A winter view up the Hokitika River towards some of the Hokitika backcountry making up the Tarahanga e Toru Historic Reserve. PHOTO: ALLIED MEDIA FILESWork has started on a management plan for the new culturally significant stewardship land area, Tarahanga e Toru Historic Reserve. In an update to the Westland District Council last week Department of Conservation Hokitika operations manager Tim Shaw said the stewardship land review had identified the Hokitika backcountry to be gazetted as historic reserve — Tarahanga e Toru. The historic trails through the reserve were used as trading routes for pounamu and kai, serving as lifelines for Poutini Ngai Tahu. Certain areas that contain pounamu and links to historic pa sites will remain as stewardship land for further assessment.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 31, 2026 16:51 UTC