) since the 2006 census . There were 81 households, comprising 93 males and 66 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.41 males per female. The median age was 45.8 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 18 people (11.3%) aged under 15 years, 36 (22.6%) aged 15 to 29, 81 (50.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 27 (17.0%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 90.6% European/ Pākehā , 9.4% Māori , 1.9% Pasifika , 5.7% Asian , and 1.9% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas
140-644: A population of 48 at the 2018 New Zealand census , a decrease of 6 people (−11.1%) since the 2013 census , and a decrease of 27 people (−36.0%) since the 2006 census . There were 30 households, comprising 27 males and 21 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.29 males per female. The median age was 44.0 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 3 people (6.2%) aged under 15 years, 9 (18.8%) aged 15 to 29, 30 (62.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 3 (6.2%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 81.2% European/ Pākehā , 6.2% Pasifika , and 18.8% Asian . People may identify with more than one ethnicity. Although some people chose not to answer
175-571: A report to Cass. Arthur Dobson did not name the pass, which he found very steep on the western side. Dobson gave the name "Camping Flat" to the site that became the township. When the West Coast gold rush began in 1864, a committee of businessmen offered a £200 prize for anyone who would find a better or more suitable pass from Canterbury over the Southern Alps to West Canterbury (the West Coast). At
210-528: A spa near Lewis Pass , the town of Arthur's Pass , and Mount Cook Village . Major crossings of the Southern Alps in the New Zealand road network include Lewis Pass ( SH 7 ), Arthur's Pass ( SH 73 ), Haast Pass ( SH 6 ), and the road to Milford Sound ( SH 94 ). New Zealand has a humid maritime, temperate climate with the Southern Alps lying perpendicular to the prevailing westerly flow of air. Annual precipitation varies greatly across
245-473: Is frequently visible in summer across Canterbury and North Otago . The 'Nor'wester' is a foehn wind similar to the Chinook of Canada, where mountain ranges in the path of prevailing moisture laden winds force air upwards, thus cooling the air and condensing the moisture to rain, producing hot dry winds in the descending air lee of the mountains. The Southern Alps lie along a geological plate boundary , part of
280-464: Is nearby and is a popular attraction through winter. The town can be reached by The Tranz Alpine Express train on the famous Midland Line . State Highway 73 also passes through the town. Southern Alps The Southern Alps ( Māori : Kā Tiritiri o te Moana ; officially Southern Alps / Kā Tiritiri o te Moana ) are a mountain range extending along much of the length of New Zealand's South Island , reaching its greatest elevations near
315-587: Is the name of a settlement and several geographic features in northwest Canterbury , in New Zealand's South Island . The Craigieburn Range of mountains is located on the south banks of the Waimakariri River , south of Arthur's Pass . The Craigieburn Valley Ski Area is located on its slopes, as is the Craigieburn Forest Park . The ski slopes are within an hour and a half from Christchurch New Zealand. The small Lake Hawdon lies immediately to
350-633: The Marlborough , Canterbury and Otago regions to the southeast and the Tasman and West Coast regions to the northwest. The Māori name of the range is Kā Tiritiri o te Moana , meaning "the Mirage of the Ocean". The English explorer James Cook bestowed the name Southern Alps on 23 March 1770, admiring their "prodigious height". They had previously been noted by Abel Tasman in 1642, whose description of
385-626: The Pacific Ring of Fire , with the Pacific Plate to the southeast pushing westward and colliding with the northward-moving Indo-Australian Plate to the northwest. Over the last 45 million years, the collision has pushed up a 20 km thickness of rocks on the Pacific Plate to form the Alps, although much of this has been eroded away. Uplift has been most rapid during the last 5 million years, and
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#1732855013853420-473: The great spotted kiwi (Apteryx haastii) , the South Island kākā (Nestor meridionalis meridionalis) , and the orange-fronted kākāriki (Cyanoramphus malherbi) . The kea can be found in the forested foothills as well as higher, colder elevations. It is the world's only alpine parrot , and was once hunted as a pest. The mountains are inaccessible and retain their natural vegetation. A large proportion of
455-563: The Alpine Fault to dip-slip motion at these subduction zones to the north creates the Marlborough Fault System , which has resulted in significant uplift in the region. In 2017 a large international team of scientists reported they had discovered beneath Whataroa , a small township on the Alpine Fault, "extreme" hydrothermal activity which "could be commercially very significant". The mountains are rich in flora with about 25% of
