Motueka is a town in the South Island of New Zealand, close to the mouth of the Motueka River on the western shore of Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere. It is the second largest in the Tasman Region, with a population of as of The surrounding district has a number of

apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancestor, ' ...

pear Pears are fruits produced and consumed around the world, growing on a tree and harvested in the Northern Hemisphere in late summer into October. The pear tree and shrub are a species of genus ''Pyrus'' , in the family Rosaceae, bearing the po ...

and

kiwifruit Kiwifruit (often shortened to kiwi in North American, British and continental European English) or Chinese gooseberry is the edible berry of several species of woody vines in the genus '' Actinidia''. The most common cultivar group of kiwi ...

orchard An orchard is an intentional plantation of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit- or nut-producing trees which are generally grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of ...

s, as well as growing a variety of specialised crops such as hops. The area formerly served as the main centre of

tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...

growing in New Zealand. A number of small

vineyard A vineyard (; also ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is known as viticulture. Vineya ...

s have also been developed. Nearby beaches (such as Kaiteriteri and Mārahau) are very popular with holidaymakers, and the area around Motueka has one of the country's highest annual sunshine-hour indices. Motueka, as one of the nearest towns to the

Abel Tasman Abel Janszoon Tasman (; 160310 October 1659) was a Dutch seafarer, explorer, and merchant, best known for his voyages of 1642 and 1644 in the service of the Dutch East India Company (VOC). He was the first known European explorer to reach New ...

and Kahurangi National Parks, has become the base of many tourism ventures, as well as in

Nelson Lakes National Park Nelson Lakes National Park is in the South Island of New Zealand, at the northern end of the Southern Alps. It was formed after the passing of the National Parks Act in 1952. It was created in 1956 (one of four created in the 1950s). The park c ...

, and in other recreational areas. Extensive

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

cave A cave or cavern is a natural void in the ground, specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. The word ''cave'' can refer to smaller openings such as sea ...

systems (including Harwoods Hole in the Tākaka Hill area north of Motueka) attract cavers and rock climbers. Sea kayaking, tramping and

canyoning Canyoning (canyoneering in the United States, kloofing in South Africa) is a type of mountaineering that involves travelling in canyons using a variety of techniques that may include other outdoor activities such as walking, scrambling, climbin ...

now attract many thousands of visitors each year. Many artists live in the area around Motueka, especially potters and

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...

musicians. The Riverside Community, in nearby Lower Moutere, is a pacifist intentional community. Founded in the 1940s, it is New Zealand's oldest cooperative living community.

Name

The name ''Motueka'', or more correctly ''Motuweka'', comes from the Māori language, and means ''weka island'', the weka being a bird of the rail family. The town is colloquially called "Mot" by some residents.

History

The first known European visitor to the coast near Motueka in 1827 was French explorer Jules Dumont d'Urville, of the French corvette Astrolabe. He explored and described much of the Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere shore line. Three ships carrying the

New Zealand Company The New Zealand Company, chartered in the United Kingdom, was a company that existed in the first half of the 19th century on a business model focused on the systematic colonisation of New Zealand. The company was formed to carry out the principl ...

's Nelson expedition, led by Captain Arthur Wakefield, anchored at Astrolabe Roads, north of Kaiteriteri Beach—about due north of Motueka—in October 1841. Kaiteriteri was selected as a site for the first settlement but was later abandoned in favour of

Nelson Haven Nelson Haven is an extensive area of mudflats northeast of Nelson, New Zealand. It is separated from Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere by the Boulder Bank and over 8 :en:kilometre, km long and up to 2 km wide. The area is regularly completely drow ...

. The exceptional fertility of the soil and the suitability of the surrounding land for small farm settlement were the main reasons for the establishment of the second town of the Nelson settlement at Motueka in 1842. Motueka was created as a

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History In the Middle A ...

in 1900. During the period, 1853 to 1876, Motueka was administrated as part of the Nelson Province.

Geography and climate

Motueka is situated on the small Motueka Plain near the Motueka River which enters Tasman Bay about 4 km north of the town. To the west of the valley the land rises steeply to the

Arthur Arthur is a common male given name of Brythonic origin. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur. The etymology is disputed. It may derive from the Celtic ''Artos'' meaning “Bear”. Another theory, more wi ...

and Pikiruna Ranges, and to the south the flat is broken by the gently rolling Moutere Hills. The

source Source may refer to: Research * Historical document * Historical source * Source (intelligence) or sub source, typically a confidential provider of non open-source intelligence * Source (journalism), a person, publication, publishing institute o ...

of the Pearse River near Motueka is the deepest known cold-water

in the world. Motueka has an oceanic climate ( Cfb) with cool, wet winters and warm, drier summers.

