75-617: The Clock Tower Chambers , also known as the Westport Municipal Chambers , are the former municipal offices in Westport, New Zealand . Built during World War II , the building has been described as "possibly the jewel in the crown of West Coast historic buildings". It has a Category I registration with Heritage New Zealand . Westport was the first town on the West Coast to be settled by Europeans. It became an important centre after
150-778: A Māori attack on Nelson led to the formation of the Nelson Battalion of Militia in 1845. Nelson township was managed by the Nelson Provincial Council through a Board of Works constituted by the Provincial Government under the Nelson Improvement Act 1856 until 1874. It was proclaimed a Bishop's See and city under letters patent by Queen Victoria on 27 September 1858, the second New Zealand city proclaimed in this manner after Christchurch . Nelson only had some 5,000 residents at this time. Edmund Hobhouse
225-598: A NZ$ 500,000 scheme to assist farmers in Westport and the wider West Coast region with flood damage called "Task Force Green." In July 2022, Stuff reported that over 400 homes in Westport had not been fully repaired since the floods that struck the city in July 2021. Of the 563 flood damaged homes, just over 100 had fully completed their repairs. The Buller District Council and the West Coast Regional Council submitted
300-525: A NZ$ 54 million business case for the region which includes investing in flood walls, subsidising people to move from flood-prone areas, and investing in Westport's stormwater system. The Westport climate is strongly influenced by the high amount of precipitation from the Tasman Sea , with all months being rather wet on average. Despite very high annual rainfall, Westport is often prone to drought and conservation measures are sometimes triggered. While colder than
375-454: A clock tower to replace the tower that was lost in the 1929 earthquake. The borough council approved an NZ£ 8,000 loan towards the construction, professional fees, and the purchase of an adjacent section. Archibald Macdonald, a local architect in Westport, was engaged for the design of the municipal chambers. Macdonald chose the Moderne architecture style for his design. The construction contract
450-637: A historical relic and the Songer Tree marks the site on Signal Hill of the original flagpole. The Nelson-Tasman area comprises two unitary authorities – Nelson City, administered by the Nelson City Council , and Tasman District , administered by the Tasman District Council , based in Richmond 15 kilometres (9 miles) to the southwest. It is between Marlborough , another unitary authority, to
525-486: A large facility with seating for approximately 370 people and a stage for performing. The township also has a links-style, 18-hole, par-72 golf course. The course measures around 5,600 metres (18,400 ft) with medium to narrow fairways and small "target" greens. The Pulse Energy Recreation Centre (originally named the Solid Energy Centre), a sports complex, was opened on 18 April 2009. Te Taha o Te Awa Marae
600-510: A major drawback: it lacked suitable arable land ; Nelson City stands right on the edge of a mountain range while the nearby Waimea Plains amount to only about 60,000 acres (240 km ), less than one third of the area required by the Company plans. The Company secured land from the Māori, that was not clearly defined, for £800: it included Nelson, Waimea, Motueka , Riwaka and Whakapuaka. This allowed
675-560: A project to replace these sands was put in place and has so far proved a success, with the sand rising a considerable amount and the dunes continuing to grow. The Nelson territorial authority area is small (just 445 km ) and has four main waterways, the Whangamoa, Wakapuaka, Maitai and Roding Rivers. The Roding River, the southernmost in Nelson, arises in the hills between Mount Meares and Dun Mountain. From there it flows westward before entering
750-499: A small number of Bavarian Catholics . In 1892, the New Zealand Church Mission Society (NZCMS) was formed in a Nelson church hall. After a brief initial period of prosperity, the lack of land and of capital caught up with the settlement and it entered a prolonged period of relative depression. The labourers had to accept a cut in their wages. Organised immigration ceased (a state of affairs that continued until
825-410: A smaller boundary, covering 88.76 km (34.27 sq mi). Using that boundary, Westport Rural had a population of 1,260 at the 2018 New Zealand census , an increase of 30 people (2.4%) since the 2013 census , and an increase of 285 people (29.2%) since the 2006 census . There were 498 households, comprising 624 males and 639 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.98 males per female. The median age
