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Motueka is a town in 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 Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasma ...
of New Zealand, close to the mouth of the
Motueka River The Motueka River is located in the north of the South Island of New Zealand and is a popular tourist destination for watersports and fishing. The Motueka flows from the mountains 40 km west of the city of Nelson in the southeast of the ca ...
on the western shore of
Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere Tasman Bay (; officially Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere), originally known in English as Blind Bay, is a large V-shaped bay at the north end of New Zealand's South Island. Located in the centre of the island's northern coast, it stretches along ...
. It is the second largest in the
Tasman Region Tasman District () is a local government district in the northwest of the South Island of New Zealand. It borders the Canterbury Region, West Coast Region, Marlborough Region and Nelson City. It is administered by the Tasman District Council, ...
, 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 ances ...
,
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 p ...
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 kiwifr ...
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 la ...
s, as well as growing a variety of specialised crops such as
hops Hops are the flowers (also called seed cones or strobiles) of the hop plant '' Humulus lupulus'', a member of the Cannabaceae family of flowering plants. They are used primarily as a bittering, flavouring, and stability agent in beer, to wh ...
. 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 ch ...
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. Vine ...
s have also been developed. Nearby beaches (such as
Kaiteriteri Kaiteriteri is a town and seaside resort in the Tasman Region of the South Island of New Zealand. It is close to both Mārahau, the main gateway to Abel Tasman National Park, and the town of Motueka. Kaiteriteri is a small coastal town relia ...
and
Mārahau Mārahau is a village in the Tasman District of the South Island of New Zealand, approximately north of Motueka. Its location on Tasman Bay and at the southern entrance of the Abel Tasman National Park makes it a popular holiday destination for ...
) 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 Park Kahurangi National Park in the northwest of the South Island of New Zealand is the second largest of the thirteen national parks of New Zealand. It was gazetted in 1996 and covers , ranging to near Golden Bay in the north. Much of what was t ...
s, 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 wh ...
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 Harwoods Hole is a cave system located in the northwest of the South Island of New Zealand, in the Abel Tasman National Park. At , it is New Zealand's deepest vertical shaft. It was first explored in 1958, long after it was discovered. Formatio ...
in the
Tākaka Hill Tākaka Hill is a range of hills in the northwest of the South Island of New Zealand. Made of marble that has weathered into many strange forms and with numerous sink holes, it is typical karst country. The marble is Ordovician in age and from t ...
area north of Motueka) attract cavers and rock climbers. Sea
kayaking Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving over water. It is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is a low-to-the-water, canoe-like boat in which the paddler sits facin ...
,
tramping Tramping may refer to: Travel * Hiking * Trekking * Tramping in New Zealand, a style of backpacking or hiking *Czech tramping, a Czech outdoors pastime Places *Rural Municipality of Tramping Lake No. 380, Saskatchewan, Canada ** Tramping Lake, Sa ...
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, climbi ...
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 the ...
musicians. The Riverside Community, in nearby
Lower Moutere Lower Moutere is a settlement in the Tasman District of New Zealand's upper South Island. It is a farming community it the Lower Moutere valley, from Motueka closed to the Moutere Inlet. The road up the valley from Motueka to Upper Moutere i ...
, is a
pacifist Pacifism is the opposition or resistance to war, militarism (including conscription and mandatory military service) or violence. Pacifists generally reject theories of Just War. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campaig ...
intentional community An intentional community is a voluntary residential community which is designed to have a high degree of group cohesiveness, social cohesion and teamwork from the start. The members of an intentional community typically hold a common social, po ...
. 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 Māori (), or ('the Māori language'), also known as ('the language'), is an Eastern Polynesian language spoken by the Māori people, the indigenous population of mainland New Zealand. Closely related to Cook Islands Māori, Tuamotuan, an ...
, and means ''weka island'', the
weka The weka, also known as the Māori hen or woodhen (''Gallirallus australis'') is a flightless bird species of the rail family. It is endemic to New Zealand. It is the only extant member of the genus '' Gallirallus''. Four subspecies are recog ...
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 Jules Sébastien César Dumont d'Urville (; 23 May 1790 – 8 May 1842) was a French explorer and naval officer who explored the south and western Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, and Antarctica. As a botanist and cartographer, he gave his nam ...
, of the French corvette
Astrolabe An astrolabe ( grc, ἀστρολάβος ; ar, ٱلأَسْطُرلاب ; persian, ستاره‌یاب ) is an ancient astronomical instrument that was a handheld model of the universe. Its various functions also make it an elaborate incli ...
. He explored and described much of the
Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere Tasman Bay (; officially Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere), originally known in English as Blind Bay, is a large V-shaped bay at the north end of New Zealand's South Island. Located in the centre of the island's northern coast, it stretches along ...
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 Captain Arthur Wakefield (19 November 1799 – 17 June 1843) served with the Royal Navy, before joining his brother, Edward Gibbon Wakefield, in founding the new settlement at Nelson, New Zealand. Early life Arthur Wakefield was born in Essex, a ...
, anchored at Astrolabe Roads, north of
Kaiteriteri Kaiteriteri is a town and seaside resort in the Tasman Region of the South Island of New Zealand. It is close to both Mārahau, the main gateway to Abel Tasman National Park, and the town of Motueka. Kaiteriteri is a small coastal town relia ...
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. 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 ...
in 1900. During the period, 1853 to 1876, Motueka was administrated as part of the
Nelson Province Nelson Province was constituted in 1853 under the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852, and originally covered the entire upper South Island, including all of present-day Buller, Kaikoura, Marlborough, and Tasman districts, along with Nelson C ...
.


