Pukekura is located near
Lake Ianthe in the
West Coast region of the
South Island
The South Island ( , 'the waters of Pounamu, Greenstone') is the largest of the three major islands of New Zealand by surface area, the others being the smaller but more populous North Island and Stewart Island. It is bordered to the north by ...
. passes through Pukekura on its route between
Ross and
Harihari, and the settlement is roughly 35 minutes south of
Hokitika
Hokitika is a town in the West Coast region of New Zealand's South Island, south of Greymouth, and close to the mouth of the Hokitika River. It is the seat and largest town in the Westland District. The town's estimated population is as of ...
and an hour north of
Franz Josef Glacier. It claimed to be the smallest town on the West Coast, with a population of two, though this was larger in past times when it was a saw-milling settlement.
Timber
Lumber is wood that has been processed into uniform and useful sizes (dimensional lumber), including beams and planks or boards. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, window frames). ...
was cut in the area from the early 1950s until the mid-1980s, and the town had been re-established as a tourist centre for a limited time, with a Bushman's Centre, pub, and accommodation. While the pub and the Bushman's Centre are closed as of 2020, accommodation facilities remain. The current population is 6, and the forest around the town is now a protected forest.
A possible translation of the name from
Māori
Māori or Maori can refer to:
Relating to the Māori people
* Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group
* Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand
* Māori culture
* Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...
to
English is "red hill".
Climate
References
External links
Official website of Pukekura (South Island township)
Westland District
Populated places in the West Coast Region
{{WestCoastNZ-geo-stub