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#1732851059744900-439: Is a full primary (years 1–8) school with a roll of 147. It is a state integrated Catholic school and has operated since at least 1882. All these schools are coeducational. The town's primary schools all have a decile rating of 4, and Buller High School has a decile rating of 3. School rolls are as of August 2024. Nelson, New Zealand Nelson ( Māori : Whakatū ) is a consolidated city and unitary authority on
975-460: Is a public holiday observed in the northern half of the South Island of New Zealand, being the area's provincial anniversary day. It is observed throughout the historic Nelson Province, even though the provinces of New Zealand were abolished in 1876. The modern area of observation includes all of Nelson City and includes all of the present-day Buller, Kaikōura, Marlborough, Tasman districts as well as
1050-432: Is a secondary (years 9–13) school with a roll of 349. The school celebrated its 75th anniversary in 1997 but also claims to have been operating for over 100 years, due to its connection to earlier secondary schooling in the district. Westport North School and Westport South School are full primary (years 1–8) schools with rolls of 245 and 236, respectively. The schools were founded in 1942 and 1941 St Canice's School
1125-551: Is also located nearby. Westport is served by State Highway 67 , and the 8.9 km spur State Highway 67A to Carters Beach and Cape Foulwind which terminates at the former Holcim cement plant location. The Holcim company managed the day-to-day operations of Westport's port until ceasing operations in the district, using it to ship their cement product to market, for example to the Port of Onehunga in Auckland . The first railway of
1200-400: Is based at Westport. It is a marae (tribal meeting ground) of Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō and its Pūaha Te Rangi hapū, and includes a wharenui (meeting house), also called Te Taha o te Awa. The Coaltown Museum , opened in 2013, illustrates the area's local history. Sue Thomson Casey Memorial Library , Buller District's library, is located on Palmerston Street. Buller High School
1275-620: Is evidence that the earliest settlements in New Zealand were around the Nelson-Marlborough regions. Some of the earliest recorded iwi in the Nelson district are Ngāti Hāwea, Ngāti Wairangi, Waitaha and Kāti Māmoe . Waitaha people developed the land around the Waimea Gardens, are believed to have been the first people to quarry argillite in around Nelson. They also developed much of the Waimea Gardens complex – more than 400 hectares on
1350-566: Is set up as a village filled with buildings set in a historical time, including well established gardens. Throughout the park, there are stories to be learned about the history of this town. The New Zealand Company in London planned the settlement of Nelson. They intended to buy from the Māori some 200,000 acres (810 km ) of land, which they planned to divide into one thousand lots and sell to intending settlers. The company earmarked profits to finance
1425-510: Is the oldest European settlement on the West Coast. Originally named Buller , it is on the right bank and at the mouth of the Buller River , close by the prominent headland of Cape Foulwind . It is connected via State Highway 6 with Greymouth , 100 kilometres (62 mi) to the south, and with Nelson 222 kilometres (138 mi) in the northeast, via the Buller Gorge . The population of
1500-480: The 2006 census . There were 1,998 households, comprising 2,214 males and 2,172 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.02 males per female, with 729 people (16.6%) aged under 15 years, 651 (14.8%) aged 15 to 29, 1,911 (43.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,092 (24.9%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 91.9% European/ Pākehā , 12.1% Māori , 1.8% Pasifika , 2.7% Asian , and 1.6% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas
1575-481: The Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Many roads and public areas around the city are named after people and ships associated with that battle. Inhabitants of the city are referred to as Nelsonians; Trafalgar Street is its main shopping axis. Nelson's Māori name, Whakatū, means 'construct', 'raise', or 'establish'. In an article to The Colonist newspaper on 16 July 1867, Francis Stevens described Nelson as "The Naples of
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#17328510597441650-594: The Marlborough District . The Nelson urban area has a population of 51,300, making it New Zealand's 15th most populous urban area. Nelson is well known for its thriving local arts and crafts scene; each year, the city hosts events popular with locals and tourists alike, such as the Nelson Arts Festival. Nelson was named in honour of Admiral Horatio Nelson , who defeated both the French and Spanish fleets at
