Kaniere

Kaniere
Interactive map of Kaniere
Coordinates: 42°44′53″S 171°0′26″E / 42.74806°S 171.00722°E / -42.74806; 171.00722
CountryNew Zealand
RegionWest Coast
DistrictWestland District
WardNorthern
Electorates
Government
 • Territorial AuthorityWestland District Council
 • Regional councilWest Coast Regional Council
 • Mayor of WestlandHelen Lash[1]
 • West Coast-Tasman MPMaureen Pugh[2]
 • Te Tai Tonga MPTākuta Ferris[3]
Area
[4]
 • Total
2.94 km2 (1.14 sq mi)
Population
 (June 2025)[5]
 • Total
570
 • Density190/km2 (500/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+12 (NZST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+13 (NZDT)
Postcode
7811
Area code03
Local iwiNgāi Tahu

Kaniere is a small town in the Westland District of the West Coast region of New Zealand's South Island. Hokitika lies to the north-west, and the Hokitika River flows past to the south-west.[6][7]

The locality began about 1865 as one of the main alluvial gold fields of the West Coast gold rush.[8][9] The Hokitika & Kanieri Tramway laid with wooden rails was established from Hokitika by 1868, with cars drawn by horses.[10] A road followed by 1873.[11]

Kaniere often seen written Kanieri, official spelling of the town is Kaniere [12]

Locality on the Hokitika River, 5 km southeast of Hokitika. Kaniere Survey District.

History/Origin/Meaning:

Reeds[13] Dictionary of New Zealand Place Names gives the following explanation, "Kani is the act of sawing greenstone preparatory to making tools, weapons or ornaments, a long wearisome process. The name was formerly and incorrectly spelt Kanieri. The terminal ere or eri is inexplicable. There is just a possibility that it was originally oro, literally to grind or sharpen on a stone. It may be significant that, according to legend, Kanioro was the fabled guardian of greenstone". Instead of Kanieri. This decision confirms and supersedes the decision of 1930. (Gaz 1948, p939)[14]

Demographics

Kaniere is described by Stats NZ as a rural settlement and covers 2.94 km2 (1.14 sq mi).[4] It had an estimated population of 570 as of June 2025,[5] with a population density of 194 people per km2. The settlement is part of the larger Hokitika Rural statistical area.[15]

Historical population for Kaniere
YearPop.±% p.a.
2006291—    
2013489+7.70%
2018504+0.61%
2023543+1.50%
The 2006 population is for a smaller area of 1.30 km2.
Source: [16][17]

Kaniere had a population of 543 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 39 people (7.7%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 54 people (11.0%) since the 2013 census. There were 264 males, 276 females, and 3 people of other genders in 222 dwellings.[18] 2.8% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 47.0 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 84 people (15.5%) aged under 15 years, 81 (14.9%) aged 15 to 29, 252 (46.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 123 (22.7%) aged 65 or older.[16]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 91.2% European (Pākehā), 13.3% Māori, 0.6% Pasifika, 2.8% Asian, and 6.6% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 98.9%, Māori by 1.7%, Samoan by 0.6%, and other languages by 5.5%. No language could be spoken by 0.6% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 11.0, compared with 28.8% nationally.[16]

Religious affiliations were 29.8% Christian, 1.1% Buddhist, 0.6% New Age, and 0.6% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 61.3%, and 6.6% of people did not answer the census question.[16]

Of those at least 15 years old, 75 (16.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 261 (56.9%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 120 (26.1%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $42,200, compared with $41,500 nationally. 45 people (9.8%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 252 (54.9%) full-time, 63 (13.7%) part-time, and 3 (0.7%) unemployed.[16]

Hokitika Rural statistical area

Hokitika Rural statistical area, which also includes Ruatapu and Rimu, covers 140.96 km2 (54.42 sq mi)[19] and had an estimated population of 1,380 as of June 2025,[20] with a population density of 9.8 people per km2.

Historical population for Hokitika Rural
YearPop.±% p.a.
20061,287—    
20131,104−2.17%
20181,185+1.43%
20231,317+2.13%
The 2006 population is for a larger area of 154.38 km2.
Source: [21][22]

Hokitika Rural had a population of 1,317 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 132 people (11.1%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 213 people (19.3%) since the 2013 census. There were 672 males, 645 females, and 3 people of other genders in 594 dwellings.[23] 2.3% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 49.9 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 207 people (15.7%) aged under 15 years, 168 (12.8%) aged 15 to 29, 648 (49.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 291 (22.1%) aged 65 or older.[21]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 92.5% European (Pākehā), 12.5% Māori, 0.5% Pasifika, 1.6% Asian, and 5.7% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 98.2%, Māori by 1.6%, Samoan by 0.2%, and other languages by 5.7%. No language could be spoken by 1.4% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.7%. The percentage of people born overseas was 11.2, compared with 28.8% nationally.[21]

Religious affiliations were 27.8% Christian, 0.2% Hindu, 0.5% Buddhist, 0.7% New Age, and 1.1% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 62.4%, and 7.5% of people did not answer the census question.[21]

Of those at least 15 years old, 174 (15.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 642 (57.8%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 297 (26.8%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $39,100, compared with $41,500 nationally. 99 people (8.9%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 570 (51.4%) full-time, 165 (14.9%) part-time, and 15 (1.4%) unemployed.[21]

Education

Kaniere School is a coeducational contributing primary (years 1–6) school[24] with a roll of 111 students as of July 2026.[25] It was open by 1867, then called Kanieri School.[26]

St Joseph's School in Kaniere was opened by the Sisters of Mercy in 1887. It closed in 1957.[27]

Notes

  1. ↑ "2025 Triennial Elections Declaration of Result" (PDF). Electionz. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  2. ↑ "West Coast-Tasman - Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  3. ↑ "Te Tai Tonga – Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  4. 1 2 "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Urban Rural 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Subnational population estimates - Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  6. ↑ Peter Dowling, ed. (2004). Reed New Zealand Atlas. Reed Books. pp. map 69. ISBN 0-7900-0952-8.
  7. ↑ Roger Smith, GeographX (2005). The Geographic Atlas of New Zealand. Robbie Burton. pp. map 156. ISBN 1-877333-20-4.
  8. ↑ Rogers, Anna (2005). Illustrated History of the West Coast. p. 49. ISBN 0-7900-1022-4.
  9. ↑ "Hokitika River". Encyclopedia of New Zealand (1966).
  10. ↑ Rogers, p 63
  11. ↑ Rogers, p 67
  12. ↑ "Otago Daily Times". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 6 January 1949. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  13. ↑ "Gazetteer". Linz.govt.nz. 1950.
  14. ↑ "Place name detail: 2381". New Zealand Gazetteer. Land Information New Zealand. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  15. ↑ "Geographic Boundary Viewer". Stats NZ. Urban Rural Areas – 2023 and Statistical Area 2 – 2023.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Kaniere (2069). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  17. ↑ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7023797 and 7023800.
  18. ↑ "Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  19. ↑ "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 2 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  20. ↑ "Subnational population estimates - Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Hokitika Rural (311701). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  22. ↑ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Hokitika Rural (311700). 2018 Census place summary: Hokitika Rural
  23. ↑ "Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  24. ↑ "Kaniere School - Education Counts". www.educationcounts.govt.nz.
  25. ↑ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  26. ↑ "Untitled". Grey River Argus. 14 December 1867 – via Papers Past.
  27. ↑ "St Joseph's School, Kaniere". Mercy Schools. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
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