Bluff, New Zealand
Bluff
Motupōhue (Māori) | |
---|---|
Town | |
Coordinates: 46°36′S 168°20′E / 46.600°S 168.333°E | |
Country | New Zealand |
Region | Southland Region |
City | Invercargill |
Electorates |
|
Government | |
• Regional council | Southland Regional Council |
• Local authority | Invercargill City Council |
• Community board | Bluff Community Board[1] |
• Mayor of Invercargill | Nobby Clark |
• MPs | |
Area UTC+13 (NZDT) | |
Postcode(s) | 9814 |
Area code | 03 |
Bluff (
The Bluff area was one of the earliest areas of New Zealand where a European presence became established. The first ship known to have entered the harbour was the Perseverance in 1813, in search of flax trading possibilities, with the first European settlers arriving in 1823 or 1824.
This is the foundation for the claim[6] that Bluff is the oldest permanent European settlement in the country. However, the missionary settlement at Kerikeri was both earlier and larger. The town was officially called Campbelltown in 1856, became a borough in 1878, and was renamed Bluff in 1917.[7]
Geography
Bluff is 30 km (20 mi) by road from Invercargill, and the southern terminus of the Bluff Branch, the continuation from Invercargill of the Main South Line. This was one of New Zealand's earliest railways, opening on 5 February 1867.[8]
Bluff is at the end of a peninsula that forms the western side of Bluff Harbour and Awarua Bay, with the port located in the relatively narrow entrance channel. It is on
Bluff is dominated by Bluff Hill / Motupōhue (standing at 265 m (870 ft)), which provides some shelter from the prevailing westerly winds. There is a path along the shore through native bush up to this point. The town is named for this
A chain sculpture on the coast near Bluff symbolises the Māori belief that Stewart Island is anchored to South Island; a similar sculpture in Rakiura National Park represents the other end of the chain.
Demographics
Bluff covers 10.14 km2 (3.92 sq mi)[2] and had an estimated population of 1,840 as of June 2023,[3] with a population density of 181 people per km2.
Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
---|---|---|
2006 | 1,797 | — |
2013 | 1,803 | +0.05% |
2018 | 1,797 | −0.07% |
Source: [11] |
Bluff had a population of 1,797 at the
Ethnicities were 77.6% European/Pākehā, 46.4% Māori, 6.2% Pasifika, 1.3% Asian, and 1.5% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 6.0, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 54.9% had no religion, 32.7% were Christian, 1.0% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.2% were Hindu, 0.2% were Muslim, 0.5% were Buddhist and 1.0% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 102 (7.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 528 (36.0%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $30,500, compared with $31,800 nationally. 189 people (12.9%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 726 (49.5%) people were employed full-time, 228 (15.5%) were part-time, and 45 (3.1%) were unemployed.[11]
Economy
In July 2020,
The Bluff Branch (formerly the Invercargill-Bluff Railway)) was the first railway line in Otago and Southland.[20]
Culture
Te Rau Aroha marae is located at Bluff. It is a marae (meeting ground) for the Awarua Rūnanga branch of Ngāi Tahu, and includes the Tahu Potiki wharenui.[21][22]
Attractions
The town previously included the Paua House, created by Fred and Myrtle Flutey. This was an ordinary bungalow transformed by having the outside walls totally covered in pāua shells. The interior was also extensively decorated with paua and there is an extensive collection of (often kitsch) paua-decorated ornaments, utensils and trinkets.
The house became a museum after the death of the owners, but was sold and in March 2007 the exhibits removed to Christchurch. It has been on permanent display at the Canterbury Museum since July 2008.[23]
The Bluff Maritime Museum contains an extensive collection of models, boats, artefacts, displays, a working triple expansion engine and a full sized oystering boat, the Monica.
Education
Bluff School is a state full primary school serving years 1 to 8[24] with a roll of 106 students as of February 2024.[25] The school opened in 1867.[26]
St Teresa's School is a state-integrated Catholic school serving years 1 to 8[27] with a roll of 11 students. It has been operating since at least 1901.[28]
Notable people
- Hannah Ward Barron (1829–1898), successful businesswoman and hotel proprietor
- Thomas Francis Doyle (1893–1968), member of the New Zealand Legislative Council
- Sir Joseph George Ward (1856–1930), Mayor of Campbelltown, Chair Bluff Harbour Board, founder J.G.Ward and Co, MP for Awarua 1887–1919 and for Invercargill 1925–1930, Prime Minister of New Zealand 1906–1912 and 1928–30.
- Dorothy May De Lany (1908–1970), first woman president of a trade union in New Zealand[29]
See also
References
- ^ "About Bluff | Invercargill City Council". icc.govt.nz. Invercargill City Council. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
- ^ a b "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
- ^ a b "Population estimate tables - NZ.Stat". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
- ISBN 9780743263573.
- ^ Population and dwellings (from the Statistics New Zealand website)
- ^ Bluff history – an overview Archived 14 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine (from the 'bluff.co.nz' website. Accessed 14 December 2008.)
- ^ BLUFF – Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Teara.govt.nz. Retrieved on 2 August 2013.
- ^ "A look at Bluff's past – part 2". Archived from the original on 3 June 2010.
- ^ "Tourist calls bluff on famous signpost". NewstalkZB. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
- ^ "Change of direction for iconic Bluff sign". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
- ^ a b "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Bluff (363300). 2018 Census place summary: Bluff
- ^ "South Port downplays prospect of bonanza". The New Zealand Herald. 28 September 2006. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
- ^ "South Port counts on hub feeder network". The New Zealand Herald. 28 September 2007. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
- ^ "South Port lifts profit forecast". The New Zealand Herald. 4 July 2008. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
- ^ Rutherford, Hamish (9 July 2020). "Rio Tinto announces plans to close New Zealand aluminium smelter in 2021". NZ Herald. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
- ^ Braae, Alex (10 July 2020). "The Bulletin: Tiwai Point closing affects everything". The Spinoff. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
- ^ "Ambitious proposals for surplus electricity once Tiwai closes". Radio New Zealand. 10 August 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
- ^ "Bluff keeps oyster festival after community rallies". The New Zealand Herald. 13 December 2007. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
- ^ "Shellfish Fisheries" (PDF). Ministry of Fisheries. Retrieved 5 July 2008.
- ISBN 0 589 01096 4.
- ^ "Te Kāhui Māngai directory". tkm.govt.nz. Te Puni Kōkiri.
- ^ "Māori Maps". maorimaps.com. Te Potiki National Trust.
- ^ "Paua shell house display at Canterbury Museum". Otago Daily Times. 5 July 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
- ^ Education Counts: Bluff School
- ^ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
- ^ "Our School". Bluff School. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
- ^ Education Counts: St Teresa's School
- ^ "St Teresa's School (Bluff)". Invercargill Archives. Invercargill City Libraries.
- ^ Taonga, New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu. "De Lany, Dorothy May". teara.govt.nz. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
- Reed, A. W. (2002). The Reed Dictionary of New Zealand Place Names. Auckland: Reed Books. ISBN 0-7900-0761-4.
External links
- Bluff (from Bluff Promotions)
- Bluff in the 1966 Encyclopaedia of New Zealand
- World History of Bluff