1725-613: The Southern Hemisphere ". Today, Nelson has the nicknames of "Sunny Nelson" due to its high sunshine hours per year or the "Top of the South" because of its geographic location. In New Zealand Sign Language , the name is signed by putting the index and middle fingers together which are raised to the nose until the fingertips touch the nose, then move the hand forward so that the fingers point slightly forward away from oneself. Settlement of Nelson began about 700 years ago by Māori. There
1800-761: The Wharepapa / Arthur Range , including the Nettlebed Cave and some of the largest and deepest explored caverns in the Southern Hemisphere. Nelson is known for its great lakes, hikes and walks surrounding the town, the most popular being the Abel Tasman Coast Track , Abel Tasman National Park , and Heaphy Track . These tracks are also known for recreational activities. There are many huts and camping grounds in all three tracks for availability to stay in. There are places to fish, hunt and observe nature within
1875-476: The 1850s). By the end of 1843, artisans and labourers began leaving Nelson; by 1846, some 25% of the immigrants had moved away. The pressure to find more arable land became intense. To the south-east of Nelson lay the wide and fertile plains of the Wairau Valley. The New Zealand Company tried to claim that they had purchased the land. The Māori owners stated adamantly that the Wairau Valley had not formed part of
1950-553: The Buller District had heavy rain and significant flooding, which damaged homes, infrastructure, farms, and roads. Residents were also evacuated. On 10 February, a state of emergency was declared in the Buller District. Minister of Rural Affairs Damien O'Connor described the February flooding in Westport as "one of the worst he had seen" and attributed it to climate change. On 23 February, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced
2025-461: The Buller River (Kawatiri) , it is clear that Māori were living close to Westport by the early 14th century. Māori mostly lived in coastal areas, though they explored the mountains for pounamu (jade or greenstone), which they then traded with other iwi . The first wave of European settlers came to Westport in 1861 as gold miners , and the first European vessel said to have entered the river
2100-745: The Grey District north of the Grey River / Māwheranui and the Hurunui District north of the Hurunui River. The holiday usually falls on the Monday closest to 1 February, the anniversary of the arrival of the first New Zealand Company boat, the Fifeshire on 1 February 1842. Anniversary celebrations in the early years featured a sailing regatta, horse racing, running races, shooting and ploughing matches. In 1892,
2175-535: The Marsdens. Many of the rooms have been transformed into displays for the public to view. The restoration of Isel House is managed by Isel House Charitable trust under the supervision of Sally Papps, but the house and the park ground surrounding it are owned by the Nelson City Council. Founders Heritage Park is a local historical visit in Nelson. This interactive park shows visitors the history of Nelson. The park
2250-459: The National Parks and Lakes. Nelson has a temperate oceanic climate ( Cfb ), with cool winters and warm summers. Nelson has rainfall evenly distributed throughout the year and has fewer frosts due to the highly marine geography of New Zealand. Winter is the stormiest time, where gales and storms are more common. Nelson has one of the sunniest climates of all major New Zealand centres, earning
2325-588: The Nelson Jubilee Celebration featured an official week-long programme with church services, sports, concerts, a ball and a grand display of fireworks. In 1858, the Nelson Provincial Council erected a time gun at the spot on Brittania Heights where, in 1841, Captain Wakefield erected his flagpole . The gun was fired each Saturday at noon to give the correct time. The gun is now preserved as
Clock Tower Chambers - Misplaced Pages Continue
2400-580: The New Zealand Historic Places Trust (since renamed Heritage New Zealand ) as a Category I structure, with registration number 5000. Reasons for this registration were the historical significance of the building (demonstrating the status of the town), the architectural quality (it is described as a "striking building with a dramatic appearance"), and its townscape / landmark value (it is the most prominent landmark in Westport). Westport Borough
2475-642: The Saddle Hill area to its mouth at Cable Bay in North Nelson, has two main tributaries, the Lud and Teal Rivers. Entering Tasman Bay near Kokorua in the north of Nelson, the Whangamoa River is the longest waterway in Nelson. Smaller waterways in the south of Nelson include: Saxton Creek, Orchard Stream, Poorman Valley Stream, Arapiki Stream, Jenkins Creek and Maire Stream. The central city of Nelson, also referred to as
