Town on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand
Place in West Coast, New Zealand
Granity
is a small town on the
West Coast
of New Zealand's
South Island
, 28 kilometres (17 mi) north-east of
Westport
on
State Highway 67
.
Karamea
is 68 kilometres (42 mi) further north.
[3]
[4]
The town is on a narrow strip of land between the
Tasman Sea
to the west and steep, mountains to the immediate east. Long known as a
coal
-
mining
town, the population declined as the industry waned. The population was 170 in June 2023.
[2]
Several neighbouring towns, such as
Denniston
, have become virtually
ghost towns
. In 1911 Granity's population was 589,
[5]
641 in 1921
[6]
and 547 in 1956.
[7]
Granity had a railway station on the
Westport-Ng?kawau Line
from 28 Feb 1892 until 16 May 1982, though closed to passengers from 14 October 1946.
[8]
In 1902 it had a staff of 5.
[9]
The name "Granity" was given to the town by gold prospectors, in reference to the large quantity of
granite
in the area.
[10]
Demographics
[
edit
]
Granity is described by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement and covers 2.36 km
2
(0.91 sq mi).
[1]
It had an estimated population of 170 as of June 2023,
[2]
with a population density of 72 people per km
2
. It is part of the larger Buller Coalfields statistical area.
Historical population
Year
| Pop.
| ±% p.a.
|
---|
2006
| 189
| ?
|
---|
2013
| 201
| +0.88%
|
---|
2018
| 168
| ?3.52%
|
---|
Source:
[11]
|
Before the 2023 census, the settlement had a smaller boundary, covering 1.95 km
2
(0.75 sq mi).
[1]
Using that boundary, Granity had a population of 168 at the
2018 New Zealand census
, a decrease of 33 people (?16.4%) since the
2013 census
, and a decrease of 21 people (?11.1%) since the
2006 census
. There were 90 households, comprising 93 males and 75 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.24 males per female. The median age was 55.7 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 24 people (14.3%) aged under 15 years, 12 (7.1%) aged 15 to 29, 90 (53.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 42 (25.0%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 94.6% European/
P?keh?
, 12.5%
M?ori
, 1.8%
Pasifika
, and 1.8% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 66.1% had no religion, 17.9% were
Christian
and 1.8% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 12 (8.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 45 (31.2%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $18,800, compared with $31,800 nationally. 9 people (6.2%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 45 (31.2%) people were employed full-time, 15 (10.4%) were part-time, and 6 (4.2%) were unemployed.
[11]
Buller Coalfields statistical area
[
edit
]
Buller Coalfields statistical area, which also includes
Hector and Ngakawau
and
Waimangaroa
, covers 498.52 km
2
(192.48 sq mi).
[1]
It had an estimated population of 930 as of June 2023,
[12]
with a population density of 1.9 people per km
2
.
Historical population for Buller Coalfields
Year
| Pop.
| ±% p.a.
|
---|
2006
| 939
| ?
|
---|
2013
| 987
| +0.71%
|
---|
2018
| 909
| ?1.63%
|
---|
Source:
[13]
|
Buller Coalfields had a population of 909 at the
2018 New Zealand census
, a decrease of 78 people (?7.9%) since the
2013 census
, and a decrease of 30 people (?3.2%) since the
2006 census
. There were 447 households, comprising 480 males and 429 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.12 males per female. The median age was 54.0 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 135 people (14.9%) aged under 15 years, 84 (9.2%) aged 15 to 29, 486 (53.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 204 (22.4%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 90.1% European/
P?keh?
, 11.9%
M?ori
, 1.3%
Pasifika
, 1.7%
Asian
, and 3.6% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 11.9, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 60.4% had no religion, 24.8% were
Christian
, 0.3% had
M?ori religious beliefs
, 0.3% were
Buddhist
and 1.7% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 78 (10.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 231 (29.8%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $19,600, compared with $31,800 nationally. 57 people (7.4%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 264 (34.1%) people were employed full-time, 93 (12.0%) were part-time, and 39 (5.0%) were unemployed.
