101-522: Rakiura National Park is a nature reserve park located on Stewart Island / Rakiura , New Zealand. It is the newest national park of New Zealand and opened in 2002. The protected area covers about 85% of the island. Rakiura National Park is the 14th of New Zealand's national parks and was officially opened on 9 March 2002 by the Prime Minister, Helen Clark , the Minister of Conservation, Sandra Lee , and
202-603: 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
303-520: 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
404-445: A Tawhiki ( Foveaux Strait ) to the South Island where the cousin lived, only to discover she had recently married. He blushed with embarrassment; so the island was called Te Ura o Te Rakitamau. Margaret Cameron-Ash claims that James Cook established the insularity of Stewart Island during his first Pacific voyage in 1770 but decided to hide his discovery for reasons of military and colonial policy. However, G. A. Mawer argues that Cook
505-778: 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
606-520: 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
707-446: A licence was granted to Amphibian Airways to operate an air service between Invercargill and Stewart Island. In December 1950, finance was being sought for the purchase of a Grumman Widgeon amphibious aircraft . The inaugural flight to Half Moon Bay was made on 20 March 1951, with plans for a weekly service. In 1976, Stewart Island Air Services took over an amphibian air service to Stewart Island that had previously been operated by
808-464: 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 the historical Waitaha , with major settlements including in Kaiapoi Pā near modern-day Christchurch . During
909-469: A network of former nature reserves , scenic reserves, and State Forest areas. A chain sculpture at the entrance to Rakiura National Park symbolises the Māori mythology of the island, which held that the South Island was the canoe of the demigod Māui and that Rakiura was the canoe's anchor, as evidenced by an alternative name for the island of "Te Punga o Te Waka a Māui" (the anchor of Māui's canoe). The sculpture
1010-622: A new replacement vessel was planned. In the interim, the government ship Matai replaced the Wairua . By 1960, a new vessel to take over the Foveaux Strait service was under construction in Auckland. It was the largest ship to be constructed in New Zealand at that time, and was also named Wairua . The delivery voyage to Bluff was completed on 19 December 1961, and her first crossing of Foveaux Strait
1111-754: A population density of 0.26 people per km . Stewart Island had a population of 408 at the 2018 New Zealand census , an increase of 30 people (7.9%) since the 2013 census , and an increase of 6 people (1.5%) since the 2006 census . There were 222 households, comprising 216 males and 195 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.11 males per female. The median age was 49.3 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 54 people (13.2%) aged under 15 years, 57 (14.0%) aged 15 to 29, 204 (50.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 90 (22.1%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 93.4% European/ Pākehā , 19.9% Māori , 1.5% Pasifika , 0.7% Asian , and 2.2% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas
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#17328555319121212-437: 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
1313-466: 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
1414-457: 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
1515-504: 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
1616-402: A total land area of 1,746 km (674 sq mi). Its 164-kilometre (102 mi) coastline is deeply indented by Paterson Inlet (east), Port Pegasus (south), and Mason Bay (west). The island is generally hilly (rising to 980 metres or 3,220 feet at Mount Anglem ) and densely forested. Flightless birds , including penguins, thrive because there are few introduced predators. Almost all
1717-645: 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
1818-495: A year. Owing to an anomaly in the magnetic latitude contours, this location is well-placed for observing Aurora australis . Approximately 18,000 years ago during the Last Glacial Maximum when sea levels were over 100 metres lower than present day levels, Stewart Island and its surrounding islands were connected to the rest of New Zealand. Sea levels began to rise 7,000 years ago, eventually separating Stewart Island from
1919-472: Is about 85% of the area of Stewart Island / Rakiura. The area of the park excludes the township around Halfmoon Bay ( Oban ) and some roads as well as private or Māori-owned land further inland. Stewart Island covers 1,747.72 km (674.80 sq mi) including the offshore islands, the most sizeable being Ruapuke Island , Codfish Island / Whenua Hou and Taukihepa / Big South Cape Island . It had an estimated population of 460 as of June 2024, with
2020-550: Is composed of Anglem Complex diorites, minor gabbro and granite, and many pegmatites. The Freshwater Valley Fault in between is mainly alluvium and volcanic sediments. In January 2019, Stewart Island was accredited as a Dark Sky Sanctuary by the International Dark-Sky Association . This designation is given for sites in very remote locations to increase awareness of their dark sky characteristics and promote long-term conservation. The application for accreditation
