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Kaikōura (; ) is a town on the east coast 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 ...
of New Zealand, located on
State Highway 1 The following highways are numbered 1. For roads numbered A1, see list of A1 roads. For roads numbered B1, see list of B1 roads. For roads numbered M1, see List of M1 roads. For roads numbered N1, see list of N1 roads. For roads numbered S ...
, north of
Christchurch Christchurch (; ) is the largest city in the South Island and the List of cities in New Zealand, second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand. Christchurch has an urban population of , and a metropolitan population of over hal ...
. The town has an estimated permanent resident population of as of . Kaikōura is the seat of the
territorial authority Territorial authorities (Māori language, Māori: ''mana ā-rohe'') are a tier of local government in New Zealand, alongside regions of New Zealand, regional councils. There are 67 territorial authorities: 13 list of cities in New Zealand, city ...
of the
Kaikōura District The Kaikōura District (; ) is a territorial authority district in Canterbury Region on the South Island of New Zealand. The district encompasses the eponymous town of Kaikōura, a number of small towns and settlements and the surrounding rura ...
, which is part of the
Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the county of Kent, England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. The city has a mild oceanic climat ...
region. Kaikōura was first inhabited by the
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 ...
, with the
Ngāi Tahu Ngāi Tahu, or Kāi Tahu, is the principal Māori people, Māori (tribe) of the South Island. Its (tribal area) is the largest in New Zealand, and extends from the White Bluffs / Te Parinui o Whiti (southeast of Blenheim, New Zealand, Blenhe ...
iwi occupying the area since at least 1670. Europeans began to settle in Kaikōura in the mid 1840s. By the 1850s, land that had been acquired was sold to European settlers, who most often started sheep farms in the area.
Mount Fyffe Mount Fyffe is a mountain peak in the Seaward Kaikōura Range, in the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. The mountain was named after Robert Fyffe, a whaler who introduced sheep and milking goats to Kaikōura. Location The su ...
in the
Seaward Kaikōura Range Seaward may refer to: People: *Carolyn Seaward (born 1960), former beauty queen who appeared in the 1983 Bond film ''Octopussy'' * John Seaward (1786–1858), British civil engineer and mechanical engineer * Kevin Seaward (born 1983), Northern Iri ...
is named in honour of
Robert Fyffe Alexander Robert Fyffe ( 1811 – April 1854) was a New Zealand whaler and runholder. He was born in Perthshire Perthshire (Scottish English, locally: ; ), officially the County of Perth, is a Shires of Scotland, historic county and r ...
and his family, the first European settlers in the area. The infrastructure of Kaikōura was heavily damaged in the
2016 Kaikōura earthquake The 2016 Kaikōura earthquake was a 7.8 earthquake in the South Island of New Zealand that occurred two minutes after midnight on 14 November 2016 Time in New Zealand, NZDT (11:02 on 13 November UTC). earthquake rupture, Ruptures occurred on ...
, with one of the two deaths near the town. The bay and surrounding region were uplifted by as much as . In 2023, Kaikōura was named as one of the "most beautiful small towns in the world". Kaikōura is known for its biodiversity, a wide variety of marine mammals can be seen in the sea, including
whale Whales are a widely distributed and diverse group of fully Aquatic animal, aquatic placental mammal, placental marine mammals. As an informal and Colloquialism, colloquial grouping, they correspond to large members of the infraorder Cetacea ...
s and
dolphin A dolphin is an aquatic mammal in the cetacean clade Odontoceti (toothed whale). Dolphins belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontopori ...
s.


History


Early Māori history

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 ...
have long been resident in Kaikōura and archaeological evidence of
moa Moa are extinct giant flightless birds native to New Zealand. Moa or MOA may also refer to: Arts and media * Metal Open Air, a Brazilian heavy metal festival * MOA Museum of Art in Japan * The Moas, New Zealand film awards People * Moa ...
bones indicates that they hunted moa there. After the moa numbers declined, Kaikōura was still an attractive place to live because of its abundance of seafood. The
Ngāi Tahu Ngāi Tahu, or Kāi Tahu, is the principal Māori people, Māori (tribe) of the South Island. Its (tribal area) is the largest in New Zealand, and extends from the White Bluffs / Te Parinui o Whiti (southeast of Blenheim, New Zealand, Blenhe ...
''
iwi Iwi () are the largest social units in New Zealand Māori society. In Māori, roughly means or , and is often translated as "tribe". The word is both singular and plural in the Māori language, and is typically pluralised as such in English. ...
'' have been resident in the Kaikōura area since at least 1670. Numerous
The word pā (; often spelled pa in English) can refer to any Māori people, Māori village or defensive settlement, but often refers to hillforts – fortified settlements with palisades and defensive :wikt:terrace, terraces – and also to fo ...
sites are located around Kaikōura. The numbers vary between 14 and 40.
Captain James Cook Captain James Cook (7 November 1728 – 14 February 1779) was a British Royal Navy officer, explorer, and cartographer famous for his three voyages of exploration to the Pacific and Southern Oceans, conducted between 1768 and 1779. He complet ...
saw Kaikōura in 1770 but did not land there. He reported seeing four double hulled canoes approaching HMS ''Endeavour'' containing 57 Māori. In 1827–1828, Kaikōura was the site of the battle of Niho Maaka, between musket-armed
Ngāti Toa Ngāti Toa, also called Ngāti Toarangatira or Ngāti Toa Rangatira, is a Māori people, Māori ''iwi'' (tribe) based in the southern North Island and the northern South Island of New Zealand. Ngāti Toa remains a small iwi with a population of ...
(led by
Te Rauparaha Te Rauparaha ( – 27 November 1849) was a Māori rangatira, warlord, and chief of the Ngāti Toa iwi. One of the most powerful military leaders of the Musket Wars, Te Rauparaha fought a war of conquest that greatly expanded Ngāti Toa south ...
) and the
Ngāti Kurī Ngāti Kurī is a Māori people, Māori iwi from Northland Region, Northland, New Zealand. The iwi is one of the five Muriwhenua iwi of the far north of the North Island. Ngāti Kurī trace their whakapapa (ancestry) back to Pōhurihanga, the ca ...
people of Ngāi Tahu. Several hundred
Ngāi Tahu Ngāi Tahu, or Kāi Tahu, is the principal Māori people, Māori (tribe) of the South Island. Its (tribal area) is the largest in New Zealand, and extends from the White Bluffs / Te Parinui o Whiti (southeast of Blenheim, New Zealand, Blenhe ...
were killed or captured. Ngāi Tahu were surprised by the Ngāti Toa raiding party, as they were expecting a visit from the
Ngāti Kahungunu Ngāti Kahungunu is a Māori iwi (tribe) located along the eastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand. The iwi is traditionally centred in the Hawke's Bay and Wairārapa regions. The Kahungunu iwi also comprises 86 hapū (sub-tribes ...
sub-tribe Tū-te-pākihi-rangi, with whom they were friends. Only those Ngāti Kurī who fled to the hills survived. The name of the battle comes from a threat made by Rerewaka, one of the Kaikōura chiefs, who said he would slit Te Rauparaha's belly with a
shark tooth Sharks continually shed their teeth; some Carcharhiniformes shed approximately 35,000 teeth in a lifetime, replacing those that fall out. There are four basic types of shark teeth: dense flattened, needle-like, pointed lower with triangular up ...
() if he came south.


