Punakaiki : interpreting a coastal landscape

Abstract

This dissertation concerns the study of the interpretive potential of the coastal landscape at Punakaiki. It deals with the whole length of the coastal landscape, some 30 kilometres; of the area being considered for a Punakaiki National Park.

The study area goes from the Tiropahi (Four Mile) River in the North, (33 kilometres South of Westport), to the Westland Black Petrel Nature Reserve, just South of the Punakaiki River. It is bordered, obviously, by the Tasman Sea in the West and the top of the coastal scarp on the inland or East side. State Highway Number 6 runs, the length of the study area, providing ready access to the coastal features and providing a scenic coastal driving experience.