Origins

For as long as man has settled here, a pioneering spirit has shaped the region.

People have always been drawn here, starting with early Maori who came in search of Pounamu, or native greenstone. European settlers followed with sights set on fertile grazing land. They discovered a whole lot more when shining gold lit up the region’s waterways. An overnight goldrush sprang up in the 1860s; the origins of an ongoing international fascination with the region.

Around 1.4 million visitors are drawn here each year to enjoy their own unforgettable travel experience. Awe-inspiring alpine scenery, the search for adventure, a desire for relaxation and rejuvenation, or simply the yearning to breathe pure mountain air - the reasons to visit are many.