Whaling stations

A whaling station was first established by
Robert Fyffe Alexander Robert Fyffe ( 1811 – April 1854) was a New Zealand whaler and runholder. He was born in Perthshire Perthshire (Scottish English, locally: ; ), officially the County of Perth, is a Shires of Scotland, historic county and r ...
in 1842 at Kaikōura. The Fyffe family was the first European family to settle in Kaikōura. John Guard and his family joined Fyffe sometime between 1844 and 1846. 40 men were employed at the whaling station initially. In 1845, he purchased a second whaling station at South Bay. This second whaling station (Fyffe's Village) became the commercial centre of Kaikōura until 1867. Fyffe diversified into shipping and farming due to the decline in whale numbers. The ''
Marlborough Express The ''Marlborough Express'' is a newspaper serving the Marlborough area of New Zealand. Its headquarters are in Blenheim and has been published there since 1866. Ownership The ''Marlborough Express'' was set up by the printer, journalist and ...
'' newspaper commented in 1866 that "whales seemed to have abandoned coming to Kaikōura". The whaling stations continued until 1922.
Mount Fyffe Mount Fyffe is a mountain peak in the Seaward Kaikōura Range, in the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. The mountain was named after Robert Fyffe, a whaler who introduced sheep and milking goats to Kaikōura. Location The su ...
owes its name to the Fyffe family. The cottage that the Fyffe family lived in, built in 1842, still stands. The area surrounding the house, including Avoca Point, has been listed as a Historic Area by
Heritage New Zealand Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga (initially the National Historic Places Trust and then, from 1963 to 2014, the New Zealand Historic Places Trust; in ) is a Crown entity that advocates for the protection of Archaeology of New Zealand, ancest ...
. The construction of the cottage is unusual in that the supporting foundations of the house are made of
whalebone Baleen is a filter-feeding system inside the mouths of baleen whales. To use baleen, the whale first opens its mouth underwater to take in water. The whale then pushes the water out, and animals such as krill are filtered by the baleen and ...
.


European settlement

The New Zealand government purchased land north of Kaikōura from Ngāti Toa in 1847. This was challenged by Ngāi Tahu who said that Ngāti Toa had no right to sell land that did not belong to them. In 1857, the New Zealand Government made an offer for land between the
Ashley Ashley is a place name derived from the Old English words '' æsċ'' (“ash”) and '' lēah'' (“meadow”). It may refer to: People and fictional characters * Ashley (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name ...
and Waiau Uwha rivers for 200 pounds which was signed by Ngāi Tahu. Other land deals were completed in the area leaving small reserves for local Māori. These reserves were reduced after 1900 when the New Zealand government compulsorily acquired further land for the proposed railway and "scenic" purposes. From the 1850s, land that had been acquired was sold to European settlers who most often started sheep farms in the area. Many small blocks were sold around the
Kaikōura Peninsula The Kaikōura Peninsula is located in the northeast of New Zealand's South Island. It protrudes into the Pacific Ocean. The town of Kaikōura is located on the north shore of the peninsula. The peninsula has been settled by Māori for approxima ...
and in the 1870s roads and bridges were built. A small wharf was completed in 1863. The Inland Kaikōura Road to
Rotherham Rotherham ( ) is a market town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies at the confluence of the River Rother, South Yorkshire, River Rother, from which the town gets its name, and the River Don, Yorkshire, River Don. It is the largest settlement ...
was completed by 1888. The road that became
State Highway 1 The following highways are numbered 1. For roads numbered A1, see list of A1 roads. For roads numbered B1, see list of B1 roads. For roads numbered M1, see List of M1 roads. For roads numbered N1, see list of N1 roads. For roads numbered S ...
was started in the 1890s across the
Hundalee Hills The Hundalee Hills are located close to the borders of Hurunui District and Kaikōura District in Canterbury in the South Island of New Zealand. Located 40 kilometres (24.85 mi) to the south of Kaikōura, Hundalee Hills are known largely fo ...
with bridges across the rivers completed in 1914. From around 1900, a total of 59
Norfolk pines ''Araucaria heterophylla'' (synonym ''A. excelsa'') is a species of conifer. As its vernacular name Norfolk Island pine (or Norfolk pine) implies, the tree is endemic to Norfolk Island, an external territory of Australia located in the Pacific ...
were planted along the Esplanade. These trees now have "protected trees" status from the Kaikōura District Council.


20th century

The population increased as a result of the extensive works required to build the railway in 1935. In December 1945, the Christchurch to Picton railway line was officially opened at Kaikōura. 5,000 people came out to celebrate the occasion. The population fell slightly after the railway was completed. In 1962 the
roll-on/roll-off Roll-on/roll-off (RORO or ro-ro) ships are cargo ships designed to carry wheeled cargo, such as cars, motorcycles, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, buses, Trailer (vehicle), trailers, and railroad cars, that are driven on and off the ship on their ...
car ferry between
Wellington Wellington 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 third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...
and Picton increased travel between the North and South Islands, bringing more visitors to Kaikōura. There was only one motel (with 40 beds) prior to 1962. Between 1945 and 1960, over-fishing led to a decline in the numbers of crayfish ( spiny lobsters). By 1975 the decline in crayfish numbers had extended to other fish species. In 1975 there were 97 registered fishing vessels operating out of Kaikōura. There are reports that between 1963 and 1964, 248
sperm whale The sperm whale or cachalot (''Physeter macrocephalus'') is the largest of the toothed whales and the largest toothed predator. It is the only living member of the Genus (biology), genus ''Physeter'' and one of three extant species in the s ...
s in Kaikoura waters were killed during the last of the whaling activity in New Zealand. Kaikōura struggled economically during the 1970s. In 1975 there were 304 motel beds and a further 500 camp ground beds and hotel beds. The Marlborough Regional Development Council noted that there was investment in accommodation but not in tourist attractions at this time. The restructuring of the economy following the election of the Labour government in 1984 also affected Kaikōura adversely. Farm incomes dropped. Public sector employment was affected badly. There were 170 jobs lost in a town of 3,000. In 1985 a group of local Kaikōura people established a tourist centre, and began promoting Kaikōura as a tourist destination. The focus at that stage was on the walking opportunities and the scenery.
Whale-watching Whale watching is the practice of observing whales and dolphins (cetaceans) in their natural habitat. Whale watching is mostly a recreational activity (cf. birdwatching), but it can also serve scientific and/or educational purposes.Hoyt, E. ...
was established as a tourist venture in Kaikōura in 1987. Local Māori leaders were concerned about local unemployment, and mortgaged their houses to buy a boat to start up a whale watching business to see the local sperm whales. In the first year of business, 3,000 tourists took the opportunity to see whales. This has greatly expanded to more than 100,000 per annum.


