Hokitika Attractions
The little town of Hokitika lies in a setting of great scenic beauty on the west coast. At the time of the gold rush in the 1860s it had a population of over 10,000, with hotels, theaters and even an opera house with seating for 1400. Gold is still worked in deep shafts in the Goliath Mine, but the revenue from timber is now much greater than from gold mining.
In the 19th C. Hokitika was briefly the seat of the provincial government of Westland, and the old Government Building still survives. In front of it is a statue of 'King Dick', as Richard Seddon, the local Member of Parliament for 27 years and prime minister of New Zealand in the 1890s, is known here. At the town's main intersection (Sewell Street and Weld Street) is a clock tower commemorating the New Zealanders who fell in the Boer War and the coronation of King Edward VII.
In the 19th C. Hokitika was briefly the seat of the provincial government of Westland, and the old Government Building still survives. In front of it is a statue of 'King Dick', as Richard Seddon, the local Member of Parliament for 27 years and prime minister of New Zealand in the 1890s, is known here. At the town's main intersection (Sewell Street and Weld Street) is a clock tower commemorating the New Zealanders who fell in the Boer War and the coronation of King Edward VII.
Greenstone
Fine jewelry is made from greenstone (jade and nephrite) in specialist workshops. The local deposits of greenstone, or pounamu, were known to the Maoris before the arrival of Europeans.
Hokitika River Gorge
25km south is the Hokitika River Gorge, with an old suspension bridge, a popular destination for excursions.
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St Mary's Church
The town's principal landmark is the neo-Romanesque St Mary's Church (RC), built in 1914 in place of an earlier church erected by Irish immigrants in 1865.
West Coast Historical Museum
The West Coast Historical Museum has a collection of Maori weapons and jewelry in greenstone, as well as extensive material on the days of the gold rush.
Hours
January 1 to March 31
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 9:30 | 9:30 | 9:30 | 9:30 | 9:30 | 9:30 | 9:30 |
| Close | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 |
April 1 to December 31
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 |
| Close | 14:00 | 14:00 | 14:00 | 14:00 | 14:00 | 14:00 | 14:00 |