Geography and climate

Motueka is situated on the small Motueka Plain near the
Motueka River The Motueka River is located in the north of the South Island of New Zealand and is a popular tourist destination for watersports and fishing. The Motueka flows from the mountains 40 km west of the city of Nelson in the southeast of the ca ...
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 w ...
and Pikiruna Ranges, and to the south the flat is broken by the gently rolling
Moutere Hills Upper Moutere (originally called Sarau by its founding German settlers) is a locality in the Tasman District near Motueka at the top of New Zealand's South Island. History As early as 1839 the New Zealand Company had resolved to "take steps ...
. The source of the
Pearse River The Pearse River is a river of the Tasman Region of New Zealand's South Island. It flows east from sources in the Wharepapa / Arthur Range, reaching the Motueka River 20 kilometres southwest of Motueka. The source is a resurgence near the Nettle ...
near Motueka is the deepest known cold-water
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 ...
in the world. Motueka has an
oceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ...
( 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 sh ...
, 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 The Plymouth Brethren or Assemblies of Brethren are a low church and non-conformist Christian movement whose history can be traced back to Dublin, Ireland, in the mid to late 1820s, where they originated from Anglicanism. The group emphasize ...
: their New Zealand patriarch James George Deck (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
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 ances ...
s, beer hops 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 kiwifr ...
. 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 Rothmans International plc was a British tobacco manufacturer. Its brands included Rothmans, Player's and Dunhill. Its international headquarters were in Hill Street, London and its international operations were run from Denham Place in Denham ...
. 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 Talley's Group Limited is a privately owned, New Zealand-based agribusiness company that provides seafood, vegetable and dairy products. Talley's was established in 1936 in Motueka by Ivan Peter Talijancich (later known as Ivan Talley) as a man ...
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 withi ...
is a Motueka-based company that operates small hydroelectric power stations in Haast,
Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelv ...
,
Ōpunake Ōpunake is a small town on the southwest coast of Taranaki in New Zealand's North Island. It is located 45 kilometres southwest of New Plymouth. Rahotu is 16 km to the northwest. Manaia is 29 km to the southeast. State Highway ...
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 Nelson Province was constituted in 1853 under the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852, and originally covered the entire upper South Island, including all of present-day Buller, Kaikoura, Marlborough, and Tasman districts, along with Nelson C ...
. 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 is represented by three councillors and includes the nearby settlements of
Kaiteriteri Kaiteriteri is a town and seaside resort in the Tasman Region of the South Island of New Zealand. It is close to both Mārahau, the main gateway to Abel Tasman National Park, and the town of Motueka. Kaiteriteri is a small coastal town relia ...
,
Mārahau Mārahau is a village in the Tasman District of the South Island of New Zealand, approximately north of Motueka. Its location on Tasman Bay and at the southern entrance of the Abel Tasman National Park makes it a popular holiday destination for ...
,
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 f ...
and
Riwaka Riwaka ( mi, Riuwaka) is a small settlement in the Tasman District of New Zealand's South Island. It lies beside Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere, five kilometres north of Motueka, and close to the mouth of the Riuwaka River. The land where the ...
.


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 Motueka and Massacre Bay was one of the original parliamentary electorates created for the 1st New Zealand Parliament. It existed from 1853 to 1860 and was represented by three Members of Parliament. In the 1860 electoral redistribution, the are ...
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 gover ...
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 West Coast-Tasman electorate boundaries used since the West Coast-Tasman is a New Zealand parliamentary electorate. Since its formation for the , it has been held by Damien O'Connor of the Labour Party apart from one parliamentary term, when ...
electorate.


Education

Motueka High School 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 * ...
, 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 Fresh or FRESH may refer to: People * DJ Fresh (born 1977), UK-based drum and bass artist *DJ Fresh (producer), US-based R&B producer born Marqus Brown Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Fresh'' (1994 film), a crime film * ''Fresh'' (20 ...
, 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 Tākaka is a small town situated at the southeastern end of Golden Bay, at the northern end of New Zealand's South Island, located on the lower reaches of the Tākaka River. State Highway 60 runs through Takaka and follows the river valley ...
and
Tasman Tasman most often refers to Abel Tasman (1603–1659), Dutch explorer. Tasman may also refer to: Animals and plants * Tasman booby * Tasman flax-lily * Tasman parakeet (disambiguation) * Tasman starling * Tasman whale People * Tasman (name), ...
.