2016 Kaikōura earthquake

On 14 November 2016, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck 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 ...
just after midnight. It left two people dead (one near the town and one in the adjacent
Hurunui District Hurunui District is a territorial local government district within the Canterbury Region on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island, north of Christchurch. It stretches from the east coast to the Main Divide. Its land area is . Local go ...
) and triggered a small tsunami. One thousand tourists and hundreds of residents were stranded in Kaikōura after the earthquake cut off train and vehicle access. New Zealand Air Force helicopters ferried many people out of Kaikoura initially with the New Zealand navy sending HMNZS ''Canterbury'' to ferry many hundreds of tourists out. 1700 construction workers completed two million man hours to repair the quake-damaged route along State Highway 1 after the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake. It reopened on 15 December 2017. The repairs included fixing almost of damaged road and a similar length of railway line. The repairs cost NZ$1.1 billion.


Geography

The stretch of coastline stretching roughly between the mouths of the
Conway Conway may refer to: Places United States * Conway, Arkansas * Conway County, Arkansas * Lake Conway, Arkansas * Conway, Florida * Conway, Iowa * Conway, Kansas * Conway, Louisiana * Conway, Massachusetts * Conway, Michigan * Conway Townshi ...
and
Waiau Toa / Clarence River The Clarence River (; officially Waiau Toa / Clarence River) is a major river which flows through the Kaikōura Ranges in the northeast of New Zealand's South Island. At roughly long, it is the longest river in Canterbury and the eighth longes ...
s is generally known as the Kaikōura coast. This coast is unusual for the South Island east coast, as there is very little coastal plain, with the
Seaward Kaikōura Range Seaward may refer to: People: *Carolyn Seaward (born 1960), former beauty queen who appeared in the 1983 Bond film ''Octopussy'' * John Seaward (1786–1858), British civil engineer and mechanical engineer * Kevin Seaward (born 1983), Northern Iri ...
, a branch of the
Southern Alps The Southern Alps (; officially Southern Alps / Kā Tiritiri o te Moana) are a mountain range extending along much of the length of New Zealand, New Zealand's South Island, reaching its greatest elevations near the range's western side. The n ...
, rising straight from the ocean. The town of Kaikōura has the Seaward Kaikōuras as a backdrop. One of the walking tracks for visitors is the Mount Fyffe track, which winds up Mount Fyffe, and gives a panoramic view of the Kaikōura peninsula from the summit. The Kaikōura Peninsula extends into the sea south of the town, and the resulting upwelling currents bring an abundance of marine life from the depths of the nearby Kaikōura Canyon. The town owes its origin to this effect, since it developed as a centre for the
whaling Whaling is the hunting of whales for their products such as meat and blubber, which can be turned into a type of oil that was important in the Industrial Revolution. Whaling was practiced as an organized industry as early as 875 AD. By the 16t ...
industry. The name ''Kaikōura'' means 'meal of
crayfish Crayfish are freshwater crustaceans belonging to the infraorder Astacidea, which also contains lobsters. Taxonomically, they are members of the superfamilies Astacoidea and Parastacoidea. They breathe through feather-like gills. Some spe ...
' (''kai'' – food/meal, ''kōura'' – crayfish) and the crayfish industry still plays a role in the economy of the region. However Kaikōura has now become a popular
tourist Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as being limited to holiday activity on ...
destination, mainly for whale watching and swimming with or near
dolphin A dolphin is an aquatic mammal in the cetacean clade Odontoceti (toothed whale). Dolphins belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontopori ...
s.


Climate


Governance

The town is the seat of the
territorial authority Territorial authorities (Māori language, Māori: ''mana ā-rohe'') are a tier of local government in New Zealand, alongside regions of New Zealand, regional councils. There are 67 territorial authorities: 13 list of cities in New Zealand, city ...
of the
Kaikōura District The Kaikōura District (; ) is a territorial authority district in Canterbury Region on the South Island of New Zealand. The district encompasses the eponymous town of Kaikōura, a number of small towns and settlements and the surrounding rura ...
, which is part of the
Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the county of Kent, England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. The city has a mild oceanic climat ...
region. Local governance for Kaikōura is provided by the
Kaikōura District Council Kaikōura District Council () is the territorial authority for the Kaikōura District of New Zealand. The council is led by the mayor of Kaikōura In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as ...
(Ko te kaunihera ā rohe o Kaikōura). The council consists of a
mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...
and seven councillors. Elections for positions on the council are held every three years in conjunction with nationwide local elections. Kaikōura was the first local authority in the Southern Hemisphere to achieve recognition by the
EarthCheck EarthCheck, previously operating under the name EC3 Global, is a globally recognised group specialising in benchmarking, certification, and advisory services. Its primary focus lies in the environmental and scientific dimensions of the travel an ...
Community Standard. For national elections, Kaikōura is part of the Kaikōura electorate. Stuart Smith of the National Party was the current member of parliament after the 2020 election.


Demographics

Kaikōura is defined by Statistics New Zealand as a small urban area and covers . It had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2. Kaikōura had a population of 2,223 at the
2018 New Zealand census The 2018 New Zealand census, which took place on Tuesday 6 March 2018, was the thirty-fourth national census in New Zealand. The population of New Zealand was counted as 4,699,755 – an increase of 457,707 (10.79%) over the 2013 census. Resu ...
, an increase of 213 people (10.6%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 21 people (1.0%) since the 2006 census. There were 873 households, comprising 1,107 males and 1,116 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.99 males per female. The median age was 47.7 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 318 people (14.3%) aged under 15 years, 354 (15.9%) aged 15 to 29, 981 (44.1%) aged 30 to 64, and 573 (25.8%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 83.3% European/
Pākehā ''Pākehā'' (or ''Pakeha''; ; ) is a Māori language, Māori-language word used in English, particularly in New Zealand. It generally means a non-Polynesians, Polynesian New Zealanders, New Zealander or more specifically a European New Zeala ...
, 19.6%
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 ...
, 0.8% Pasifika, 5.0% Asian, and 3.1% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas was 18.2, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 48.2% had no religion, 40.6% were
Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
, 1.3% had
Māori religious beliefs 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 ...
, 0.3% were
Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
, 0.3% were
Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
, 0.5% were
Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
and 2.0% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 231 (12.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 447 (23.5%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $30,200, compared with $31,800 nationally. 189 people (9.9%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 969 (50.9%) people were employed full-time, 315 (16.5%) were part-time, and 30 (1.6%) were unemployed.