2121-484: Is dominated by the swampy valley of the Freshwater River . The river rises close to the northwestern coast and flows southeastwards into the large indentation of Paterson Inlet . The highest peak is Mount Anglem (980 metres (3,220 ft)), close to the northern coast. It is one of a rim of ridges that surround Freshwater Valley. The southern half is more uniformly undulating, rising to a ridge that runs south from
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#17328555319122222-452: Is similarly preserved. Stewart Island is the sole remaining breeding place of the critically endangered southern New Zealand dotterel . The South Island giant moa ( Dinornis robustus ) occurred on the island, subfossil remains having been retrieved in its dunes. As the island has always been sparsely populated and there has never been very much logging, much of the original wildlife is intact, including species that have been devastated on
2323-449: Is the abbreviated version of Te Rakiura a Te Rakitamau, translated as "great blush of Rakitamau", in reference to the latter's embarrassment when refused the hand in marriage of not one but two daughters of an island chief. According to Māori legend, a chief on the island named Te Rakitamau was married to a young woman who became terminally ill and implored him to marry her cousin after she died. Te Rakitamau paddled across Te Moana Tapokopoko
2424-441: 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
2525-510: Is the southernmost hut in the Department of Conservation's network. Stewart Island Stewart Island ( Māori : Rakiura , lit. ' glowing skies ', officially Stewart Island / Rakiura , formerly New Leinster ) is New Zealand 's third-largest island, located 30 kilometres (16 nautical miles) south of the South Island , across Foveaux Strait . It is a roughly triangular island with
2626-710: 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
2727-511: The Awarua took place on 10 March 1885, and a weekly service to Steward Island commenced. A government subsidy was required to support the service, but it brought economic benefit by supporting the development of the fishing industry based on Stewart Island and increased the number of visitors. Many different vessels were used by the Bluff Harbour Board on the Foveaux Strait ferry service in
2828-513: 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
2929-783: 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,
3030-508: 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
3131-609: The Mount Cook Group . In 1980, Stewart Island Air Services rebranded as Southern Air. By 1980, a sealed airstrip had been built at Ryan's Creek above Oban, and services from Invercargill were provided using Nomad and Britten-Norman Islander aircraft. Southern Air rebranded to Stewart Island Flights in 2020. In 1998 a Southern Air Cessna ditched into Foveaux Strait on a trip from Stewart Island to Invercargill after losing power to both engines, resulting in five deaths. Oban has mainly sealed main roads, and some gravel roads on
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3232-509: 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 a result the Wairau Affray
3333-587: The Shetland Islands settled in the early 1870s. This was unsuccessful, and the settlers left within one to two years, most for sawmilling villages elsewhere on the island. Geologically, Stewart Island is made up of rocks from the Median Batholith. The island is mostly composed of granite, particularly the southern two thirds of the island. The northern third (north of the Freshwater Valley Fault)
3434-483: 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
3535-608: The 1970s, kākāpō were found in the Tin Range at a time when it was thought that the species was nearly extinct. The kākāpō have been transferred to nearby Codfish Island / Whenua Hou , which is not part of the national park. The popular Rakiura Track is within the national park. The track typically takes three days and two nights to complete, the track is 32 kilometres (20 mi) long. The track meanders through lowland kāmahi, tōtara and rimu forest. The track takes in Port William and
3636-534: 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
3737-635: 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
3838-738: 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
3939-495: 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
4040-837: 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
4141-570: 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
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4242-631: 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
4343-470: The South Island. Stewart Island is part of the Southland District for local government purposes. Archaeology indicates that the island was settled in the 14th century, shortly after the Māori settled in the South Island . The original Māori name, Te Punga o Te Waka a Māui , positions the island firmly at the heart of Māori mythology. Translated as "The Anchor Stone of Māui’s Canoe", it refers to
4444-565: 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
4545-486: The Southern brown kiwi or Tokoeka , this is the largest of the kiwi species. There are thought to be around 15,000 kiwi on Stewart Island / Rakiura. Certain coastal areas of this park are breeding areas for the endangered yellow-eyed penguin . Weka , a flightless and curious bird species, can only be found on offshore islands. The South Island kākā can commonly be seen near the town of Halfmoon Bay and Ulva Island . In
4646-432: The analogue switch off on 28 April 2013. Oban has ADSL broadband and phone services delivering speeds up to 24 Mbit/s download. 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 ) is the largest of the three major islands of New Zealand in surface area,
