Hokitikas OriginsWest Coast Gold RushHistoric BuildingsKokatahi Accommodation History
Hokitika: The Beautiful Land of the West Coast; Hokitika has a rich history and beautiful landscape. With views of Mount Cook (the highest mountain in NZ) from the main streets, beautiful walks and reserves, glow worms, Hokitika Beach, and scenic lakes nearby - it’s long been the heart of Westland and a must visit for overseas and local travelers. Hokitika was the center of the West Coast Gold Rush in 1864 and has a number of historical buildings in the city from the Woodstock Hotel (est 1870), Carnegie Building (1908), and Clock Tower (1903) among others.
The land where Hokitika stands was purchased in 1860 from Māori when Poutini Ngāi Tahu chiefs signed the Arahura Deed. This was the sale of the whole of the West Coast region, apart from small areas reserved for Māori. It was almost 3 million hectares and sold to the Crown for £300.
The name Hokitika translates from Māori as "to return directly" (from hoki, 'to return', and tika, 'direct').
The town was founded with the discovery of gold in 1864. Growing rapidly, it reached a peak population of 50,000 in 1866, with the ‘Australian invasion’ of prospectors seeking further gold fields (by contrast, the population today is just over three thousand!). By 1868, when the town was made a borough, the population was already in decline.
Recently, the Hokitika Gold Rush memorably provided the setting for Eleanor Catton’s Man Booker Prize-winning The Luminaries (2013).
Hokitika is home to a number of historic buildings and sites to visit during your stay whether you want to explore the Maori history, Gold mining period, Crown Heritage etc.
This list includes:
- Seddon Statue at 14 Sewell Street, built in 1910
- Mahinapua Creek Railway Bridge at State Highway 6, built in 1905
- Carnegie Building at 17 Hamilton Street and Tancred Street, built 1908
- Seaview Lighthouse at Seaview Terrace, built in 1879
- Regent Theatre at 23 Weld Street, built 1935
- Hokitika Clock Tower at Sewell Street and Weld Street, built in 1903
For a full list visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_historic_places_in_Hokitika
Longford initially started as a Hotel serving the local area. Unfortunately, like many of it's kind in New Zealand, the original building was destroyed in a fire.
The house now on the site was moved on from further down the road and extended to house the Payne family as they grew.
We bought the property in 2021 when the Paynes retired to Darfield, Canterbury.
Tui BnB was originally a dairy providing refreshments to the local mill workers and sweet treats for kids. When the Mill across the road closed so did the shop, but it was turned into a comfortable home which we have enjoyed since early 2020.