2550-745: The Tasman District where it eventually joins the Waimea River, which flows into Waimea Inlet near Rabbit Island. The Maitai River flows westward from the Dun Mountain area into the town centre of Nelson before entering the Nelson Haven then Tasman Bay via 'The Cut'. Major tributaries of the Maitai River are: York and Brook Streams plus Sharland , Packer, Groom , Glen, Neds, Sclanders, Beauchamp and Mill Creeks. The Wakapuaka River, which flows north from
2625-460: The Tasman District. Nelson is surrounded by mountains on three sides and Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere on the fourth, with its region acting as the gateway to the Abel Tasman , Kahurangi , and Nelson Lakes National Parks . It is a centre for both ecotourism and adventure tourism and has a high reputation among caving enthusiasts due to several prominent cave systems around Takaka Hill and
2700-775: The Waimea Plains near Nelson. In the early 1600s, Ngāti Tūmatakōkiri displaced other te Tau Ihu Māori , becoming the dominant tribe in the area until the early 1800s. Raids from northern tribes in the 1820s, led by Te Rauparaha and his Ngāti Toa , soon decimated the local population and quickly displaced them. Today there are eight mutually recognised tribes of the northernwestern region: Ngāti Kuia , Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō , Rangitāne , Ngāti Toarangatira , Ngāti Koata , Ngāti Rārua , Ngāti Tama and Te Atiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui . There are three main historic places located in Nelson. They are Broadgreen Historic House, Isel House, and Founders Heritage Park. The Broadgreen Historic House
2775-458: The Westport urban area was 4,680 as of June 2024. The Buller District had a population of 10,500. The Māori language name for the river and the region is Kawatiri, meaning deep and swift. The town is thought to have been named after Westport, County Mayo in Ireland , although the choice of name was no doubt also guided by its location. From an archaeological excavation site, near the mouth of
2850-509: The area in 1864 ran from Westport 18 kilometres (11 mi) to the coal fields, most of them north of town. The first section of railway from Westport to Fairdown via Sergeants Hill opened on 31 December 1875; this line ultimately reached Seddonville in 1895 and was known as the Seddonville Branch . From this beginning, an isolated network of branch lines was developed: a Westport-Inangahua branch line of about 12 miles (19 km)
2925-483: The area include Cape Foulwind , Tauranga Bay with its large fur seal colony, and fine surfing beaches. The opening of the Old Ghost Road which runs between Lyell and Seddonville to the north of Westport has seen an explosion in the number of mountain bikers visiting the area. The Kawatiri Coastal Trail is under development between Westport, Carters Beach , Cape Foulwind , and Charleston. The Pūwaha Section of
3000-503: The area until cessation around 1999. The Holcim company had a large cement plant in the southwest side of town until its closure on 30 June 2016. Westport is also home to EPIC Westport an innovation hub, which houses software developers and business startups. A daily local newspaper is published in Westport, the Westport News . The Westport News building also houses coast-wide local radio station Coast FM . Tourist attracts in
3075-505: The area, and for example, led to large areas of the coastal areas (covered by sediment from the river) being dredged for the valuable mineral, the area soon became much more famous for coal mining , still a dominant concern in the region today. A coal mining company was formed in 1878 called the Westport Colliery Company Ltd, and then became The Westport Coal Company in 1881 when a group of Dunedin businessmen purchased
Clock Tower Chambers - Misplaced Pages Continue
3150-416: The building and for that reason there was never an official opening party held. The building cost NZ£18,423 and the donated clock was worth NZ£1,250. The economic depression during the war prevented the town hall plan from going ahead. There was a fundraising attempt during the 1960s, with a "hall-o-meter" displaying progress, but this did not reach its goal. On 30 August 1990, the building was registered by
3225-521: The census's question about religious affiliation, 55.7% had no religion, 32.9% were Christian , 0.7% had Māori religious beliefs , 0.5% were Hindu , 0.5% were Buddhist and 1.2% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 129 (12.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 285 (28.2%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $ 24,900, compared with $ 31,800 nationally. 144 people (14.2%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15