4747-490: 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
4848-449: The chief executive of Real Journeys stated: "Not only are Stewart Island ferries completely unsubsidised but the Foveaux Strait is an extremely expensive piece of water to operate on commercially". Stewart Island Flights provides air services across Foveaux Strait between Invercargill Airport and Ryan's Creek Aerodrome on Stewart Island. Their aircraft also land on the sand at Mason Bay, Doughboy Bay, and West Ruggedy Beach. In 1950,
4949-751: 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
5050-457: 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
5151-425: The early 1930s and with a checklist by botanist Leonard Cockayne populated it with all the local indigenous plants. She gave the land and her house to the government in 1940, and today Moturau Moana is New Zealand's southernmost public garden. There are many species of birds on Stewart Island that have been able to continue to thrive because of the absence of the stoats, ferrets, and weasels that humans brought to
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#17328555319125252-582: 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,
5353-506: 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
5454-591: The ferry service is operated by the tourism company RealNZ (formerly Real Journeys). The first scheduled service across Foveaux Strait began in 1877 for weekly mail delivery, but soon also carried passengers and general cargo. A larger vessel, the Bluff Harbour Board tug P.S. Awarua , took over the service in 1885. The Awarua arrived in Bluff on 4 January 1885, after a delivery voyage lasting more than 6 months since leaving dock in London. A trial excursion to Stewart Island on
5555-546: 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
5656-456: The first half of the 20th century, including the Southland and Theresa Ward , MV. Tamatea , and the steamer Orewa . Demands for a daily service across Foveaux were published in 1937. The twin screw steamer Wairua took over the Foveaux Strait ferry service in 1944. By 1959, the ferry service was operating with annual losses of £7,464. The steamer Wairua was 46 years old by that time, and
5757-486: 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
5858-682: The inland areas. Almost all the island is owned by the New Zealand government and over 80 per cent of the island is set aside as the Rakiura National Park , New Zealand's newest national park. Many of the small offshore islands, including the Snares, are also protected. The ferry journey across Foveaux Strait between Bluff Harbour on the South Island and Oban in Stewart Island is about 39 km (21 nmi) long. The present high speed catamaran service typically takes one hour. As of 2024,
5959-537: 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
6060-399: The island is owned by the New Zealand government, and over 80 per cent of the island is set aside as the Rakiura National Park . Stewart Island's economy depends on fishing and summer tourism . Its permanent population was recorded at 408 people in the 2018 census , most of whom live in the settlement of Oban on the eastern side of the island. Ferries connect the settlement to Bluff in
6161-413: 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
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#17328555319126262-452: The large colonies of sooty shearwaters on the offshore Muttonbird Islands are subject to muttonbirding , a sustainable harvesting programme managed by Rakiura Māori. Meanwhile, a small population of kākāpō , a flightless parrot which is very close to extinction, was found on Stewart Island in 1977 and the birds subsequently moved to smaller islands such as Codfish Island / Whenua Hou for protection from feral cats. The South Island saddleback
6363-414: The losses could not continue, and that the service would be withdrawn. Private operators would be invited to operate a service. The Wairua continued on the Stewart Island ferry service until September 1985, when she was sold for service in Fiji. Private operators provided a replacement ferry service to Stewart Island after the government service ended in 1985. A new ferry for the Stewart Island service
6464-418: The lowland areas with mānuka shrubland at higher elevations. The trees are thought to have become established here since the last ice age from seeds brought across the strait by seabirds, which would explain why the beech trees that are so common in New Zealand, but whose seeds are dispersed by the wind rather than birds, are not found on Stewart Island. Noeline Baker purchased land near Halfmoon Bay in
6565-525: The main islands of New Zealand. Mason Bay, on the west side, is notable as a long sandy beach on an island where beaches are typically far more rugged. One suggestion is that the bay was formed in the aftershock of a meteorite impact in the Tasman Sea ; however, no evidence has been found to support such a claim. Three large and many small islands lie around the coast. Notable among these are Ruapuke Island , in Foveaux Strait 32 kilometres (20 mi) northeast of Oban; Codfish Island / Whenua Hou , close to
6666-415: The main islands. There are even more species of birds, including huge colonies of sooty shearwater and other seabirds, on The Snares and the other smaller islands offshore. The birds of Stewart Island include weka , kākā , albatross , the flightless Stewart Island kiwi , silvereyes , fantails , and kererū . The endangered yellow-eyed penguin has a significant number of breeding sites here, while