Demographics

Motueka, comprising the statistical areas of Motueka North, Motueka West and Motueka East, covers . It had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km². Motueka had a population of 8,007 at the

2018 New Zealand census Eighteen or 18 may refer to: * 18 (number), the natural number following 17 and preceding 19 * one of the years 18 BC, AD 18, 1918, 2018 Film, television and entertainment * ''18'' (film), a 1993 Taiwanese experimental film based on the sho ...

, an increase of 897 people (12.6%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 1,383 people (20.9%) since the 2006 census. There were 2,976 households. There were 3,885 males and 4,128 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.94 males per female, with 1,323 people (16.5%) aged under 15 years, 1,314 (16.4%) aged 15 to 29, 3,189 (39.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 2,181 (27.2%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 85.8% European/Pākehā, 14.6% Māori, 2.5% Pacific peoples, 5.7% Asian, and 2.3% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities). The proportion of people born overseas was 18.3%, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people objected to giving their religion, 53.8% had no religion, 33.3% were Christian, 0.5% were Hindu, 0.1% were Muslim, 1.7% were Buddhist and 3.0% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 786 (11.8%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 1,659 (24.8%) people had no formal qualifications. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 2,835 (42.4%) people were employed full-time, 1,008 (15.1%) were part-time, and 174 (2.6%) were unemployed.

Religion

Motueka once served as a centre for the Plymouth Brethren: their New Zealand patriarch

James George Deck James George Deck (1 November 1807 – 14 August 1884) was a United Kingdom, British-born New Zealand Evangelism, evangelist. Life Deck was born in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England, to John Deck, a postmaster, and Mary (''née'' Welch or W ...

(1807–1884) lies buried in Motueka cemetery.

Economy

Horticulture is the main industry in the area surrounding Motueka, and the town benefits directly from this. Some of the main crops are

s, beer hops and

. Due to the seasonal growth of many crops, the town's population increases greatly with seasonal workers, especially during late summer and early autumn for the apple 'pick'. At the height of tobacco production, Motueka was home to two tobacco factories. One owned by Australian company WD & HO Wills Holdings and the other by Rothmans International. The tobacco industry has ceased to exist in the area. Major employers in Motueka include: * Motueka Lumber Company now known and recognised globally as the MLC Group. Operates a timber processing facility that specialises in cut-to-length componentry, small end section and specialised timber mouldings. * Nelson Aviation College trains pilots for the aviation industry. * Prolam has manufacturing facilities in Lower Moutere and Riwaka (previously Prime Pine) that produce glulam beams, i beams, LVL timber, posts, wood flooring, timber retaining walls and mid floors. * Talley's Group was established in 1936 by Ivan Peter Talijancich. One of the town's largest employers, the company's Port Motueka site incorporates the Group Head Office, the Seafood Division and the Dairy Division. The Vegetable Division began operations in 1978 at Motueka, but has since been relocated to Blenheim and Ashburton. * CJ Industries is a construction and landscaping company.

New Zealand Energy Limited New Zealand Energy is a New Zealand electricity generation energy retailer company, servicing the Nelson and Tasman Regions of the country. The company is based in Motueka, and generates their renewable hydro and solar electricity locally wit ...

is a Motueka-based company that operates small hydroelectric power stations in Haast, Fox, Ōpunake and

Raetihi Raetihi, a small town in the center of New Zealand's North Island, is located at the junction of State Highways 4 and 49 in the Manawatū-Whanganui region. It lies in a valley between Tongariro and Whanganui National Parks, 11 kilometres west ...

Government

Local

From 1853 to 1876, Motueka was administered as part of the Nelson Province. The Motueka Borough Council was formed in 1900 and existed until 1989, when local government reforms saw it merged into the

Tasman District Council Tasman District Council ( mi, Te Kaunihera o te tai o Aorere) is the unitary local authority for the Tasman District of New Zealand. The council is led by the mayor of Tasman, who is currently . Tasman elects its 13 councillors from five differ ...

. Today the

Motueka Ward Motueka Ward is a ward of Tasman District in the north of the South Island The South Island, also officially named , is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand in surface area, the other being the smaller but more populous North ...

is represented by three councillors and includes the nearby settlements of Kaiteriteri, Mārahau,

Ngātīmoti Ngātīmoti or Ngatimoti is a town near Motueka in New Zealand's South Island. The town lies on the banks of the Motueka River and has been inhabited since 1855 when the Salisbury brothers arrived in the river valley. The local economy includes ...

and Riwaka.

List of mayors

The Motueka Borough Council was headed by a mayor from 1900 until 1989. The following is an incomplete list of officeholders:

National

The electorate of Motueka and Massacre Bay was created for the

1853 New Zealand general election The 1853 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 1st term. It was the first national election ever held in New Zealand, although Parliament did not yet have full authority to gove ...

and was succeeded by the electorate of Motueka in the 1860–1861 general election which lasted until 1890. In 1896 the Motueka electorate was recreated, and lasted until 1946. Today Motueka is part of the West Coast-Tasman electorate.