3300-645: The central business district (CBD), is bounded by Halifax Street to the north, Rutherford Street to the west, Collingwood Street to the east, and Selwyn Place to the south. Other major streets within the CBD include Trafalgar Street, Bridge Street and Hardy Street. Suburbs within Nelson City's territorial area borders are grouped into four city districts: Nelson North : City Centre : Tāhunanui-Port Hills : Stoke : The Nelson commuter belt extends to Richmond , Brightwater , Hope , Māpua and Wakefield in
3375-453: The difficulty of the passage. A cut was later made in the bank in 1906 which allowed larger vessels access to the port. The creation of Rocks Road around the waterfront area after the Tāhunanui slump in 1892 increased the effects of the tide on Nelson city's beach, Tāhunanui, and removed sediment. This meant the popular beach and adjoining car park were being eroded (plus the sand dunes ) so
3450-577: The discovery of coal, and Westport was both the administrative center for Westport Borough (from 1873) and Buller County (from 1877). The chief post office was an imposing structure, with a clock tower added in 1913 as a memorial to the former prime minister and West Coast personality Richard Seddon . The tower collapsed in the 1929 Murchison earthquake and the building was demolished soon after. Jack Kilkenny (1888–1972), mayor of Westport from 1933 until his resignation in 1939, proposed in 1936 that Westport Borough Council build municipal chambers including
3525-630: The east, and the West Coast Regional Council to the west. For some while, there has been talk about amalgamating Nelson City and the Tasman District to streamline and render more financially economical the existing co-operation between the two councils, exemplified by the jointly owned Port Nelson and the creation of Nelson Tasman Tourism , a jointly owned tourism promotion organisation. However, an official poll conducted in April 2012 showed nearly three-quarters of those who voted in Richmond were opposed to
3600-548: The eastern shores of Tasman Bay at the top of the South Island of New Zealand. It is the oldest city in the South Island and the second-oldest settled city in the country; it was established in 1841 and became a city by British royal charter in 1858. It is the only consolidated city-region in the nation. Nelson City is bordered to the west and south-west by the Tasman District and to the north-east, east and south-east by
3675-509: The evacuation of about 2,000 people, roughly half of the town's 4,600 residents. The flood caused millions of dollars in damages and damaged hundreds of homes in Westport. 563 homes were damaged with 70 homes being red stickered and 393 homes being yellow stickered. 23% of the town's 983 dwellings required repairs. By mid-October 2021, 450 homes remained uninhabitable or damaged. 140 remained in temporary accommodation including cabins, motels, or relatives' homes. In February 2022, Westport and
3750-534: The free passage of artisans and labourers, with their families, and for the construction of public works. However, by September 1841 only about one third of the lots had sold. Despite this, the colony pushed ahead, and land was surveyed by Frederick Tuckett . Three ships, the Arrow , Whitby , and Will Watch , sailed from London commanded by Captain Arthur Wakefield . Arriving in New Zealand, they discovered that
3825-520: The mines. The coal fields were at Coalbrookdale ( Denniston ) and Granity Creek ( Millerton ) and coal was transported to the Westport harbour to be shipped out. By 1905 The Westport Coal Company was New Zealand's largest coal producer. Westport was administrated as part of the Nelson Province from 1853 to 1876. Westport has been damaged by several earthquakes, the worst the 1929 Murchison earthquake , in which several buildings collapsed, including
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#17328510597443900-517: The monument marks the "zero, zero" point to which the first geodetic surveys of New Zealand were referenced. These surveys were started in the 1870s by John Spence Browning, the Chief Surveyor for Nelson. From this 360-degree viewpoint, survey marks in neighbouring regions (including Wellington in the North Island) could be triangulated and the local surveys connected. In 1962, Dr Ian Reilly from
3975-436: The more northern parts of New Zealand, average temperature changes over the year are not extreme. Westport covers 11.53 km (4.45 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 4,680 as of June 2024, with a population density of 406 people per km . Westport had a population of 4,389 at the 2018 New Zealand census , a decrease of 366 people (−7.7%) since the 2013 census , and a decrease of 120 people (−2.7%) since