6767-443: The mainland post-colonisation. However, although habitats and wildlife were not threatened by invasive species historically, now there are populations of brushtail possums , feral cats, hedgehogs and three species of rats, but no mustelids or mice. There is a large population of white-tailed deer , which were introduced to coastal areas and are hunted for meat and sport. There is also a small population of red deer , confined to
6868-426: The mainland. The only town is Oban , on Halfmoon Bay . A previous settlement, Port Pegasus , once boasted several stores and a post office, and was located on the southern coast of the island. It is now uninhabited, and is accessible only by boat or by an arduous hike through the island. Another site of former settlement is at Port William , a four-hour walk around the north coast from Oban, where immigrants from
6969-560: 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
7070-481: The most commonly used. The name was officially altered to Stewart Island/Rakiura by the Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998 , one of many such changes under the Ngāi Tahu treaty settlement. Rabbits were introduced to the island in 1943 which later became a pest after rapid multiplication. Stewart Island has an area of 1,680 square kilometres (650 sq mi). Its terrain is hilly and, like most of New Zealand, Stewart Island has an Oceanic climate . The north
7171-409: The mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary . It is New Zealand's newest national park. Rakiura National Park covers close to 1,400 square kilometres (540 sq mi), which is about 85% of Stewart Island / Rakiura, New Zealand's third-largest island. The park area excludes the township area around Halfmoon Bay ( Oban ) and some roads as well as private or Māori-owned land further inland. It is made up of
7272-518: 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
7373-408: The north arm of Paterson Inlet. Rakiura kiwi is often seen at night time near the huts. The Northwest Circuit circumnavigates the northern and western aspects of Stewart Island. The track is 125 kilometres (78 mi) long and takes most people between eight and ten days to complete. Most of the track is along the coastline visiting a series of very isolated sandy beaches. Once it reaches Mason Bay,
7474-430: The northwest shore; and Big South Cape Island , off the southwestern tip. The Tītī / Muttonbird Islands group is between Stewart Island and Ruapuke Island, around Big South Cape Island, and off the southeastern coast. Other islands of interest include Bench Island, Native Island, and Ulva Island , all close to the mouth of Paterson Inlet , and Pearl Island, Anchorage Island , and Noble Island, close to Port Pegasus in
7575-698: 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 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
7676-522: The outskirts. The only ferry/barge link to the South Island for vehicles is to Bluff. Stewart Island is able to receive most AM and FM radio stations broadcast in the Southland region. Television services are available via satellite using Sky or Freeview . Analogue terrestrial television services could be received on Stewart Island from the Hedgehope television transmitter located in the South Island prior to
7777-467: The part played by the island in the legend of Māui and his crew, who from their canoe Te Waka a Māui (the South Island), caught and raised the great fish Te Ika a Māui , the North Island . Rakiura is the commonly known Māori name. It is usually translated as "Glowing Skies", a reference to the aurora australis , the southern lights that are a phenomenon of southern latitudes. For some, Rakiura
7878-413: The passing of the New Zealand Constitution Act 1846 , the island became part of New Munster , which entirely included the South Island. When New Munster was abolished in 1853, Stewart Island became part of Otago Province until 1861, when Southland Province split from Otago. In 1876, the provinces were abolished altogether. For most of the twentieth century, "Stewart Island" was the official name, and
7979-596: 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
8080-535: The rules governing commercial activities. For example, every transport service operated solely on Great Barrier Island , the Chatham Islands , or Stewart Island is exempt from the Transport Act of 1962. Although the clay soil is not very fertile, the high rainfall and warm weather mean that the island is densely forested throughout. Native plants include the world's southernmost dense forest of podocarps (southern conifers) and hardwoods such as rātā and kāmahi in
8181-472: The southwest. Further offshore The Snares are oceanic islands, a volcano and some smaller islets, that were never connected to the larger Stewart Island. Stewart Island has a temperate climate. However, one travel guide mentions "frequent downpours that make 'boots and waterproof clothing mandatory", and another guide says that rainfall in Oban, the principal settlement, is 1,600 to 1,800 mm (63 to 71 in)
8282-546: 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
8383-649: 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
8484-545: The track crosses the Freshwater Depression before reaching Paterson Inlet. There are ten huts on the track which are, in general, spaced between five and seven hours walk apart. The Southern Circuit is a challenging nine-day tramping trip. It is 70 kilometres (43 mi) long, and after rain can involve long periods of walking in mud and deep water. The Southern Circuit takes in Doughboy Bay Hut. This eight-bed hut