Economy

In 2020, the
GDP Gross domestic product (GDP) is a monetary measure of the total market value of all the final goods and services produced and rendered in a specific time period by a country or countries. GDP is often used to measure the economic performance o ...
of the Kaikōura District was $232 million, with an annual growth for the region of 1.6%. Tourism is a major contributor to the economy of the district. There was a significant downturn in visitors caused by 2016 earthquake, with the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
creating a further impact in 2020–21. However, by 2024, tourism and economic activity in the town had rebounded. Tourism contributed $57 million to total GDP in Kaikoura District in 2020, and was the top overall category, contributing 24.8% of district GDP. In 2023, tourism provided 27.6% of jobs in Kaikōura District in 2023, with accommodation and food services representing another 18.5%. In addition to
ecotourism Ecotourism is a form of nature-oriented tourism intended to contribute to the Ecological conservation, conservation of the natural environment, generally defined as being minimally impactful, and including providing both contributions to conserv ...
activities in the town such as whale, seal and bird watching, further tourism opportunities are under development. These include astrotourism, following the accreditation of the Kaikōura District as an International Dark Sky Sanctuary, and the construction of a long-distance trail from Picton to Kaikōura known as the Whale Trail.


Culture

In
Māori mythology Māori mythology and Māori traditions are two major categories into which the remote oral history of New Zealand's Māori people, Māori may be divided. Māori myths concern tales of supernatural events relating to the origins of what was the ...
, Kaikōura Peninsula (Te Taumanu-o-te-waka-a-Māui) was the seat where
Māui Māui or Maui is the great culture hero and trickster in Polynesian mythology. Very rarely was Māui actually worshipped, being less of a deity ( demigod) and more of a folk hero. His origins vary from culture to culture, but many of his main expl ...
sat when he fished the North Island (Te Ika-a-Māui) up from the depths of the sea. The
tangata whenua In New Zealand, tangata whenua () is a Māori term that translates to "people of the land". It can refer to either a specific group of people with historical claims to a district, or more broadly the Māori people who's common ancestors are bur ...
of Kaikōura and all of the Kaikōura District are Te Runanga o Ngāi Tahu, and they hold customary tribal authority over this entire area (
rohe The Māori people of New Zealand use the word ' to describe the territory or boundaries of tribes (, although some divide their into several . Background In 1793, chief Tuki Te Terenui Whare Pirau who had been brought to Norfolk Island drew ...
). Takahanga Marae, a ''
marae A ' (in Māori language, New Zealand Māori, Cook Islands Māori, Tahitian language, Tahitian), ' (in Tongan language, Tongan), ' (in Marquesan language, Marquesan) or ' (in Samoan language, Samoan) is a communal or sacred place that serves reli ...
'' (tribal meeting ground) of Ngāi Tahu and its ''Te Rūnanga o Kaikōura'' branch, is located in Kaikōura. The current marae building was opened in 2001. It includes the Maru Kaitatea ''
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 ''wikt:wh ...
'' (meeting house).
Cliff Whiting Clifford Hamilton Whiting (6 May 1936 – 16 July 2017) was a New Zealand artist, teacher and advocate for Māori heritage. Career In 1955, Whiting began teacher training at Wellington Teachers' College where his artistic talents were quickly ...
was one of many Māori and Pākehā artists who contributed carving and artworks for the wharenui.


Biodiversity

The economy of the town now has a significant reliance on the visitors who come to experience the
biodiversity Biodiversity is the variability of life, life on Earth. It can be measured on various levels. There is for example genetic variability, species diversity, ecosystem diversity and Phylogenetics, phylogenetic diversity. Diversity is not distribut ...
of the local region, particularly the ocean. The Kaikōura canyon is a
submarine canyon A submarine canyon is a steep-sided valley cut into the seabed of the continental slope, sometimes extending well onto the continental shelf, having nearly vertical walls, and occasionally having canyon wall heights of up to , from canyon flo ...
located southwest of the Kaikōura Peninsula. It is a southern branch of the
Hikurangi Trough The Hikurangi Trough (previously known as the Hikurangi Trench) is a sea floor feature of the Pacific Ocean off the north-east South Island and the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It has been forming for about 25 million years an ...
that extends northwards up the New Zealand east coast. The canyon has been described as a "bio-diversity hotspot", where upwelling of currents from the deep ocean provide feeding grounds along the Kaikōura coast for a diverse range of
seabird Seabirds (also known as marine birds) are birds that are adaptation, adapted to life within the marine ecosystem, marine environment. While seabirds vary greatly in lifestyle, behaviour and physiology, they often exhibit striking convergent ...
s and
marine mammal Marine mammals are mammals that rely on marine ecosystems for their existence. They include animals such as cetaceans, pinnipeds, sirenians, sea otters and polar bears. They are an informal group, unified only by their reliance on marine enviro ...
s. An incorporated society, Te Korowai o Te Tai o Marokura, Kaikōura Coastal Marine Guardians (Te Korowai) was formed in 2005 to develop use and protection strategies and actions for the Kaikōura coast. The work of the society led to the passing of the Kaikōura (Te Tai o Marokura) Marine Management Act in August 2014. This Act established the Kaikōura marine management area, including a new marine reserve, sanctuaries and protections for whales and fur seals, and established new fishing regulations. It also recognised taiapure (traditional Māori fishing grounds which include areas of special cultural or spiritual significance).


Hikurangi Marine Reserve

The Hikurangi Marine Reserve is a
marine reserve A marine reserve is a type of marine protected area (MPA). An MPA is a section of the ocean where a government has placed limits on human activity. A marine reserve is a marine protected area in which removing or destroying natural or cultural ...
off the Kaikōura coast, covering an area of south of the township, and including part of the Kaikōura canyon. The reserve was established in 2014, and is the largest and deepest marine reserve adjacent to any of New Zealand's three main islands. No fishing, harvesting or mining is allowed in the reserve.


Kaikōura whale sanctuary

The Kaikōura (Te Tai o Marokura) Marine Management Act 2014 established the Te Rohe o Te Whānau Puha Whale Sanctuary covering , and extending north and south of the Kaikōura peninsula and out to sea, to provide additional protection for marine mammals in this area.


Marine mammals

A wide variety of marine mammals can be seen in the Kaikōura region, including whales, dolphins, and New Zealand fur seals. The
Marine Mammals Protection Act 1978 The Marine Mammals Protection Act 1978 is an Act of Parliament passed in New Zealand in 1978. It is administered by the Department of Conservation. The environmental organisation Project Jonah gave the major impetus for the government to cr ...
provides legal protection for these animals, and regulations set conditions that govern human behaviour in the vicinity of marine mammals. Permits are required for commercial tourist operations associated with marine mammals.