[13]
Economy
[
edit
]
The Granity Creek Sawmill was established in 1846 and was a significant employer in the area. The town was also the location of the engineering division of the Westport Coal Company, and the railway station was used for loading and dispatching coal from the nearby
Millerton
mine.
[14]
Education
[
edit
]
Granity School opened in 1879 in
Ngakawau
and was later re-located to a site between Ngakawau and Granity. In 1901 it had a roll of 100 pupils.
[14]
The school is a co-educational full primary school (years 1?8), with a roll of 29 as of February 2024.
[15]
[16]
The natural erosion of the beach, at a rate of 40 centimetres (16 in) per year, is threatening the school buildings, and a
stopbank
has resulted in the school grounds protruding further out onto the beach than adjoining properties.
[17]
Biodiversity
[
edit
]
The very rare and critically endangered
cobble skink
is only known to occur on a short stretch of pebbled coast at Granity.
[18]
Notable people
[
edit
]
Notable people from Granity include:
Gallery
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
c
d
"ArcGIS Web Application"
.
statsnz.maps.arcgis.com
. Retrieved
23 May
2024
.
- ^
a
b
c
"Subnational population estimates (RC, SA2), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)"
.
Statistics New Zealand
. Retrieved
25 October
2023
.
(regional councils);
"Subnational population estimates (TA, SA2), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)"
.
Statistics New Zealand
. Retrieved
25 October
2023
.
(territorial authorities);
"Subnational population estimates (urban rural), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)"
.
Statistics New Zealand
. Retrieved
25 October
2023
.
(urban areas)
- ^
Peter Dowling, ed. (2004).
Reed New Zealand Atlas
. Reed Books. map 62.
ISBN
0-7900-0952-8
.
- ^
Roger Smith, GeographX (2005).
The Geographic Atlas of New Zealand
. Robbie Burton. map 134.
ISBN
1-877333-20-4
.
- ^
"Report on the results of a census of the Dominion of New Zealand"
(PDF)
. 2 April 1911.
- ^
"1921 Census - Part 01 - Population"
.
statsnz.contentdm.oclc.org
. Retrieved
3 September
2022
.
- ^
"1956 Census - Part 01 - Increase and Location of Population"
.
statsnz.contentdm.oclc.org
. Retrieved
3 September
2022
.
- ^
Scoble, Juliet (April 2010).
"Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations in New Zealand 1863 to 2010"
(PDF)
.
Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand
.
- ^
"Granity"
.
nzetc.victoria.ac.nz
. Retrieved
3 September
2022
.
- ^
Reed, A. W. (2002).
The Reed Dictionary of New Zealand Place Names
. Auckland: Reed Books.
ISBN
0-7900-0761-4
.
- ^
a
b
"Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census"
. Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7023590.
- ^
"Population estimate tables - NZ.Stat"
.
Statistics New Zealand
. Retrieved
25 October
2023
.
- ^
a
b
"Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census"
. Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Buller Coalfields (309500).
2018 Census place summary: Buller Coalfields
- ^
a
b
"Granity | NZETC"
.
nzetc.victoria.ac.nz
. Retrieved
10 September
2020
.
- ^
"New Zealand Schools Directory"
. New Zealand Ministry of Education
. Retrieved
14 March
2024
.
- ^
Education Counts: Granity School
- ^
"Little Granity School versus the sea"
.
Timaru Herald
. 25 June 2012
. Retrieved
25 June
2012
.
- ^
"Critter of the Week"
.
RNZ
. 10 June 2016
. Retrieved
10 June
2016
.
External links
[
edit
]
Media related to
Granity
at Wikimedia Commons
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Populated places
| Inangahua Ward
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Seddon Ward
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Westport Ward
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Facilities and attractions
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Government
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