![]() In terms of ethnicity, 60.2% of residents were European, 7.5% were Māori, 6.8% were Pacific peoples, 23.6% were Asian, and 6.2% were other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities). Of the total population, 48 people (9.9%) were aged under 15, 219 people (45.3%) were 15 to 29, 210 people were 30 to 64 (43.4%), and six people (1.2%) were 65 or over. There were 243 males and 237 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.03 males per female. The Franz Josef settlement had a usual resident population of 483 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 156 people (47.7%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 177 people (57.8%) since the 2006 census. It is part of the wider Westland Glaciers-Bruce Bay statistical area. Demographics įranz Josef is defined by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement and covers 5.31 km 2 (2.05 sq mi). The estimated cost for this is $300–$600 million, or as high as $1 billion. Īnother proposal for the future of Franz Josef is to relocate the entire town away from the flood danger and the alpine fault to the shore of Lake Mapourika, 10 km north of the town. In September 2021, $400,000 of emergency work was approved on the southern bank stopbank. This would affect 82 people and 40 properties, who would need compensation by central government. One proposal made in a 2017 report was to remove embankments on the river's southern bank, allowing it to widen and flood several thousand hectares of farmland. MP Damien O'Connor said "piling more rocks around the river" was not a long-term solution. The work had not begun as of January 2021, leading to criticism from National MP Maureen Pugh and Regional Council head Allan Birchfield. The work included $18m for rock embankments on the north and south banks, and $3.8m to raise the level of the highway bridge. įlood protection was deemed a priority for the township of Franz Josef, and a $24m package was approved by the Government in July 2020, as part of the COVID-19 economic stimulus package. The bridge and one abutment was rebuilt and the road link reopened after 18 days at a cost of NZ$6m. The town was flooded and hundreds were evacuated. ![]() In a severe rain storm on 26 March 2019, 400 millimetres (16 in) of rain fell and the bridge over the Waiho, the only road connection to south Westland, was destroyed. A flood in February 2016 caused $30 million of damage. The riverbed is currently predicted to rise 2 m every 10 years, and in 30 years will be higher than the town itself. The bed of the Waiho (Waiau) River has significantly risen over the years, and increased rainfall and snow melt from the retreating glacier has caused the river's water flow to vary greatly. The town Franz Josef was then named after the glacier.įollowing the passage of the Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998, the name of the town was officially altered to Franz Josef / Waiau. In the 1860s Sir Julius von Haast named the Franz Josef Glacier in honour of the Emperor of Austria Franz Josef I of Austria. Local Māori called the area Waiau, which means swirling waters. The Waiho River runs from the Franz Josef Glacier to the south, through the town, and into the Tasman Sea to the north-west. Whataroa is 32 kilometres (20 mi) to the north-east, and the township of Fox Glacier is 23 kilometres (14 mi) to the south-west. ![]() ![]() There are also plenty of activities available for the more adventurous with skydiving, quad biking and horse trekking operating in the area while the helicopter pads are located right in the town providing flights to the top of and walks on the Glacier itself.Grahams Hotel at the toe of the Franz Josef Glacier, 1932.Įstablished about 1911 by the Graham brothers and run by them it was sold to the New Zealand Government in 1947įranz Josef (officially Franz Josef / Waiau) is a small town in the West Coast region of the South Island of New Zealand. Close by are the mirror like Lake Matheson and Lake Mapourika which offer tranquil kayak trips, superb trout and salmon fishing(in Lake Mapourika) and beautiful scenery. The Glacier Region has been accorded UNESCO World Heritage Area status in recognition of its outstanding ecological value. The town accommodates over 3,000 tourists per night in the busy season in the many hotels, motels and other accommodation outlets available and offers a wide variety of cafés and restaurants. The world famous Franz Josef Glacier is located 5 kilometres from the township in the Waiho River Valley and guided walks and helicopter flights are available all year round to view this spectacular spectacle. Franz Josef/Waiau has a resident population who mainly service in-excess of 1 million tourists who pass through the town each year. ![]()
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