4050-465: The new Governor of the colony, William Hobson , would not give them a free hand to secure vast areas of land from the Māori or indeed to decide where to site the colony. However, after some delay, Hobson allowed the company to investigate the Tasman Bay area at the north end of the South Island. The Company selected the site now occupied by Nelson City because it had the best harbour in the area. But it had
4125-437: The nickname 'Sunny Nelson' with an annual average total of over 2400 hours of sunshine. The highest recorded temperature in Nelson is 36.3 °C (97 °F), the lowest −6.6 °C (20 °F). Nelson has a monument on Botanical Hill, near the centre of the city. The walk to this is called the " Centre of New Zealand walk ". Despite the name, this monument does not mark the actual geographic centre of New Zealand. Instead,
4200-491: The original land sale, and made it clear they would resist any attempts by the settlers to occupy the area. The Nelson settlers led by Arthur Wakefield and Henry Thompson attempted to do just that. This resulted in the Wairau Affray , where 22 settlers and 4 Māori died. The subsequent Government inquiry exonerated the Māori and found that the Nelson settlers had no legitimate claim to any land outside Tasman Bay. Public fears of
4275-454: The outbreak of World War II caused delays and financial problems. The building was complete, apart from the upper part of the clock tower, by April 1940. The finishing touches were done during 1941. The former proprietor of the local cinema, Harry Morgan, donated the clock. The building is coated in Motueka sand, which gives it a distinctive mustard colour. There were plans to add a town hall behind
4350-529: The post office tower. The town now has a number of Art Deco buildings that were constructed after the earthquake, for example the Clock Tower Chambers . Westport and the Buller District have had several floods since 1846. In January 1868, heavy rain led to flooding, which destroyed two wharves. The town was flooded again in October and November 1926, and yet again in 1970, 2012, and 2015. In 2018, Westport
4425-479: The proposal, with a narrow majority in favour. Nelson has beaches and a sheltered harbour. The harbour entrance is protected by a Boulder Bank , a natural, 13 km (8 miles) bank of rocks transported south from Mackay Bluff via longshore drift . The bank creates a perfect natural harbour which enticed the first settlers, although the entrance was narrow. The wreck of the Fifeshire on Arrow Rock (now called Fifeshire Rock in memory of this disaster) in 1842 proved
4500-421: The settlement to begin, but the lack of definition would prove the source of much future conflict. The three colony ships sailed into Nelson Haven during the first week of November 1841. When the four first immigrant ships – Fifeshire , Mary-Ann , Lord Auckland and Lloyds – arrived three months later, they found the town already laid out with streets, some wooden houses, tents and rough sheds. The town
4575-540: The trail from Westport to Carters Beach was the first of nine sections to be built. It was officially opened on 6 December 2020. The remaining sections are expected to be completed by June 2022. Rafting and jetboating in the Buller Gorge are popular. Westport is a base for trips to Karamea and the Oparara Basin Arches with the only road access to the area running north from Westport. Paparoa National Park
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#17328510597444650-476: Was 50.1 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 249 people (19.8%) aged under 15 years, 96 (7.6%) aged 15 to 29, 606 (48.1%) aged 30 to 64, and 306 (24.3%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 94.0% European/ Pākehā , 8.8% Māori , 0.7% Pasifika , 1.7% Asian , and 2.1% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas was 9.0, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer
4725-560: Was 9.2, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 56.3% had no religion, 33.6% were Christian , 0.3% had Māori religious beliefs , 0.5% were Hindu , 0.1% were Muslim , 0.3% were Buddhist and 1.5% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 303 (8.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 1,179 (32.2%) people had no formal qualifications. 351 people (9.6%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15
4800-652: Was authorised by the Railways Authorisation Act, 1904. But the lines were not linked to the national network until the completion of the Stillwater–Westport Line through the Buller Gorge in 1942. Westport Airport is a small airport. It was formerly served twice daily on weekdays and daily in the weekend by Air New Zealand from Wellington , and prior to that, flights to Christchurch and Hokitika were also operated. The Air New Zealand service from Wellington service ceased in April 2015 and its place