490-618: The Otira Tunnel as part of its 223 kilometres (139 mi) journey from Christchurch to Greymouth . The trip is considered one of the world's great train journeys due to its scenery and views. A power station was built below the Devil's Punchbowl Falls to provide electricity for the tunnel construction and for the village itself. In 1929, the Arthur's Pass National Park was established, New Zealand's third national park . An earthquake measuring 7.1 struck Arthurs Pass on 9 March 1929 . Slips closed
525-727: The South Island's west coast is often translated as "a land uplifted high". Following the passage of the Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998 , the official name of the range was updated to Southern Alps / Kā Tiritiri o te Moana . The Southern Alps run approximately 500 km northeast to southwest. Its tallest peak is Aoraki / Mount Cook , the highest point in New Zealand at 3,724 metres (12,218 ft). The Southern Alps include sixteen other points that exceed 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) in height (see NZ mountains by height ). The mountain ranges are bisected by glacial valleys, many of which are infilled with glacial lakes on
560-480: The apostrophe. On 16 September 1975 the New Zealand Post Office also adopted the spelling with the apostrophe. Arthur's Pass is described by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement, and covers 0.27 km (0.10 sq mi). It had an estimated population of 40 as of June 2024, with a population density of 148 people per km. It is part of the statistical area of Craigieburn . Arthur's Pass had
595-438: The census's question about religious affiliation, 56.2% had no religion, 31.2% were Christian and 6.2% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 24 (53.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 3 (6.7%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $ 36,600, compared with $ 31,800 nationally. 9 people (20.0%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15
630-468: The conifer snow totara (Podocarpus nivalis) and Carex sedge grasses. Wildlife of the mountains includes the endemic rock wren (Xenicus gilviventris) . There are also a number of endemic insects adapted to these high altitudes, like flies, moths, beetles, bees, and the mountain stone wētā , which can freeze solid over winter to survive the alpine conditions. The beech forests of the lower elevations are important habitat for several birds, such as
665-573: The country's plant species being found above the treeline in alpine plant habitats and grassland with mountain beech forest at lower elevations (of the eastern side but not in Westland ). The cold windswept slopes above the treeline are covered with areas of fellfield . To the east, the Alps descend to the Canterbury-Otago tussock grasslands . Plants adapted to the alpine conditions include woody shrubs like Hebe , Dracophyllum , and Coprosma ,
700-551: The eastern side including Lake Coleridge in the north and Lake Wakatipu in Otago in the south. According to an inventory conducted in the late 1970s, the Southern Alps contained over 3,000 glaciers larger than one hectare, the longest of which – the Tasman Glacier – is 23.5 kilometres (14.6 mi) in length which has retreated from a recent maximum of 29 kilometres (18 mi) in the 1960s. Settlements include Maruia Springs,
735-490: The history of Arthur's Pass (including Richard Seddon 's stagecoach) and archives detailing the history of the National Park. In 2019 the building was declared earthquake prone, and the visitor centre was moved to a portacabin across the road. The cost to upgrade the building to the required standard was estimated at NZ$ 3 million. Visitor accommodation is provided, from camp ground up to hotel standard. The township provides
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#1732855013853770-610: The mountains continue to be raised today by tectonic pressure, causing earthquakes on the Alpine Fault and other nearby faults. Despite the substantial uplift, most of the relative motion along the Alpine Fault is transverse , not vertical . However, significant dip-slip occurs on the plate boundary to the north and east of the North Island, in the Hikurangi Trough and Kermadec Trench . The transfer of motion from strike-slip on
805-478: The prevailing westerly winds, the range creates excellent wave soaring conditions for glider pilots. The town of Omarama , in the lee of the mountains, has gained an international reputation for its gliding conditions. The prevailing westerlies also create a weather pattern known as the Nor'west arch , in which moist air is pushed up over the mountains, forming an arch of cloud in an otherwise blue sky. This weather pattern
840-672: The range is well protected by national parks—notably the Westland Tai Poutini National Park , Mount Aspiring National Park , and Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park —or by protected areas such as Lake Sumner Forest Park . Indigenous plant life is affected by introduced animals such as red deer ( Cervus elaphus ), chamois ( Rupicapra rupicapra ), and Himalayan tahr ( Hemitragus jemlahicus ), all of which have at times been targeted for culling. Likewise, native birds and reptiles are vulnerable to introduced predators. Craigieburn, New Zealand#Demographics Craigieburn
