Fox Glacier

Infobox Settlement
name = Fox Glacier
population_total = 378
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 = 27
lats = 52
latNS = S
longd = 170
longm = 1
longs = 4
longEW = E

The Fox Glacier (Te Moeka o Tuawe in Māori)" [http://www.foxglacierhotel.co.nz/hotel/history.php The History of Fox Glacier Hotel] " (from the hotel website. Accessed 2008-07-19.)] is a 12 km long glacier located in Westland National Park on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. It was named in 1872 after a visit by the then Prime Minister of New Zealand, Sir William Fox.Fact|date=May 2008

Geography

Fed by four alpine glaciers, Fox Glacier falls 2,600m on its 13km journey from the Southern Alps down to the coast, with it having the distinction of being one of the few glaciers to end among lush rainforest only 300 metres above sea level. Although retreating throughout most of the last 100 years, it has been advancing since 1985 at an average of about a meter a week." [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/location/story.cfm?l_id=500593&ObjectID=10363304 Glacier visitors ignore 'extreme risks'] " - "The New Zealand Herald", Thursday 12 January 2006]

The outflow of the glacier forms the Fox River. During the last ice age, its ice reached beyond the present coastline, and the glacier left behind many moraines during its retreat. Lake Matheson formed as a kettle lake within one of these. [http://www.doc.govt.nz/templates/page.aspx?id=44306 Fox Glacier area] (from the DOC website. Accessed 2008-05-17.)] [http://stamps.nzpost.co.nz/Cultures/en-NZ/Stamps/StampsHistoricalIssues/1984+-+1980/Beautiful+New+Zealand.htm Beautiful New Zealand] , Stamps - Historical Issues, 1984 - 1980, New Zealand Post. Accessed 2008-05-17.]

Tourism

Like the nearby Franz Josef Glacier, it is one of the most accessible glaciers in the world, with its terminal face an easy walk from Fox Glacier village/Weheka. It is a major tourist attraction and about 1000 people daily visit it during high tourist season. Though people are told not to, some go beyond the barriers and climb without guides onto the glacier, whose rapid advance creates dangers of sudden ice and rockfalls.

Fox Glacier township/Weheka, 6 km away from the glacier, functions mainly as a service centre for tourists, though it also services the local farming community, which had been its main focus until the 1990s (though tourism started as early as the late 1920s). The approximate township site had been gazetted as early as 1866. Bruce Bay is 46 km to the south-west of the township, and Franz Josef is 23 km north-east. State Highway 6 runs through the town. [cite book|title=Reed New Zealand Atlas|year=2004|id=ISBN 0-7900-0952-8|author=Peter Dowling (editor)|publisher=Reed Books|pages=map 76] [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 173]

The population was 378 in the 2006 Census, an increase of 123 from 2001. [cite web|url=http://www.stats.govt.nz/census/2006-census-data/final-counts/west-coast-region.htm|title=Final counts – census night and census usually resident populations, and occupied dwellings - Westland District|publisher=Statistics New Zealand] .

Education

Fox Glacier School is a coeducational full primary (years 1-8) school with a decile rating of 8 and a roll of 17. [cite web|url=http://www.tki.org.nz/e/schools/display_school_info.php?school_id=3342|title=Te Kete Ipurangi - Fox Glacier School|publisher=Ministry of Education] The school started in 1877. [cite book|title=Black sands and golden years : Weheka-Fox Glacier School jubilee 1877-1979|year=1979|first=Margaret|last=Hall|publisher=Bascands]

ee also

* Retreat of glaciers since 1850
* Franz Josef Glacier

References