4875-515: Was damaged by Cyclone Fehi during the 2017–18 South Pacific cyclone season . According to Land River Sea Consulting founder and river engineer Matthew Gardner, Westport is sited on a flood-prone catchment and climate change is causing water levels to rise. A West Coast Regional Council spokesperson expressed concern about the under-investment in flood protection including dredging and river management work in Westport. In July 2021, wet weather throughout New Zealand caused more flooding, leading to
4950-459: Was laid out on a grid plan . Within 18 months, the company had sent out 18 ships with 1052 men, 872 women and 1384 children. However, fewer than ninety of the settlers had the capital to start as landowners. The early settlement of Nelson province included a proportion of German immigrants, who arrived on the ship Sankt Pauli and formed the nucleus of the villages of Sarau ( Upper Moutere ) and Neudorf. These were mostly Lutheran Protestants with
5025-595: Was merged into Buller District in the 1989 local government reforms . Buller District Council vacated the Clock Tower Chambers soon after the building had been registered by the Historic Places Trust. Commercial tenants now occupy the building. Westport, New Zealand Westport ( Māori : Kawatiri ) is a town in the West Coast region of the South Island of New Zealand. Established in 1861, it
5100-420: Was originally built in 1855 for Mr and Mrs Edmund Buxton, additionally with their six daughters. The house was later sold to a Fred Langbein in 1901, who lived there with his family until 1965. In 1965, the house was bought by the Nelson City Council and is now used operated a museum for the general public. Isel House is a local historical building located in Nelson. It was home to one of Nelson's first families,
5175-432: Was taken by Sounds Air . The town used to have one cinema/theatre, the St James Theatre, able to seat 424 patrons for film screenings, theatre productions or other activities. After being found structurally unsound, the theatre had to be demolished. A new theatre has since opened. The NBS theatre has two movie theatres, one which seats 55 people and a boutique theatre that seats approximately 20 people. This theatre also has
5250-444: Was tendered in August 1938 but as the tender prices were considered too high, the building was constructed using day labour instead. By December 1938, the previous council offices on the corner of Palmerston and Lyndhurst streets had been demolished and the site cleared for foundation work. The new council chambers were built in reinforced concrete , with interior work in rimu and terrazzo floors. Rising construction costs caused by
5325-412: Was that 1,398 (38.2%) people were employed full-time, 561 (15.3%) were part-time, and 159 (4.3%) were unemployed. Westport Rural surrounds Westport on the west, south and east, and includes Carters Beach . It covers 90.06 km (34.77 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 1,390 as of June 2024, with a population density of 15 people per km . Before the 2023 census, Westport Rural had
5400-532: Was that 441 (43.6%) people were employed full-time, 192 (19.0%) were part-time, and 21 (2.1%) were unemployed. Economic activity is based around fishing , coal mining and dairy farming . Historically, gold mining was a major industry, and coal mining was much more extensive than today (especially in terms of employment numbers). However, the region still is home to New Zealand's largest opencast mining operation in Stockton . Some native forest logging occurred in
5475-469: Was the sealing schooner Three Brothers in 1844, though other sealing vessels were recorded in the Cape Foulwind area in the 1820s. The 1880s saw many exploratory parties of geologists and surveyors combing the area for the presence of valuable resources and taking the measure of the land. Amongst them were Charles Heaphy , William Fox and Thomas Brunner . While gold brought initial interest to
5550-626: Was the capital of Nelson Province . The province itself was much larger than present-day Nelson City and included all of the present-day Buller , Kaikōura , Marlborough , Nelson, and Tasman, as well as the Grey District north of the Grey River and the Hurunui District north of the Hurunui River . The Marlborough Province split from Nelson Province in October 1859. Nelson Anniversary Day
5625-573: Was the first Bishop. The Municipal Corporations Act 1876 stated that Nelson was constituted a city on 30 March 1874. Nelson City has a coat of arms, obtained in 1958 from the College of Arms to mark the Centenary of Nelson as a City. The blazon of the arms is: Motto " Palmam qui meruit ferat " (Let him, who has earned it, bear the palm). This motto is the same as that of Lord Nelson . From 1853 until 1876, when provincial governments were abolished, Nelson
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