Waewae Pounamu

Top choice in The West Coast


Linked to Ngāti Waewae, a local hapū (subtribe) of the broader Ngāi Tahu tribe, this stronghold of pounamu carving displays traditional and contemporary designs in its main-road gallery-boutique. Watch the carvers at work before deciding on a piece to purchase.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby The West Coast attractions

1. Clock Tower

0.01 MILES

Iconic only to West Coast locals, Hokitika's attractive clock tower was unveiled in 1903 to commemorate King Edward VII's coronation and to memorialise…

2. National Kiwi Centre

0.1 MILES

Tiptoe through the darkened kiwi house to watch the birds rummage for tasty insects, or stare a tuatara – a reptile unchanged for 150 million years – in…

3. Hokitika Museum

0.12 MILES

Housed in the gorgeous, recently strengthened Carnegie Building (1908), this museum has displays on greenstone, gold mining, history and whitebait fishing.

4. St Mary's Catholic Church

0.16 MILES

This handsome Catholic church, completed in 1928, could only be admired from the outside when we passed through, due to earthquake-strengthening…

5. Sunset Point

0.54 MILES

A visit to Sunset Point is a quintessential Hokitika experience: watch the day's light fade away, observe whitebaiters casting nets, munch fish and chips,…

6. Glowworm Dell

0.9 MILES

At nightfall, bring a torch (or grope your way) into this grotto on the northern edge of town, signposted off SH6. The dell is an easy opportunity to…

7. Lake Māhinapua

6.16 MILES

Serene Lake Māhinapua lies 10km southwest of Hokitika, screened from SH6 by its surrounding forest. The scenic reserve, gazetted in 1907, has a picnic…

8. Lake Kaniere

12.31 MILES

Lying at the heart of a 7000-hectare scenic reserve, 18km southeast of Hokitika, beautiful Lake Kaniere is 8km long, 2km wide, up to 195m deep, and…