Whales

Whale watching is a popular tourist attraction for Kaikōura, and is an important contributor to the local economy.
Sperm whale The sperm whale or cachalot (''Physeter macrocephalus'') is the largest of the toothed whales and the largest toothed predator. It is the only living member of the Genus (biology), genus ''Physeter'' and one of three extant species in the s ...
s can be observed all year, typically around 23 km offshore, but sometimes closer to shore.
Humpback whale The humpback whale (''Megaptera novaeangliae'') is a species of baleen whale. It is a rorqual (a member of the family Balaenopteridae) and is the monotypic taxon, only species in the genus ''Megaptera''. Adults range in length from and weigh u ...
s are often seen in June and July during their winter migration, and
orca The orca (''Orcinus orca''), or killer whale, is a toothed whale and the largest member of the oceanic dolphin family. The only extant species in the genus '' Orcinus'', it is recognizable by its black-and-white-patterned body. A cosmopol ...
can be seen from December to March.


Dolphins

Several species of
dolphin A dolphin is an aquatic mammal in the cetacean clade Odontoceti (toothed whale). Dolphins belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontopori ...
can be seen in the waters off Kaikōura, including
Dusky dolphin The dusky dolphin (''Lagenorhynchus obscurus'') is a small oceanic dolphin found in coastal waters of the Southern Hemisphere. It is most closely related to the Pacific white-sided dolphin. The dolphin's range is patchy, major populations occ ...
s, and the endangered Hector's dolphin.


Seabirds

New Zealand has an unusually high diversity of shags, penguins, petrels and albatross species, leading to claims that the country is the "seabird capital of the world". Some of these seabird species are in significant decline, and many are critically endangered. Notable seabirds that are seen off Kaikōura include: * fourteen species of albatross: Wandering,
Antipodean In geography, the antipode () of any spot on Earth is the point on Earth's surface diametrically opposite to it. A pair of points ''antipodal'' () to each other are situated such that a straight line connecting the two would pass through Ear ...
, Northern royal, Southern royal, Black-browed, Campbell, White-capped, Salvin's, Chatham, Buller's, Atlantic yellow-nosed, Indian yellow-nosed, Light-mantled,
Sooty Sooty is a British children's television media franchise created by Harry Corbett incorporating primarily television and stage shows. The franchise originated with his fictional glove puppet character introduced to television in '' The Sooty ...
* ten species of petrel: Cook's, Grey-faced,
Cape A cape is a clothing accessory or a sleeveless outer garment of any length that hangs loosely and connects either at the neck or shoulders. They usually cover the back, shoulders, and arms. They come in a variety of styles and have been used th ...
,
Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...
, White-chinned, Westland,
Grey Grey (more frequent in British English) or gray (more frequent in American English) is an intermediate color between black and white. It is a neutral or achromatic color, meaning that it has no chroma. It is the color of a cloud-covered s ...
, White-headed,
Mottled Mottle is a pattern of irregular marks, spots, streaks, blotches or patches of different shades or colours. It is commonly used to describe the surface of plants or the skin of animals. In plants, mottling usually consists of yellowish spots on p ...
, Soft-plumaged * seven species of shearwater: Buller's,
Sooty Sooty is a British children's television media franchise created by Harry Corbett incorporating primarily television and stage shows. The franchise originated with his fictional glove puppet character introduced to television in '' The Sooty ...
, Hutton's, Fluttering, Short-tailed, Flesh-footed, Pink-footed * four species of skua:
Arctic The Arctic (; . ) is the polar regions of Earth, polar region of Earth that surrounds the North Pole, lying within the Arctic Circle. The Arctic region, from the IERS Reference Meridian travelling east, consists of parts of northern Norway ( ...
, Pomarine, Long-tailed,
Brown Brown is a color. It can be considered a composite color, but it is mainly a darker shade of orange. In the CMYK color model used in printing and painting, brown is usually made by combining the colors Orange (colour), orange and black. In the ...
* four species of storm petrel: White-faced, Wilson's, Grey-backed, Black-bellied * four species of penguin:
Little Little is a synonym for small size and may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Little'' (album), 1990 debut album of Vic Chesnutt * ''Little'' (film), 2019 American comedy film *The Littles, a series of children's novels by American author John P ...
, Yellow-eyed, Erect-crested, Chinstrap * two species of giant petrel:
Southern Giant Petrel The southern giant petrel (''Macronectes giganteus''), also known as the Antarctic giant petrel, giant fulmar, stinker, and stinkpot, is a large seabird of the southern oceans. Its distribution overlaps broadly with the similar northern giant pe ...
,
Northern Giant Petrel The northern giant petrel (''Macronectes halli''), also known as Hall's giant petrel, is a large, predatory seabird of the southern oceans. Its range overlaps broadly with the range of the related southern giant petrel (''Macronectes giganteus'') ...
Other notable seabirds observed off Kaikōura include:
Antarctic fulmar The southern fulmar (''Fulmarus glacialoides'') is a seabird of the Southern Hemisphere. Along with the northern fulmar, ''F. glacialis'', it belongs to the fulmar genus ''Fulmarus'' in the family Procellariidae, the true petrels. It is also kn ...
,
Fairy Prion The fairy prion (''Pachyptila turtur'') is a small seabird with the standard prion plumage of blue-grey upperparts with a prominent dark "M" marking and white underneath. The sexes are alike. It is a small prion which frequents the low subantarct ...
,
Grey Phalarope The red phalarope or grey phalarope (''Phalaropus fulicarius'') is a small wader. This phalarope breeds in the Arctic regions of North America and Eurasia. It is migratory, and, unusually for a wader, migrates mainly on oceanic routes, wintering ...
,
Black-billed gull The black-billed gull (''Chroicocephalus bulleri''), also called Buller's gull or ( Māori), is a Near Threatened species of gull in the family Laridae. This gull is found only in New Zealand, its ancestors having arrived from Australia arou ...
,
Arctic tern The Arctic tern (''Sterna paradisaea'') is a tern in the family Laridae. This bird has a circumpolar breeding distribution covering the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions of Europe (as far south as Brittany), Asia, and North America (as far south ...
,
Black-fronted tern The black-fronted tern (''Chlidonias albostriatus''), sea martin, ploughboy, or tarapiroe Māori language, (Māori), is a medium-small tern endemic to New Zealand. Black-fronted terns can be found in coastal habitats from the southern tip of th ...
and
Common diving petrel The common diving petrel (''Pelecanoides urinatrix''), also known as the smaller diving petrel or simply the diving petrel, is a diving petrel, one of four very similar auk-like small petrels of the southern oceans. It is native to South Atlanti ...
. Also regularly seen are Pied shags, Little shag,
Spotted shag The spotted shag or pārekareka (''Phalacrocorax punctatus'') is a species of cormorant endemic to New Zealand. Though originally classified as ''Phalacrocorax punctatus'', it is sufficiently different in appearance from typical members of tha ...
,
Australasian gannet The Australasian gannet (''Morus serrator''), also known as the Australian gannet or tākapu, is a large seabird of the booby and gannet family, Sulidae. Adults are mostly white, with black flight feathers at the wingtips and lining the trailing ...
,
Southern black-backed gull The kelp gull (''Larus dominicanus''), also known as the Dominican gull, is a gull that breeds on coasts and islands through much of the Southern Hemisphere. The nominate ''L. d. dominicanus'' is the subspecies found around South America, part ...
,
Red-billed gull The red-billed gull (''Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae scopulinus''), also known as tarāpunga and as the mackerel gull, is a native gull, seagull of New Zealand, being found throughout the country and on outlying islands including the Chatham I ...
,
White-fronted tern The white-fronted tern (''Sterna striata''), also known as tara, sea swallow, black-billed tern, kahawai bird, southern tern, or swallow tail, was first described by Johann Friedrich Gmelin in 1789. A medium-sized tern with an all-white body inclu ...
. From a local conservation perspective, particularly notable seabirds in the Kaikōura region include the Hutton's shearwater, the Red-billed gull, and the Little penguin.


