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- West Coast Region
West Coast Region Information
Highlights of West Coast Region
n the coastline about 16km south west of Westport, you will find Tauranga Bay and the Cape Foulwind..
Hokitika InformationHokitika was first settled in 1860, after the discovery of gold on the west coast. It was an..
Fox Glacier InformationNamed after Sir William Fox, New Zealand’s Prime Minister from 1869 to 1872, Fox Glacier..
Franz Josef InformationFranz Josef Glacier was first explored in 1865 by geologist Julius von Haast, who named it after..
Moana InformationSituated at the edge of Lake Brunner, Moana is a tiny settlement with a camping ground and a store...
Mount Aspiring National Park InformationAncient Maori trails followed safe passages through this beautifully rugged and unforgiving..
Karamea InformationKaramea sits at the end of a no-exit highway sandwiched between rainforested hills and the Tasman..
Monro InformationMonro Beach is near Lake Moeraki, it is an easy walk through luxuriant coastal forest to the remote..
Okarito InformationAbout half an hour’s drive north of Franz Josef is the coastal settlement of Okarito, boasting..
Jackson Bay fishing village InformationSouth of Haast, the coastline turns westward along a 24 kilometre, gently curving bay to Jackson..
Cape Foulwind Seal Colony InformationA female New Zealand fur seal lives at the same colony all her life. After giving birth in late..
Buller River InformationThe Buller River is one of New Zealand's longest and most enigmatic rivers. From it's source at..
Greymouth InformationOnce the site of the Maori pa Mawhera (which means ‘wide spread river mouth’, in reference to..
See all locations in West Coast RegionWest Coast Region Information
Spring brings with it the freedom to roam 600km of stunning rugged West Coast scenery. Along its length you’ll find a smorgasbord of activities, a feast of scenic splendour and a banquet of opportunities for exhilarating outdoor adventures or blissful relaxation.
With a population of only 31,000 people, the West Coast retains the feeling of a pioneer frontier. It's a wild place known for rivers and rainforests; glaciers and geological treasures. Legends and stories from the past cling to every feature of the landscape.
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Maori were first to discover the West Coast, seeking sacred pounamu (nephrite jade or greenstone). Gold fever in the 1860s brought Europeans, many of whom stayed on to start farming, forestry and businesses.
The locals are known as 'coasters', a term synonymous with friendliness and hospitality. Isolated from the rest of New Zealand by the Southern Alps, coasters have developed a distinctive culture of their own. Their pioneering values of self-reliance and loyalty are as strong today as they were 100 years ago.
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Highlights of South Island
Queenstown is pretty much adventure central any time of year. A resort town on the shores of Lake..
Milford Sound InformationVoted world's top travel destination in the 2008 Travelers' Choice Destinations Awards by..
Christchurch - Canterbury InformationWindswept pastureland, rolling grassy hills, blossoming wildflowers of countless colours, endless..
Fiordland InformationFiordland is a land of timeless beauty, where waterfalls cascade into crystal fiords, rainforests..
Nelson Region InformationOn the northern most tip of New Zealand’s South Island lies Nelson, New Zealand’s..
Dunedin InformationDunedin is the heart of New Zealand’s Otago Region, on the south-east coast of the South..
Nelson InformationHardy European pioneers founded the beautiful city of Nelson, New Zealand in 1842, although this..
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