Granity

Granity is a small town on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island, 28 kilometres (17 mi) north-east of Westport on State Highway 67. Karamea is 68 kilometres (42 mi) further north.[1][2]

Granity
Granity
Coordinates: 41°37′47″S 171°51′13″E
CountryNew Zealand
RegionWest Coast
DistrictBuller District
Population
 (2013)
 • Total237

Squeezed between the often-tempestuous Tasman Sea to the west and steep forested cloud-shrouded mountains to the immediate east, the town is the largest in this sparsely populated part of New Zealand. Long known as a coal-mining town, the population has declined as the industry has waned. The population was 237 in the 2013 census, an increase of 18 from 2006.[3] Several neighbouring towns, such as Denniston, have become virtually ghost towns.

The name "Granity" was given to the town by gold prospectors, in reference to the large quantity of granite in the area.[4]

Education

Granity School is a co-educational full primary school (years 1–8), with a decile rating of 4 and a roll of 47.[5] The natural erosion of the beach, at a rate of 40 centimetres (16 in) per year, is threatening the school buildings, and a stopbank has resulted in the school grounds protruding further out onto the beach than adjoining properties.[6]

Biodiversity

The very rare and critically endangered cobble skink is only known to occur on a short stretch of cobbled coast at Granity.[7]

  • The Lyric Theatre
  • Band rotunda
  • Fund-raising Centre - the community "op-shop"
  • Community library
    (c. 1903)
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References
  1. Peter Dowling (editor) (2004). Reed New Zealand Atlas. Reed Books. map 62. ISBN 0-7900-0952-8.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  2. Roger Smith, GeographX (2005). The Geographic Atlas of New Zealand. Robbie Burton. map 134. ISBN 1-877333-20-4.
  3. 2013 Census QuickStats about a place : Granity
  4. Reed, A. W. (2002). The Reed Dictionary of New Zealand Place Names. Auckland: Reed Books. ISBN 0-7900-0761-4.
  5. "Te Kete Ipurangi - Granity School". Ministry of Education. Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2008-07-25.
  6. "Little Granity School versus the sea". Timaru Herald. 25 June 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
  7. "Critter of the Week". RNZ. 10 June 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2016.

Media related to Granity at Wikimedia Commons

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