Hutton's shearwater

The Hutton's shearwater (''Puffinus huttoni'') or Kaikōura tītī is an endangered seabird in the family
Procellariidae The family (biology), family Procellariidae is a group of seabirds that comprises the fulmarine petrels, the gadfly petrels, the diving petrels, the prion (bird), prions, and the shearwaters. This family is part of the bird order (biology), orde ...
. It is found in waters around Australia and New Zealand but it only breeds in the Seaward Kaikōura Range in New Zealand. It is the only seabird in the world that breeds in an alpine environment. Nests have been found at elevations from 1200 to 1800metres. The Kowhai Valley and Shearwater Stream Important Bird Area contains the only two remaining alpine breeding colonies. An artificial colony was established in a protected area on the Kaikōura peninsula as a conservation measure, after six other colonies were wiped out by feral pigs. The birds fly at night, but can become disoriented by bright lights. Fledglings are particularly vulnerable, and can crash-land on roads in the town. They are usually unable to take off again, making them vulnerable to being run over by vehicles or succumbing to predation by dogs or cats. Conservation organisations in Kaikōura rescue stranded birds for later release, and advocate for reduced lighting.


Red-billed gull

The
Red-billed gull The red-billed gull (''Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae scopulinus''), also known as tarāpunga and as the mackerel gull, is a native gull, seagull of New Zealand, being found throughout the country and on outlying islands including the Chatham I ...
also known as tarāpunga, is native to New Zealand. The Kaikōura peninsula has one of the three largest breeding colonies of these gulls, but the local population is in significant decline. In contrast, there has been an increase in the population of Red-billed gulls at the breeding colony at
Otago Peninsula The Otago Peninsula () is a long, hilly indented finger of land that forms the easternmost part of Dunedin, New Zealand. Volcanic in origin, it forms one wall of the eroded valley that now forms Otago Harbour. The peninsula lies south-east of Ot ...
, where there is control of mammalian predators.


Little penguin

The
Little penguin The little penguin (''Eudyptula minor'') is the smallest species of penguin. It originates from New Zealand. It is commonly known as the fairy penguin, little blue penguin, or blue penguin, owing to its slate-blue plumage and is also known by ...
or kororā is found along the Kaikōura coastline. These birds are vulnerable to becoming entangled in fishing nets, and while on land are vulnerable to vehicle impact and predation by rats and domestic dogs. In a recent survey of 75km of Kaikōura coastline, the only breeding colony located was in fragmented areas around the southern part of the Kaikōura peninsula.


Shorebirds


Banded dotterel

The
double-banded plover The double-banded plover (''Anarhynchus bicinctus''), known as the banded dotterel or pohowera in New Zealand, is a species of bird in the plover family. Two subspecies are recognised: the nominate ''Charadrius bicinctus bicinctus'', which bree ...
, known in New Zealand as the banded dotterel or pohowera, is a species of bird in the
plover Plovers ( , ) are members of a widely distributed group of wader, wading birds of subfamily Charadriinae. The term "plover" applies to all the members of the subfamily, though only about half of them include it in their name. Species lis ...
family that nests on stony beaches around the Kaikōura peninsula and South Bay. The species is listed as Nationally Vulnerable. Breeding success of banded dotterels at Kaikōura has been severely affected by predation from cats. A community-driven action plan is being developed to protect the habitat of nesting shorebirds at South Bay, with support from
Environment Canterbury Environment Canterbury, frequently abbreviated to ECan, is the promotional name for the Canterbury Regional Council. It is the regional council for Canterbury, the largest region in the South Island of New Zealand. It is part of New Zealand's ...
, Kaikōura District Council,
University of Canterbury The University of Canterbury (UC; ; postnominal abbreviation ''Cantuar.'' or ''Cant.'' for ''Cantuariensis'', the Latin name for Canterbury) is a public research university based in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was founded in 1873 as Canterbur ...
and Te Rūnanga o Kaikōura.


Dark Sky Sanctuary

An initiative was launched in 2022 to achieve international recognition of a
dark-sky preserve A dark-sky preserve (DSP) is an area, usually surrounding a park or observatory, that restricts or reduces light pollution or maintains and protects naturally dark night skies. Different terms have been used to describe these areas as national or ...
in the Kaikōura area. The intention was to reduce the problems that lighting causes for Hutton's shearwaters. The Kaikōura District Council had already modified streetlighting, to reduce the risk to the birds. In April 2022, the
Mayor of Kaikōura In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well as ...
said that the dark-sky reserve initiative had the full support of the council, and would be a boost to tourist numbers, especially during the winter period. The Kaikōura Dark Sky Trust applied to
DarkSky International DarkSky International, formerly the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), is a United States–based nonprofit organization incorporated in 1988 by founders David Crawford, a professional astronomer, and Tim Hunter, a physician and amateur ...
for designation of an International Dark Sky Sanctuary in August 2024, and the designation was announced on 11 September 2024. The sanctuary covers an area of , representing around 98% of the Kaikōura District, excluding the Kaikōura township. The Trust plans to apply for the Kaikōura township to be recognised with international dark sky community status.


Infrastructure

The rebuild after the 2016 earthquake replaced or upgraded many of Kaikoura District Council's assets. These included replacing the oldest water mains built in the 1920s and many roads. This has left Kaikōura better placed financially in 2021 than many councils, as they do not have to replace these in the next 30 years as part of their long term planning.


Hospital

Funding was announced in 2013 to rebuild the 100 year old Kaikoura Hospital. It was completed in April 2016. The new building provides space for general practice, physiotherapy, dental, optometry as well as maternity, radiology and medical/trauma stabilisation and resuscitation facilities. It cost $13.4 million to complete.


