Haast, New Zealand

Infobox Settlement
name = Haast
population_total = 297
population_as_of = 2006
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = New Zealand
subdivision_type1= Region
subdivision_name1= West Coast
subdivision_type2= District
subdivision_name2= Westland District
pushpin_

pushpin_label_position = right
latd = 43
latm = 52
lats = 52
latNS = S
longd = 169
longm = 2
longs = 32
longEW = E

Haast is a town on the West Coast of New Zealand.

It is spread amongst three small localities called Haast township, Haast Beach and Haast Junction and is located close to the mouth of the Haast River. Lake Moetaki is 30 km to the north-east, and the Haast Pass is 63 km to the south-east by road. State Highway 6 passes just to the east of the township. [cite book|title=Reed New Zealand Atlas|year=2004|id=ISBN 0-7900-0952-8|author=Peter Dowling (editor)|publisher=Reed Books|pages=map 78] [cite book|title=The Geographic Atlas of New Zealand|year=2005|id=ISBN 1-877333-20-4|author=Roger Smith, GeographX|publisher=Robbie Burton|pages=map 180] The 2006 census recorded a population of 297 for the Haast statistical area, which is much larger than the town. This was a decrease of 15 from 2001. [cite web|title=West Coast Region Final Counts|url=http://www.stats.govt.nz/census/2006-census-data/final-counts/west-coast-region.htm|work=Statistics New Zealand|accessdate=2007-12-03] The main economic activities are farming, fishing and tourism. It is set within the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site. The town is named after Julius von Haast.

The Department of Conservation operate a visitor centre in Haast which offers a wide range of information about the surrounding area.

The Haast tokoeka, a rare sub-species of kiwi, are only found in the mountains near Haast.

History

European settlement of the area dates back to the 1870s. It was not until the 1960s that Haast had formed roads connecting it to the rest of New Zealand (the road to Wanaka opening in 1966)."A Wheel on Each Corner", The History of the IPENZ Transportation Group 1956-2006 - Douglass, Malcolm; IPENZ Transportation Group, 2006, Page 12] Previously, Haast was serviced by rough tracks from the North and East, as well as by ship.

In the 1970s Haast was the site of an unsolved murder case. On January 19, 1970 Jennifer Mary Beard was found dead under the Haast River bridge. The main suspect was Gordon Bray from Timaru but he was never prosecuted and has now died. There are claims of other suspects but the police have no plans to reopen the case. [cite news
last = NZPA
first =
coauthors =
title = New suspect named in hitchhiker murder case
work =
pages =
publisher = New Zealand Herald
date = 2005-10-04
url = http://www.nzherald.co.nz/location/story.cfm?l_id=327&ObjectID=10348435
accessdate = 2008-05-11 ]

Education

Haast School is a coeducational full primary (years 1-8) school with a decile rating of 3 and a roll of 21. [cite web|url=http://www.tki.org.nz/e/schools/display_school_info.php?school_id=3363|title=Te Kete Ipurangi - Haast School|publisher=Ministry of Education]

References

External links

* [http://www.doc.govt.nz/templates/PlaceProfile.aspx?id=35227 Department of Conservation ] - Haast information page.