875-515: The range's western side. The name "Southern Alps" generally refers to the entire range, although separate names are given to many of the smaller ranges that form part of it. The range includes the South Island's Main Divide , which separates the water catchments of the more heavily populated eastern side of the island from those on the west coast. Politically, the Main Divide forms the boundary between
910-479: The range, from 3,000 millimetres (120 in) at the West Coast , 15,000 millimetres (590 in) close to the Main Divide, to 1,000 millimetres (39 in) 30 kilometres (19 mi) east of the Main Divide. This high precipitation aids the growth of glaciers above the snow line . Large glaciers and snowfields can be found west of or on the Main Divide, with smaller glaciers farther east (See Glaciers of New Zealand ). Because of its orientation perpendicular to
945-511: The road to the west coast for months and there was damage to the railway lines. The earthquake was thought to have occurred due to movement along the Poulter Fault. The Geographic Board had a policy of omitting apostrophes in place names, and the name was officially changed to "Arthurs Pass". This caused an upset with the local population, and the Minister of Lands reinstated the old version with
980-515: The same time George Dobson, (another brother), was sent to examine every available pass between the watershed of the Taramakau , Waimakariri , and the Hurunui . After examining passes at the head of every valley he reported that "Arthur's" pass was by far the most suitable for the direct crossing. The township, at the time named Bealey Flats after the second Superintendent of Canterbury, Samuel Bealey ,
1015-415: The settlement is surrounded by beech forest. The Bealey River runs through the township. The town is located 153 kilometres (95 mi) from Christchurch, a two-hour drive on State Highway 73 . The township and the pass take their names after Arthur Dudley Dobson (1841–1934, Sir Arthur from 1931). The Chief Surveyor of Canterbury Province , Thomas Cass , had tasked Arthur Dobson to find out if there
1050-687: The west of Craigieburn. During the summer months five species of grasshoppers can be found along the Craigieburn Range . They include Sigaus villosus which can be found along the ridgelines, Brachaspis nivalis which lives on the rocky scree , Sigaus australis , Paprides nitidus which both live in the alpine tussocklands and Phaulacridium marginale which can be found in the tussocklands below 1100 m. Craigieburn statistical area, which includes Arthur's Pass and Castle Hill Village , covers 3,407.52 km (1,315.65 sq mi). It had an estimated population of 180 as of June 2024, with
1085-548: Was 24.5, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 58.5% had no religion, 30.2% were Christian , 1.9% were Buddhist and 7.5% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 45 (31.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 15 (10.6%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $ 35,600, compared with $ 31,800 nationally. 21 people (14.9%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15
Arthur's Pass - Misplaced Pages Continue
1120-492: Was an available pass out of the Waimakariri watershed into valleys running to the West Coast . In 1864 Arthur's brother Edward Henry Dobson joined him and accompanied him over the watershed into the valley of the Ōtira River . A West Coast Māori chief , Tarapuhi, told Arthur of a pass that Māori hunting-parties occasionally used. When Arthur returned to Christchurch , he sketched the country he had traversed and included it in
1155-610: Was originally built as a construction village for the building of the Otira Tunnel , which started on 14 January 1908. The railway from Christchurch reached Arthur's Pass township in 1914, the Westland section having advanced to Otira . Construction of the tunnel was very slow; it finally finished in 1923, and its opening marked by the British and Intercolonial Exhibition . The TranzAlpine passenger rail service passes through Arthur's Pass and
1190-564: Was that 30 (66.7%) people were employed full-time, 9 (20.0%) were part-time, and 3 (6.7%) were unemployed. Arthur's Pass township lies in a valley about 750 metres above sea level and is about 4 km south of Arthur's Pass (920 m). The town falls under the Köppen-Geiger climate classification of Cfb (Oceanic). Snowfall is not uncommon during winter, especially in the mountains above the village. The coldest temperature recorded in Arthurs Pass
1225-542: Was −18.9 °C (−2 °F) at Bealey on 19 July 1878. New Zealand's first national park visitor centre was built in Arthur's Pass in 1959, with the help of the Christchurch Wanderers Tramping Club. It was designed by Christchurch architect Paul Pascoe and used local stone to reflect the geology of the national park. As well as Department of Conservation offices, the building housed museum displays on
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