Education

Motueka High School Motueka High School is a coeducational secondary school in Motueka, New Zealand established in 1955. Notable alumni * Shannon Francois – netball player *David Havili David Kaetau Havili (born 23 December 1994) is a New Zealand rugby un ...

is a co-educational state secondary school for Year 9 to 13 students, with a roll of as of . There are two co-educational state primary schools in the township for Year 1 to 8 students: Parklands School, with a roll of , and Motueka South School, with a roll of . There are two private primary schools in the township for Year 1 to 8 students: Motueka Steiner School, with a roll of , and

St Peter Chanel School St Peter Chanel School may refer to the following schools named for Peter Chanel: ;Australia * St Peter Chanel Primary School, in The Gap, Brisbane, Queensland ;New Zealand * St Peter Chanel School, Hamilton * St Peter Chanel School, Motueka * St ...

, with a roll of . There are also five other primary schools in the area surrounding Motueka.

Media

There are two local newspapers in Motueka: ''The Guardian Motueka'', out every Wednesday and ''The Motueka Golden Bay News'', out every Thursday. The area has a local radio station, Fresh FM, which also broadcasts to Blenheim,

Nelson Nelson may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey * ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers * ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...

, Tākaka and Tasman.

Transport

Motueka is served by State Highway 60 which runs from Collingwood in

Golden Bay / Mohua Golden Bay / Mohua is a shallow, paraboloid-shaped bay in New Zealand, near the northern tip of the South Island. An arm of the Tasman Sea, the bay lies northwest of Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere and Cook Strait. It is protected in the north ...

to near Richmond. The former State Highway 61, now known as the Motueka Valley Highway connects State Highway 60 at Motueka to State Highway 6 at Kohatu Junction near Tapawera. Port Motueka, south-east of Motueka, on a tidal lagoon of some , provides sheltered berthage for coastal vessels and is the Gateway to the Abel Tasman National Park. The Motueka Aerodrome is west of the town centre and serves as a base for the Motueka Aero Club and the Nelson Aviation College. In 1984, Motueka Air started scheduled passenger flights from Motueka to

Wellington, New Zealand Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...

using a

Piper Aztec The Piper PA-23, named Apache and later Aztec, is an American four- to six-seat twin-engined light aircraft aimed at the general-aviation market. The United States Navy and military forces in other countries also used it in small numbers. Origin ...

aircraft. Within a couple of years the Motueka Air network had grown to include Nelson, Wellington and

Palmerston North Palmerston North (; mi, Te Papa-i-Oea, known colloquially as Palmy) is a city in the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Located in the eastern Manawatu Plains, the city is near the north bank of the ...

using additional Piper Chieftains. In 1988, Motueka Air was renamed Air Nelson and relocated to Nelson Airport.

Culture and arts

Marae

Te Āwhina Marae is located in Motueka. It is a ''

marae A ' (in New Zealand Māori, Cook Islands Māori, Tahitian), ' (in Tongan), ' (in Marquesan) or ' (in Samoan) is a communal or sacred place that serves religious and social purposes in Polynesian societies. In all these languages, the term a ...

'' (meeting ground) for

Ngāti Rārua Ngāti Rārua are a Māori iwi (tribe) of the Tainui tribal confederation, descendants of the people who arrived in Aotearoa aboard the ''Tainui'' waka (canoe). Ngāti Rārua stem from the marriage of Rārua-ioio and Tū-pāhau and had their ...

, and Te Atiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui, and includes the Turangāpeke ''

wharenui A wharenui (; literally "large house") is a communal house of the Māori people of New Zealand, generally situated as the focal point of a ''marae''. Wharenui are usually called meeting houses in New Zealand English, or simply called ''whare'' ( ...

'' (meeting house).

Festivals

Motueka hosts the Kaiteriteri Carnival and Motueka Festival of Lights.

Sport

Teams

* Golden Bay-Motueka Rugby Union *

Tasman Rugby Union The Tasman Rugby Union is the governing body for rugby union in Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere, a bay at the north end of the South Island in New Zealand. Headquartered in Nelson, TRU is New Zealand's newest provincial union, founded in 2006 wit ...

Sister cities

Motueka is twinned with: * Kiyosato, Hokkaido, Japan

Notable people

* Denis Aberhart, cricketer * Michael Bennett, film director, screenwriter * George Black, politician * Tony Blain, cricketer *

Ann Boyce Ann Boyce (20 November 1827 – 28 February 1914) was a New Zealand founding mother and herbalist. She was born Ann Cave in Sydney, Australia, on 20 November 1827. In 1837 she came to Port Underwood in Marlborough, New Zealand, with her family. ...