Transport

Motueka is served by State Highway 60 which runs from
Collingwood Collingwood, meaning "wood of disputed ownership", may refer to: Educational institutions * Collingwood College, Victoria, an Australian state Prep to Year 12 school * Collingwood College, Durham, college of Durham University, England * Collingw ...
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 Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, a ...
. The former State Highway 61, now known as the
Motueka Valley Highway State Highway 61 (SH 61) is a former New Zealand state highway in the Tasman Region of the South Island. It links the coastal town of Motueka with SH 6, the main route to the South Island's West Coast. Along with several other state highw ...
connects State Highway 60 at Motueka to State Highway 6 at Kohatu Junction near
Tapawera Tapawera is a small town in the Tasman District of New Zealand's South Island. It is located southwest of Nelson and southeast of Motueka. It is situated on the Motueka Valley Highway (formerly ) by the banks of the Motueka River. Histo ...
. 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 Abel Tasman National Park is a New Zealand national park located between Golden Bay and Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere at the north end of the South Island. It is named after Abel Tasman, who in 1642 became the first European explorer to sight N ...
. 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 Air Nelson was a regional airline based in Nelson, New Zealand. It was founded as an independent airline in 1979. Air New Zealand took a 50% shareholding in 1988 and 100% ownership in 1995. Air Nelson operated services on provincial routes under ...
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 ...
'' (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 or ...
, and
Te Atiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui Te Atiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui is a Māori iwi (tribe) in the upper South Island of New Zealand. Its rohe (tribal area) extends from Golden Bay and Marlborough Sounds at the top of the South Island to Cape Campbell, St Arnaud and Westport. Marae ...
, 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 The Golden Bay-Motueka Rugby Union was the governing body for rugby union in the Motueka and Golden Bay area, in the northwest of the South Island of New Zealand, between 1920 and 1967. History The Golden Bay-Motueka Rugby Union was formed in 192 ...
*
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 with ...


Sister cities

Motueka is
twinned Twinning (making a twin of) may refer to: * In biology and agriculture, producing two offspring (i.e., twins) at a time, or having a tendency to do so; * Twin towns and sister cities, towns and cities involved in town twinning * Twinning inst ...
with: *
Kiyosato, Hokkaido is a town in Okhotsk Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. As of September 2016, the town has an estimated population of 4,222 and a population density of 10 persons per km2. The total area is . Industry Kiyosato is near Mount Shari and u ...
, Japan


Notable people

* Denis Aberhart,
cricketer Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by st ...
* Michael Bennett,
film director A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, ...
,
screenwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based. ...
* George Black, politician * Tony Blain,
cricketer Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by st ...
* Ann Boyce, 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 son ...
,
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 latitu ...
*
Bevan Congdon Bevan Ernest Congdon (11 February 1938 – 10 February 2018) was a New Zealand cricket all-rounder who played 61 Test matches and 11 One Day Internationals from 1965 to 1978, which included a spell as captain. Captaincy He was captain of the ...
,
cricketer Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by st ...
* Josh Coppins, 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 competi ...
racer *
Herbert Curtis Herbert Evelyn Curtis (1818–1890) was a 19th-century Member of Parliament in Nelson, New Zealand. He represented the Motueka and Massacre Bay electorate from to 1860, then the Motueka electorate from 1861 Statistically, this year is ...
, politician * James George Deck, 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 ...
,
All Black The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks ( mi, Ōpango), represents New Zealand in men's international rugby union, which is considered the country's national sport. The team won the Rugby World Cup in 1987 ...
*
David Havili David Kaetau Havili (born 23 December 1994) is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a fullback, centre or first five-eighth for in the Bunnings NPC and the in the Super Rugby competition. Early career Havili is of P� ...
, 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 ...
,
All Black The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks ( mi, Ōpango), represents New Zealand in men's international rugby union, which is considered the country's national sport. The team won the Rugby World Cup in 1987 ...
* 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 wr ...
*
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 1 ...
*
Keith Holyoake Sir Keith Jacka Holyoake, (; 11 February 1904 – 8 December 1983) was the 26th prime minister of New Zealand, serving for a brief period in 1957 and then from 1960 to 1972, and also the 13th governor-general of New Zealand, serving from 1977 ...
, 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 ...
, 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, 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 112 ...
player *
Roderick McKenzie Roderick McKenzie (1852 – 9 October 1934) was a New Zealand Member of Parliament for Buller and Motueka, in the South Island. He was a member of the Liberal Party. Biography Early life and career He was born in Ross-shire, Scotland in 1852. ...
, 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 Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by st ...
* Walter Moffatt, Mayor of
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 ...
* 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. Bef ...
* Charles Parker, politician * Richard Hudson, politician * Alfred Christopher Picard, politician *
Bill Rowling Sir Wallace Edward Rowling (; 15 November 1927 – 31 October 1995), commonly known as Bill Rowling, was a New Zealand politician who was the 30th prime minister of New Zealand from 1974 to 1975. He held office as the parliamentary leader of t ...
, 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, musician, best known as the drummer for Blindspott * Florence Young,
missionary A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, 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.Tho ...


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