8585-430: 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
8686-534: The valley of the Rakeahua River , which also flows into Paterson Inlet. The southernmost point in this ridge is Mount Allen , at 750 metres (2,460 ft). Notable twin rock formations in this region are known as Gog and Magog. In the southeast the land is somewhat lower, and is drained by the valleys of the Toitoi River , Lords River , and Heron River . South West Cape on this island is the southernmost point of
8787-718: 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
8888-468: The whaleboat of the sealing brig Union (out of New York) in 1804 and on his 1806 chart, it was called Smith's Straits. The island received its English name in honour of William W. Stewart . He was first officer on the Pegasus , which visited in 1809, and he charted the large south-eastern harbour that now bears the ship's name ( Port Pegasus ) and determined the northern points of the island, proving that it
8989-548: Was 16.9, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 67.6% had no religion, 23.5% were Christian , 0.7% were Buddhist and 2.9% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 84 (23.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 63 (17.8%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $ 33,500, compared with $ 31,800 nationally. 57 people (16.1%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15
9090-523: Was added to the service in December 2004. However, within two weeks of beginning service, the vessel was sold to Fullers Northland for service in the Bay of Islands , after Fullers suffered the loss of a vessel. Real Journeys bought out their partners to take complete control of the Stewart Island ferry service in May 2005. In 2015, responding to proposals for subsidised travel to Stewart Island for senior citizens,
9191-452: Was an island. In 1824, he initiated plans in England to establish a timber, flax and trading settlement at Stewart Island and sailed there in 1826, with it becoming known as Stewart's Island . In 1841, the island was established as one of the three Provinces of New Zealand and was named New Leinster . However, the province existed on paper only and was abolished after only five years. With
9292-563: Was built in Invercargill for the company Stewart Island Marine, and launched in April 1999. The new vessel was a catamaran capable of taking 100 passengers, one third more than the vessel it replaced. In 2004, after operating the business for 14 years, Stewart Island Marine sold the ferry service to Stewart Island Experience — a joint venture between two private individuals and the tourism company Real Journeys . A third vessel seating 160 passengers
9393-488: Was designed by noted Southland sculptor Russell Beck, and was unveiled as part of the opening of the national park. In 2008, a similar sculpture was erected in Bluff , and it represents the other end of the chain. Many native birds can be found within the park, and Rakiura offers perhaps the best opportunity anywhere in New Zealand for viewing kiwi in the wild. This is in part due to the absence of stoats and ferrets . Home to
9494-508: 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
9595-409: Was made by Venture Southland, an agency responsible for the region's economic and community development initiatives and tourism promotion, with the aim of attracting more visitors, particularly in the winter period. Rakiura National Park is the 14th of New Zealand's national parks and was officially opened on 9 March 2002. The park covers close to 1,400 square kilometres (540 sq mi), which
9696-525: 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,
9797-415: Was on 20 December. The new Wairua was the first vessel in New Zealand to be fitted with anti-roll capabilities. The service to Stewart Island was twice a week during winter, and three times a week during summer. By 1985, the accumulated losses in operating the Wairua on the Foveaux Strait service over the previous 10 years totalled $ 6 million. The Minister of Transport , Richard Prebble , announced that
9898-743: Was part of the Otago Province . In local government today, Stewart Island is represented by one councilor on the Southland District Council . There is a Stewart Island/Rakiura Community Board to serve as the link between the community and the District Council. At the Southland Regional Council , it is part of the Invercargill-Rakiura ward. Stewart Island shares with some other islands a certain relaxation in some of
9999-456: Was simply unsure whether it was an island because his focus was on finding the southern extent of New Zealand, and conditions were unfavourable for more closely exploring a possible strait. The strait was first charted by Owen Folger Smith , a New Yorker who had been in Sydney Harbour with Eber Bunker , from whom he probably learned of the eastern seal hunting . Smith charted the strait in
10100-485: Was that 207 (58.5%) people were employed full-time, 54 (15.3%) were part-time, and 3 (0.8%) were unemployed. Fishing has been, historically, the most important element of the economy of Stewart Island, and while it remains important, tourism has become the main source of income for islanders. There has also been some farming and forestry. From 1841 to 1853, Stewart Island was governed as New Leinster Province , then as part of New Munster Province . From 1853 onwards, it
10201-459: 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
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