, New Zealand pioneer and herbalist. *

Edward Chaytor Major General Sir Edward Walter Clervaux Chaytor, (21 June 1868 – 15 June 1939) was a farmer, and a military commander of New Zealand troops in the Boer War and the First World War. Early life Born in Motueka, New Zealand, Chaytor was the so ...

military commander The commanding officer (CO) or sometimes, if the incumbent is a general officer, commanding general (CG), is the officer in command of a military unit. The commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitud ...

* Bevan Congdon, cricketer *

Josh Coppins Joshua "Josh" Coppins (born 11 March 1977) is a New Zealand former professional motocross rider. He competed in the Motocross World Championship FIM Motocross World Championship is the premier championship of motocross racing, organized by t ...

, professional

motocross Motocross is a form of off-road motorcycle racing held on enclosed off-road circuits. The sport evolved from motorcycle trials competitions held in the United Kingdom. History Motocross first evolved in Britain from motorcycle trials competiti ...

racer * Herbert Curtis, politician *

, evangelist *

Shannon Francois Shannon Saunders (, born 12 October 1990) is a New Zealand netball player, who is currently contracted to the Southern Steel in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. Saunders, who is a predominantly a midcourter has played for Otago in the Nation ...

, netballer * Owen Franks, Rugby Player,

Crusaders The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The best known of these Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1095 and 1291 that were in ...

, All Black * David Havili, Rugby Player,

, All Black * Ruth Gilbert,

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems ( oral or wri ...

Toni Hodgkinson Toni Louise Hodgkinson (born 12 December 1971) is a former New Zealand middle distance runner, originally from Tākaka. She currently holds the New Zealand woman's record in the 800 m. As a student at Golden Bay High School, Hodgkinson set man ...

middle distance runner Middle-distance running events are track races longer than sprints, up to 3000 metres. The standard middle distances are the 800 metres, 1500 metres and mile run, although the 3000 metres may also be classified as a middle-distance event. The 15 ...

* Keith Holyoake, Prime Minister of New Zealand *

Denny Hulme Denis Clive Hulme (18 June 1936 – 4 October 1992), commonly known as Denny Hulme, was a New Zealand racing driver who won the Formula One World Drivers' Championship for the Brabham team. Between his debut at Monaco in 1965 and his f ...

, 1967

Formula One Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...

world champion *

Richmond Hursthouse Richmond Hursthouse (5 May 1845 – 11 November 1902) was a 19th-century Member of Parliament in Nelson, New Zealand, and a cabinet minister. Family life Hursthouse was born in New Plymouth in 1845, soon after his family's emigration from Engl ...

, politician *

Simon Mannering Simon Alexander Mannering (born 28 August 1986) is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. He played for the New Zealand Warriors in the NRL. A New Zealand international second row forward, ...

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 11 ...

player * Roderick McKenzie, politician *

Glenn Milnes Glenn Stefan Milnes (born 15 October 1974) was a New Zealand cricketer who played 47 games in all for Central Districts in the late 1990 and early 2000s. He played for the New Zealand Development team, New Zealand Youth team, Nelson cricket team ...

, cricketer * Walter Moffatt, Mayor of

* Michael Myers,

Chief Justice of New Zealand The chief justice of New Zealand ( mi, Te Kaiwhakawā Tumuaki o Aotearoa) is the head of the New Zealand judiciary, and presides over the Supreme Court of New Zealand. The chief justice of New Zealand is also the chief justice of Tokelau. Befo ...

* Charles Parker, politician * Richard Hudson, politician *

Alfred Christopher Picard Alfred Christopher Picard (24 May 1824 – 17 September 1855) was a 19th-century New Zealand politician. Picard was born in London in 1824. He arrived in New Zealand in 1848 with the ''Ajax'' and first settled in Nelson. By 1853, he was living ...

, politician * Bill Rowling, politician *

Jerry Skinner Clarence Farrington Skinner (19 January 1900 – 26 April 1962), commonly known as Jerry or Gerry Skinner, was a Labour politician from New Zealand, the third deputy prime minister of New Zealand between 1957 and 1960, and a minister from 1943 ...

, politician *

Shelton Woolright Shelton Woolright is a drummer, musician and photographer. Born and raised in Auckland, New Zealand, Auckland, he became the drummer of alternative rock band Blindspott in 1997, before leaving the group in 2008. Later that year, Woolright formed th ...

, musician, best known as the drummer for Blindspott *

Florence Young Florence Selina Harriet Young (10 October 1856 – 28 May 1940) was a New Zealand-born missionary who established the Queensland Kanaka Mission in order to convert Kanaka (Pacific Island worker), Kanaka labourers in Queensland, Australia. In addit ...

missionary A missionary is a member of a religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Mi ...

References

External links

Motueka Community Board

Motueka Photo Gallery
{{Authority control Populated places in the Tasman District Populated places around Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere