Art, Culture & Heritage
The rich history and heritage of Hokitika as well as the vibrant arts and crafts community make Hokitika a place abounding with interesting stories.
History & Heritage
At the height of the gold rushes in the 1860’s Hokitika boasted 102 hotels, three opera houses and a whole lot of gold miners! Relive those golden days:
-
Gold pan! There are public fossicking areas at Ross or Goldsborough.
-
Plenty of bush walks have authentic relics from the gold years, water races and tunnels.
-
Eleanor Catton's 2013 Man Booker Prize winning novel The Luminaries is set in Hokitika. Read it for a feel of what life used to be like for those pioneer gold miners.
Arts & Culture
Before the gold rush, Maori were heading here for another precious stone - pounamu/NZ jade. Today, Hokitika has probably more galleries and artist studios per capita than anywhere else in New Zealand.
-
Wander town to meet artists in their working studios. There are pounamu carvers, photographers, painters, gold, silver and copper smiths, glass blowers, sculptors, wood turners and potters.
-
Visit during the annual Driftwood and Sand Beach Sculpture Event in January to see amazing art made out of driftwood.
-
Have a rest on the Take A Seat installations around town.
Browse the listings below to see what there is to do around Hokitika's history, heritage, arts and culture.
See & Do
Mountain Jade - Weld Street
Hokitika Museum Services and Research Centre
Hokitika's Matariki Winter Festival
Date : 1 June to 31 July 2018
LOCATION : Hokitika Town
Hokitika Lantern Parade
Date : June 2018 to be confirmed
LOCATION : Hokitika Town
Hokitika Junk2Funk Exhibition
Date : 2018 to be confirmed
LOCATION : Hokitika Town
West Coast Whitebait Season
Date : 1 Sept to 14 Nov 2018 inclusive
LOCATION : Hokitika Beach
SUMMER FESTIVAL EVENT - Driftwood & Sand Beach Sculpture Festival
Date : Jan 2019 dates TBC
LOCATION : Hokitika Beach
Hokitika Heritage Walk
LOCATION : Hokitika Town
Kaniere Water Race Walkway - Walk
LOCATION : Lake Kaniere
Mananui Tramline / Mahinapua Walkway - Walk
LOCATION : Lake Mahinapua
German Gully Pack Track & Goffs Track Loop - Walk
LOCATION : Awatuna/Goldsborough
Tunnel Terrace Walk
LOCATION : Awatuna/Goldsborough
Goldsborough / Shamrock Track - Tramp
LOCATION : Awatuna/Goldsborough
Ross Water Race Walkway - Walk
LOCATION :
Ross Historic Cemetery - Walk
LOCATION :
Blue Spur Bushwalk - Walk
LOCATION : Arahura/Blue Spur
Blue Spur Tourist Drive
LOCATION : Arahura/Blue Spur
Sunset Point - Walk and Scenic Lookout
LOCATION : Hokitika Beach
Londonderry Rock - Walk
LOCATION : Kumara
Rimu Lookout - Walk and Scenic Lookout
LOCATION : Rimu / Woodstock
Art, Culture & Heritage
Gorge Gallery at MZ Design
Mountain Jade - Tancred Street
Shop
Take Note Hokitika Bookshop
Accommodation
Teichelmann's Bed & Breakfast
Seaview Lodge & Kotuku Hostel