Kaikōura Civic Centre

The Kaikōura Civic Centre was completed in 2016. It has a distinctive large "cray pot" on the outside of the building which represents Kaikōura's connection to the sea. It contains offices for the Kaikōura District Council, Kaikōura Library and Kaikōura Museum. A third floor was approved by the Kaikōura District Council in 2011 and the cost rose which led to complaints from rate payers and submissions to the Long Term Plan in 2012 requesting restraint in spending. Long term, finances for the Kaikōura District Council have been suggested to be tenuous.


Hotel

A $35 million 4.5 star hotel was due to open in September 2021, but work was delayed due to the loss of international tourists because of the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. It is expected to have 118 bedrooms and provide economic stimulus to Kaikōura. It later opened in October 2022.


Transport


Road transport

State Highway 1 The following highways are numbered 1. For roads numbered A1, see list of A1 roads. For roads numbered B1, see list of B1 roads. For roads numbered M1, see List of M1 roads. For roads numbered N1, see list of N1 roads. For roads numbered S ...
passes through the town.


Air

Kaikōura also has a small sealed airstrip located 6 km south of the main centre.
Kaikoura Airport Kaikoura Airport is an uncontrolled aerodrome located southwest of Kaikōura at Peketa in the South Island of New Zealand. History The Airport was opened in 1964. It was constructed by council staff at a cost of 4000 pounds. It had an origi ...
is mainly used for whale spotting tourist flights but it can also be used by small private and charter flights. It previously had return flights to
Wellington Wellington 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 third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...
and
Christchurch Christchurch (; ) is the largest city in the South Island and the List of cities in New Zealand, second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand. Christchurch has an urban population of , and a metropolitan population of over hal ...
operated by Sounds Air. A new service to Wellington has since been started with Air Kaikoura.


Rail

Kaikōura is served by the Main North Line, the northern section of the
South Island Main Trunk Railway The Main North Line between Picton and Christchurch and the Main South Line between Lyttelton and Invercargill, running down the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand, are sometimes together referred to collectively as the South Isl ...
. The line opened north of Kaikōura on 13 March 1944, while the line south of the town opened on 15 December 1945, the latter completing the full line
Christchurch Christchurch (; ) is the largest city in the South Island and the List of cities in New Zealand, second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand. Christchurch has an urban population of , and a metropolitan population of over hal ...
to Picton. Kaikōura is served by the
Coastal Pacific The ''Coastal Pacific'' is a long-distance passenger train that runs between Picton and Christchurch in the South Island of New Zealand. It is operated by the Great Journeys New Zealand division of KiwiRail. It was called the ''TranzCoast ...
long-distance passenger train, formerly called the TranzCoastal, which connected the town with
Christchurch Christchurch (; ) is the largest city in the South Island and the List of cities in New Zealand, second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand. Christchurch has an urban population of , and a metropolitan population of over hal ...
to the south, Picton and the
Cook Strait Cook Strait () is a strait that separates the North Island, North and South Islands of New Zealand. The strait connects the Tasman Sea on the northwest with the South Pacific Ocean on the southeast. It is wide at its narrowest point,McLintock, ...
ferries A ferry is a boat or ship that transports passengers, and occasionally vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A small passenger ferry with multiple stops, like those in Venice, Italy, is sometimes referred to as a water taxi or water bus. ...
to the north. Kaikoura Station was the last station in New Zealand to have a
refreshment room A railway refreshment room is a catering facility attached to a railway station that was formerly common in United Kingdom, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries that were formerly part of the British Empire. They were opened in the ...
for passengers, which closed in 1988 when the Coastal Pacific Express (former name for the TranzCoastal) introduced on-board refreshments. Freight trains also pass through the town, mainly carrying freight between the marshalling yards at Middleton in Christchurch and the Interislander rail ferries at Picton. The Main North Line (Picton to Christchurch, passing through Kaikōura) suffered damage in the November 2016 earthquake and was closed for repairs, re-opening to freight traffic on 15 September 2017. The
Coastal Pacific The ''Coastal Pacific'' is a long-distance passenger train that runs between Picton and Christchurch in the South Island of New Zealand. It is operated by the Great Journeys New Zealand division of KiwiRail. It was called the ''TranzCoast ...
resumed running once all repairs were completed in mid 2018.


Education

The Kaikōura District has one secondary school, Kaikōura High School, and four primary schools: Hāpuku School, Kaikōura Primary School, Kaikoura Suburban School and St Joseph's School.


Media


Newspapers

The main newspapers for Kaikōura are the Wednesday weekly '' Kaikoura Star'' and Monday to Friday late morning daily ''
The Marlborough Express The ''Marlborough Express'' is a newspaper serving the Marlborough area of New Zealand. Its headquarters are in Blenheim and has been published there since 1866. Ownership The ''Marlborough Express'' was set up by the printer, journalist an ...
''. The early morning Monday-Saturday
Christchurch Christchurch (; ) is the largest city in the South Island and the List of cities in New Zealand, second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand. Christchurch has an urban population of , and a metropolitan population of over hal ...
based daily ''
The Press ''The Press'' () is a daily newspaper published in Christchurch, New Zealand, owned by media business Stuff (company), Stuff Ltd. First published in 1861, the newspaper is the largest circulating daily in the South Island and publishes Monday t ...
'' is also available. These papers are all owned by
Fairfax New Zealand Stuff Limited (previously Fairfax New Zealand) is a privately held news media company operating in New Zealand. It operates Stuff, the country's largest news website, and owns nine daily newspapers, including New Zealand's second and third-hig ...


Radio

Kaikōura has three locally transmitted radio stations on FM. These are More FM Marlborough (formerly Sounds FM) broadcast from Blenheim during the day and
Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...
at night,
Blue FM Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between violet and cyan on the spectrum of visible light. The term ''blue'' generally descr ...
which is a locally broadcast Kaikōura station, and
Tahu FM Tahu may refer to: __NOTOC__ Geography * Tahu, Palpa, a village development committee in Nepal * Tahu, Estonia, village in Lääne-Nigula Parish, Lääne County, Estonia; Swedish name: Skåtanäs * Tahu Culture in southern Taiwan People First nam ...
broadcast from Christchurch. Non local transmissions of the following stations can be received: The Breeze (Wellington AM/FM), Radio New Zealand National (Wellington AM/FM), ZM (Wellington and Christchurch FM), Radio Hauraki (Christchurch).


Amenities


Mayfair Theatre

The Mayfair Theatre is an
art deco Art Deco, short for the French (), is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that first Art Deco in Paris, appeared in Paris in the 1910s just before World War I and flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920 ...
building on the Esplanade that was first opened in 1935 as a venue for cinema and concerts. In 1985, the building was put up for sale and by 1986, it had been purchased for the town as a result of a community fundraising initiative. The building was damaged beyond repair in the
2016 Kaikōura earthquake The 2016 Kaikōura earthquake was a 7.8 earthquake in the South Island of New Zealand that occurred two minutes after midnight on 14 November 2016 Time in New Zealand, NZDT (11:02 on 13 November UTC). earthquake rupture, Ruptures occurred on ...
, but community fundraising efforts resulted in the construction of a new cinema and performance venue on the site, retaining the 1934 art deco façade. After a $3.6 million restoration project, the building was re-opened in November 2020 as the Mayfair Arts and Culture Centre Te Whare Toi ō Kaikōura. As well as two movie screens, it has space for art exhibitions.


