Westland Tai Poutini National Park is a national park located on the western coast of New Zealand's South Island. Established in 1960 as Westland National Park to commemorate the centenary of the European settlement of Westland District, it covers 1,320 square kilometres (330,000 acres) of largely mountainous terrain and forest.[1][2] The park borders the Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park along the Main Divide of the Southern Alps, and includes many of the West Coast's glaciers, most notably including the Fox / Te Moeka o Tuawe and Franz Josef / Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere glaciers.
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The small tourist towns of Fox Glacier and Franz Josef / Waiau are the main settlements within the park, while remnants of old gold mining towns can be found along the coast. The park offers hunting opportunities for red deer, chamois, and tahr, while helicopters allow hunters to access the rugged, mountainous areas. The popular Copland Track runs upstream from the Karangarua River bridge. Along with the mountain scenery visible from the track, there are hot springs at Welcome Flat Hut.[3]
Ngāi Tahu historically travelled in Westland coastal areas gathering pounamu. Settlements were located along the coast, with larger villages at Maitahi and Makāwhio, and a pā at Ōkārito. The Ngāi Tahu were known to traverse the inland features now in the park, having high familiarity with the landmarks of the area. Many local Māori mountaineers are remembered, and served as guides for European explorers.[4]
Colonial European expansion and settlement in the area was in part driven by desire for coal and gold, leading to the West Coast Gold Rush in the mid-1860's. The presence of alluvial gold led to mining of beaches and waterways now located within the modern-day park. As a result of the gold rush, settlements at Gillespies Beach, Ōkārito, Three Mile beach and Five Mile beach were created or expanded. The conquest for gold subsided within a decade, though further surveying and familiarity of the area among Europeans led to more visitors seeking out its scenic vistas. Within a short period of time, with access to the area improving, tourism and hospitality-related businesses grew rapidly.[4]
While numerous registered archaeological and historic sites are located in the park, few relate to pre-European history. This under-representation is acknowledged in relation to management of the park, while noting that existing Māori wāhi tapu (sacred sites) are not disclosed.[4]
Park expansion
The park has been progressively expanded since its establishment, largely through incorporating nearby forest reserves or other conservation land. Ōkārito and Waikukupa State Forests were added to the park in 1982, followed by the upper Karangarua Valley in 1983, North Ōkārito and Saltwater State Forests in 2002, and over 4,400 hectares (11,000 acres) of other land scattered throughout the park in 2010.[5][6]