Swimming pool

The Kaikōura swimming pool on the Esplanade was badly damaged in the 2016 earthquake, leaving Kaikōura without a public pool for five years. A charitable trust was established to raise funds to build a replacement pool. Funding of $3.7million was raised for the build, with the Kaikōura District Council contributing $1million, COVID Recovery Fund contributing $1million and the Kaikōura Community Op Shop contributing $100,000. The Kaikōura Aquatic Centre opened in November 2021. It includes a 25m x 12m lap pool, a smaller pool for learners and a toddler pool.


Horse racing

The Kaikōura race course is located on Bay Parade at South Bay and is administered by the Kaikōura Trotting Club. The club was first established in 1914 with the first Kaikōura Trotting Cup won by a horse called Kintail owned by Albert Edgar and trained by Billie Honeybone. In 2021, the Kaikōura Trotting Cup weekend, normally held in early November was transferred to
Addington Raceway Addington Raceway or The Met is the home of the Metropolitan Trotting Club in Addington, Christchurch in New Zealand. The venue consists of a trotting track, a greyhound track, conference centre and restaurants. It is also home to many feature ...
in
Christchurch Christchurch (; ) is the largest city in the South Island and the List of cities in New Zealand, second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand. Christchurch has an urban population of , and a metropolitan population of over hal ...
due to COVID-19 restrictions.


Golf course

The Kaikōura golf club was established in 1911 with 39 members joining during the first season. The first nine-hole course was located at the South Bay Domain. In 1935, The course moved to a new 9 hole course with a club house near the Kowhai River. In 1958 three extra holes were added. and in 1960 a further three holes were added. In 1963 the course was extended again to 18 holes. The Koura Bay golf resort just to the north of Kaikōura has a nine-hole golf course.


Notable people

Notable people from Kaikōura include: *
Pat Boot Vernon Patrick Boot (22 October 1914 – 15 January 1947) was a New Zealand middle-distance runner who represented his country at the 1936 Summer Olympics and at the 1938 British Empire Games, winning gold and bronze medals at the latter. Early ...
– middle-distance runner who competed at the
1936 Summer Olympics The 1936 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XI Olympiad () and officially branded as Berlin 1936, were an international multi-sport event held from 1 to 16 August 1936 in Berlin, then capital of Nazi Germany. Berlin won the bid to ...
and at the
1938 British Empire Games The 1938 British Empire Games were the third British Empire Games, the event that evolved to become the Commonwealth Games. Held in Sydney, Australia from 5–12 February 1938, they were timed to coincide with Sydney's sesqui-centenary (150 yea ...
, winning gold and bronze medals at the latter. * Thomas Cooke – posthumously awarded the
Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...
for gallantry at the
Battle of Pozières The Battle of Pozières (23 July – 3 September 1916) took place in northern France around the village of Pozières, during the Battle of the Somme. The costly fighting ended with the British in possession of the plateau north and east of the ...
during the
First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. * Aston Greathead – artist *
Ted Howard Ted, Teddy, or Theodore Howard may refer to: * Ted Howard (author) (born 1950), US social entrepreneur and author * Ted Howard (conservationist), New Zealand conservationist and local politician * Ted Howard (politician) (1868–1939), New Zeala ...
– conservationist * Trevor Howse
Ngāi Tahu Ngāi Tahu, or Kāi Tahu, is the principal Māori people, Māori (tribe) of the South Island. Its (tribal area) is the largest in New Zealand, and extends from the White Bluffs / Te Parinui o Whiti (southeast of Blenheim, New Zealand, Blenhe ...
leader and researcher * Ronald Jorgensen – one of the perpetrators of the
Bassett Road machine gun murders The Bassett Road machine gun murders were the murders of two men with a .45 calibre Reising submachine gun on 7 December 1963 at 115 Bassett Road in the Auckland suburb of Remuera in New Zealand.> The crime received considerable media attention ...
in 1963 * Ailsa McGilvary – bird conservationist, and photographer * Bert Sandos – rower who competed at the
1930 British Empire Games The 1930 British Empire Games were the inaugural edition of what is now known as the Commonwealth Games, and was held in Hamilton, Ontario, from 16 to 23 August 1930. The event was organized by '' Hamilton Spectator'' sportswriter Bobby Robinso ...
, where he won two medals, and at the
1932 Summer Olympics The 1932 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the X Olympiad and also known as Los Angeles 1932) were an international multi-sport event held from July 30 to August 14, 1932, in Los Angeles, California, United States. The Games were held du ...
. * Mark Solomon – Māori leader, kaiwhakahaere (chairperson) of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, chair of the Canterbury District Health Board *
Julie Syme Julie Patricia Syme is a community leader from Kaikōura, New Zealand, who has been involved in a wide range of community groups and activities in the town. Lions Club of Seaward Kaikōura Syme was a founding member of the Lions Club of Se ...
– community service leader * Melville Syme – community service leader * Ian Walker – long serving Chief Fire Officer of the Kaikōura volunteer fire brigade *
Cora Wilding Cora Hilda Blanche Wilding (15 November 1888 – 8 October 1982) was a New Zealand physiotherapist and artist, remembered for her advocacy of outdoor activities and children’s health camps in the 1930s. Wilding was an advocate for eugenics, ...
– physiotherapist noted for her advocacy of outdoor activities and children's health camps in the 1930s * John Wood – diplomat and a former chancellor of the
University of Canterbury The University of Canterbury (UC; ; postnominal abbreviation ''Cantuar.'' or ''Cant.'' for ''Cantuariensis'', the Latin name for Canterbury) is a public research university based in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was founded in 1873 as Canterbur ...


Gallery

File:Early morning sun on snow-capped Seaward Kaikoura Range.jpg, Seaward Kaikōura Range from Kaikōura town File:080420-Kaikouras from Kaikoura.jpg, The Seaward Kaikōura mountain range from Kaikōura File:Kaikoura Beach.jpg, View of a beach and Seaward Kaikōura Range from Kaikōura File:Fyffe House, Kaikoura.jpg, Fyffe House File:NZ280315 Kaikoura Whale Watching 01.jpg, Whale watching vessel File:Spermwhale tail.JPG, A sperm whale seen from on a whale-watching tour boat off Kaikōura File:Colonia di otarie.JPG, A seal colony on Kaikōura peninsula File:Fur_seal_at_kaikoura.jpg, A fur seal on the beach at Kaikōura


References


External links


Kaikōura District Council official website

Kaikōura tourism and information site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kaikōura Kaikōura District Populated places in the Canterbury Region Birdwatching sites in New Zealand